Sunday, July 16, 2006

YELLOWSTONE WIRELESS

not just cell phones
Walkie Talkie's
Radio & T.V. Too
HOW'S YOUR BLUETOOTH?


.. Yellowstone National Park has announced the public comment period for the environmental assessment, (EA,) for the park policy on wireless communication.
.. The YNP Press Release notes that the park will look at a wide range of current and future technologies, and their appropriate use in Yellowstone.
.. A newsletter with some of the services to be considered is published at the Planning Environment & Public Comment, (PEPC,) site HERE. The specific project is HERE, & HERE.
.. Of course you cannot comment by email, phone, or fax. You must take the time to visit in person, write a snail mail letter or wend your way through the PEPC site to discover the other ways that the NPS has made it hard to comment.
Public open house will be held at three places:
Idaho Falls, ID: Tuesday, August 8, from 6-8 p.m., at the Best Western Cotton Tree Inn, 900 Lindsay Blvd.
Bozeman, MT: Wednesday, August 9, from 6-8 p.m., at the Comfort Inn, 1370 North 7th Avenue.
Cody, WY: Tuesday, August 15, from 6-8 p.m., at the Park County Courthouse, 1501 Stampede Avenue.

The entire press release is reproduced below:

Yellowstone National Park News Release
INFORMATION FOR THE MEDIA CONTACT: Nash or Vallie
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (307) 344-2010 or 344-2012
July 13, 2006 06-44

Yellowstone National Park Seeks Public Input on the Future of Wireless Communications

Wireless e-mail, internet and cell phones are an everyday part of many peopleÂ’s lives. Yellowstone National Park will examine and address the impacts and suitability of these and other services in the park as it begins preparing a Wireless Communication Services Plan Environmental Assessment.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the park will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to guide decisions concerning developing technologies and changing expectations while protecting park resources. The EA will look at a wide range of current and future wireless communications that require permanent infrastructure, including two-way radios, public health and safety monitoring and alert systems, and research related data transmission systems.

The first step is to solicit public input during what is known as the scoping period. This is the time when any interested individual, organization or agency can provide thoughtful, relevant information or suggestions for consideration by park managers before alternatives are developed and analyzed and an EA is prepared and made available for public review and comment.

Three open houses have been scheduled to help the public learn more about the process and issues the plan is expected to address. The open houses will begin with a short presentation, followed by an opportunity to meet with park staff. The open houses are scheduled as follows:

Idaho Falls, ID: Tuesday, August 8, from 6-8 p.m., at the Best Western Cotton Tree Inn, 900 Lindsay Blvd.
Bozeman, MT: Wednesday, August 9, from 6-8 p.m., at the Comfort Inn, 1370 North 7th Avenue
Cody, WY: Tuesday, August 15, from 6-8 p.m., at the Park County Courthouse, 1501 Stampede Avenue

A newsletter with information on some of the services, issues and impacts to be considered in the EA, and an electronic form to submit comments on the internet can be found at the National Park ServiceÂ’s Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. The newsletter is also available by writing the Planning, Compliance and Landscape Architecture Office, Wireless Communication Services Plan EA Scoping, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.

Written comments may be submitted through the PEPC website, in person, or by mail. Comments will not be accepted by phone, fax, or e-mail. All public comments must be received or postmarked by midnight, August 31, 2006.

-www.nps.gov/yell -


.. Some of the service types include:
• Public health and safety monitoring and alert systems
• NPS two-way land mobile radio systems
• Cooperating/partnering agencies radio systems (local law enforcement, wildland fire, concessioners, and outfitters)
• Contractor radio systems (e.g. road work)
• Cellular phone service
• Internet services
• Wireless internet services (WiFi)
• Web cams
• Research-related data transmitters (Natural & Cultural Resources)
• Geothermal and seismic monitoring
• Weather information data transmitters and weather band radio service

.. Potential impact topics to be addressed include but are not limited to the following:
• Health and human safety
• Visitor use and experience
• Park operations
• Commercial services
• Research permittees
• Wilderness
• Viewsheds/visual impacts
• Natural resources
• Cultural resources