More on the Droop Mtn Cell Tower from Shay Huffman

Editor's Note:  Below is information obtained by Shaw Huffman as a part of her continuing research into the issues that affect Pocahontas County!  This information was contained in an email from a good friend of hers.

... the comment period has been extended to 03/16/14, plus I have learned some more, so I have answers to questions that some of you have asked.  

Most of what I have learned indicates that the tower company has been rather sloppy, which has caused some confusion and extra effort.  The tower company was supposed to publish the legal notice when they made their application.  The comment period is 30 days from application, and it would have ended on Jan 30, so I had to protest to the FCC when they rejected my Feb 3 comments for being late. 

The address is invalid, and I had to go to the courthouse to find out where it was going to be, which makes my original comments about distances to state parks incorrect.  The site is Wilbur Walton’s place on the west side of 219 just north of the Lobelia Road intersection where the long narrow sheep pasture is.  The 202 in the address is apparently Wilbur’s old box number.  Under the new 911 addressing 202 Seneca Trail would be on the other (east) side of 219 shortly after entering Pocahontas Co from Greenbrier Co, but none of the property owners there have any agreement with the tower company.  The coordinates are  38-06-13.7N 080-16-33.6W  

The server would be AT&T.  If Verizon, Sprint, etc. want to provide service they would have to build additional towers. 

The tower would be in the NRAO quiet zone (NRQZ), but NRAO has not determined yet if it would generate interference.  A similar (high with strobe) tower at Snowshoe had to be removed in favor of smaller towers, which NRAO advised before it was constructed but was ignored.  The tower does not need to be 256 feet tall with a flashing strobe.  Better coverage can be provided with small towers more strategically spaced.  In our terrain, there will always be reception shadows from a single tower no matter how tall the tower is.

We are not opposed to cellphone towers, just tall towers with flashing strobes.  They are not appropriate in this very rural quiet area.  It is a precious gift to many who I can walk out in their yard and see the Milky Way.  I can take our grandchildren to point out the big dipper, Polaris, Orion and the Pleiades.  We’ll take that over cellphone reception any day.  But we don’t have to make that choice:  With smaller towers we can all have what we want.

Please send comments by following the instructions at:

www.fcc.gov/asr/environmentalrequest

                The instructions have several steps but are clear and easy to follow.

                Then you also have to send a copy to American Towers LLC at enviro.services@americantower.com

                Paper comments can be sent to:

                                FCC Requests for environmental Review

                                Attn: Ramon Williams

                                445 12th St SW

                                Washington, DC 20554

                With a copy to:

                                American Tower

                                Attn:  Environmental Compliance

                                10 Presidential Way

                                Woburn, MA 01801

Here are my new comments:

February 13, 2014

Request for Environmental Review

American Towers File No. A08868037

These comments are an update to amend earlier comments because the location was not clear.

The actual location of the proposed tower is virtually adjacent to the Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, the historic site of an important Civil War battle where regular reenactments are held.  It is about four miles from Beartown State Park and within sight of two Wilderness Areas, Cranberry and Spice Run.  The Wilderness Areas are in the Monongahela National Forest which surrounds the neighborhood, which is very rural. 

Flashing red and white strobes would have a negative impact on the night time environment of these areas.  The national forest, particularly the Wilderness Areas, is enjoyed for primitive recreational opportunities without light pollution.  The rural character of the neighborhood includes a culture of enjoying the natural features of the heavens: i.e. the Milky Way at night, the morning star of Venus in season, and the other planets and stars.  These pleasures require undisturbed darkness.  There are not many places left in the East where this is possible, so it is a valuable resource.

This tower would be an offensive object in the middle of our eastern view shed, which is currently a completely natural ridge over which the sun rises in the morning, preceded by the morning star, Venus, in season.

There are already some smaller towers nearby; many of our neighbors have service already.  You could extend service to everyone with a much smaller investment of a small tower or two that would not interfere with the enjoyment of undisturbed nighttime darkness viewing. 

Also, your tower would be in the NRQZ, and it would be wise to make sure it would be cost effective to build under the limits that are imposed.

The nearby windmills are something like 400 feet tall, but they just have red lights, nor red/white strobes.