Nate Smith

September 22, 2008

Days after a federal judge threw out Park Service plans to allow over 500 snowmobiles within Yellowstone Park a day, the Park Service released a draft plan that addresses the future of the 3,500-square-mile park's wireless services. The plan, released through an environmental assessment, aims to strike a balance between access to wireless communications and the preservation of the park's splendor.

The plan recommends increasing cell phone and WiFi service in popular, developed areas such as hotels, restaurants, and stores while excluding service from the backcountry, park road corridors, and the less developed areas of the park. In an attempt to promote courteous and respectful use of wireless devices throughout Yellowstone, the assessment also calls for limiting WiFi service to hotels and stores only.

To achieve this plan, the Park Service plans to move the current cell phone tower located near Old Faithful geyser to a more discrete location by the park's water treatment plant, reducing the tower's visibility from the geyser. This relocation would also improve and consolidate previously established communication facilities on Mt. Washburn and would add cellular service to the Lake and Fishing Bridge area.

The assessment found that expanded wireless services would have an insignificant impact on the park's endangered species and migratory birds yet, would bring forth modest benefits to park visitors. Similarly, the National Parks Conservation Association emphasized that the expanded services would enhance public safety by providing the essential infrastructure needed for Park Service officials to communicate.

Though, not all parties are happy with the middle-of-the-road service plan. Union Telephone, the company that provides service to the area through Alltel Corporation's towers, had hoped the Park Service would aim to expand wireless capabilities to more of the less developed areas of Yellowstone.

The Park Service will be holding two public meetings to educate concerned citizens and to get public feedback on the plan. The first meeting will be held on October 1st in Bozeman, Montana. The second meeting will be held in Idaho Falls, Idaho on October 2nd. Public comments can also be submitted via the Park Service's website.

Sources:

Fierce Wireless, Yellowstone eyes mobile compromise, http://www.fiercewireless.com/node/29644/print (last visited Sept. 17, 2008).

Jesse J. Holland, Judge tosses Yellowstone snowmobile plan, Salt Lake Trib., Sept. 16, 2008, available at http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_10472878.

Matt Joyce, Yellowstone tries to balance cell phones, nature, Int'l Herald Trib., Sept. 17, 2008, available at http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/17/america/Yellowstone-Wireless.php.

Montana's News Station, Yellowstone unveils cell phone, WiFi plan, http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9020758 (last visited Sept. 17, 2008).

Yellowstone Insider, NPS proposes expanded cell-phone coverage in Yellowstone, http://www.yellowstoneinsider.com/index.php?contentID=924&articleID=238 (last visited Sept. 17, 2008).