ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY
UNITED IN OPPOSITION TO NEXTEL'S "FRANKENPINE" CELL
TOWER APPLICATION TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE APA THIS WEEK
Project Would Harm
the Aesthetics and Water Quality of Lake George Region
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
The Adirondack Council
John Sheehan, Communications Director, 518-441-1340
Citizens Campaign for the Environment
William Cooke, Director of Government Relations 518-461-9947
Environmental Advocates of New York
Robert Moore, Executive Director 518-427-5526
Sierra Club - Atlantic Chapter
Sarah Kogel-Smucker, Legislative Associate, 518-426-9144
Released, Wednesday, July 6,
2005
RAY BROOK-Four of New York's
leading environmental organizations came together today to urge
the Adirondack Park Agency Commissioners to vote to deny a permit
for Nextel Partners to construct a cellular communications tower
on Pilot Knob overlooking the eastern shore of Lake George.
This case is the first test of
the APA's "Towers Policy", which calls for collocation
of communications facilities and new towers to be substantially
invisible. Neither one of these thresholds set forth in the APA
policy has been met by the applicant. "We understand the
need for better communications coverage for emergency first responders
along principal roadways and populated areas. But, became clear
during the adjudicatory hearing that the applicant made no effort
to collocate their equipment on existing structures," said
Adirondack Council Executive Director Brian L. Houseal. "Furthermore,
the fake pine tree design is over 100 feet tall, looks nothing
like native white pine trees, and will loom over the landscape,
destroying a historically significant vista. Should the permit
be approved for this project, the APA's "Towers Policy"
will be rendered virtually useless."
"Not only will this case
determine the effectiveness of the Towers Policy, it will set
a precedent for commercial installations of new cellular communications
towers inside the Adirondack Park," continued Houseal. "Allowing
the first fake tree to be installed in the Park will open the
door to applications from commercial entities across the Park."
"Tourists travel to the
Adirondacks to enjoy the views of our majestic forests - they
do not want to see hillsides which include fake, industrial looking
trees," said Sarah Kogel-Smucker, Legislative Associate
for the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. "We must protect the
Adirondack Park from fake tree towers, in order to preserve the
scenic and aesthetic quality of the region, and to protect our
tourism based economy.
"The stormwater component
of Nextel's application is incomplete. APA staff did not address
this matter in their brief, however, expert testimony during
the hearing exposed Nextel's failure to comply with state stormwater
regulations," said Robert Moore, Executive Director of Environmental
Advocates of New York. "The applicant is required to obtain
a State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit
from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC). They have not done so. By approving this project, APA
will be permitting Nextel to pollute Lake George and violate
state environmental laws."
"In addition, the applicant
has not sought or secured the necessary APA wetlands permit,
which is required due to the likely adverse impacts to the adjacent
Class 2 wetland," said William Cooke, Director of Government
Relations for Citizens Campaign for the Environment. "Currently,
the stormwater management system, as designed, would discharge
untreated water into the wetlands and downstream resources, including
areas tributary to Lake George."
"We demand that the Agency
reject the permit application," said Houseal. "A rejection
of this permit will protect not only Lake George and Pilot Knob,
but set a protective precedent for the entire Adirondack Park
while upholding the Agency's towers policy."
In addition the Adirondack Park
Local Government Review Board has sent a resolution to the Adirondack
Park Agency supporting the Town of Fort Ann, the Adirondack Council,
and the Lake George Waterkeeper in their opposition to the tower.
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