ALBANY - Gov. Eliot Spitzer said Wednesday that he won't install temporary cell phone towers along the Adirondack Northway, but said he will continue to seek a solution to limited cell phone coverage in the remote area.
“Despite someone suffering and dying because their cell phone would not work on the Northway - and there being a real threat of that occurring again - the answer to the traveling public is to wait for a permanent solution, which is likely to take years to implement,” Republican Sen. Betty Little said.
Spitzer's office is continuing to “look for the middle path” in providing cell phone service to the area, spokesman Marc Violette said, citing constitutional protections for the Adirondacks put in place more than 100 years ago.
“We are reviewing a number of options, and have not ruled out any, to meet a public safety need while also respecting the uniqueness of the environment through which the Northway passes,” Violette said.
Last month, Little sent a letter to Spitzer requesting he issue an executive order to waive the Adirondack Park Agency tower siting policy along scenic Interstate 87 to allow for the temporary placement of three cell phone towers at highway rest stops.
Little and other lawmakers have long sought increased cell phone coverage for the highway areas of the road. They renewed their calls for the towers in January following the death of 63-year-old Alfred Langner of Brooklyn.
Langner died from hypothermia after driving off a remote area of the highway. Langner and his wife Barbara were unable to get out of the car and were unable to call for help because of a lack of cell phone coverage.
“We've been told by the governor's office that the movable cells on wheels would require a lengthy permitting process through” the Adirondack Park Agency, Little said in a statement.
Environmental groups have long opposed the 100-foot towers, saying they would spoil the landscape of a sparsely populated area of the Adirondack Park and violate scenic easements that govern construction in the area.
Spitzer's office is continuing to “look for the middle path” in providing cell phone service to the area, spokesman Marc Violette said, citing constitutional protections for the Adirondacks put in place more than 100 years ago.
“We are reviewing a number of options, and have not ruled out any, to meet a public safety need while also respecting the uniqueness of the environment through which the Northway passes,” Violette said.
Last month, Little sent a letter to Spitzer requesting he issue an executive order to waive the Adirondack Park Agency tower siting policy along scenic Interstate 87 to allow for the temporary placement of three cell phone towers at highway rest stops.
Little and other lawmakers have long sought increased cell phone coverage for the highway areas of the road. They renewed their calls for the towers in January following the death of 63-year-old Alfred Langner of Brooklyn.
Langner died from hypothermia after driving off a remote area of the highway. Langner and his wife Barbara were unable to get out of the car and were unable to call for help because of a lack of cell phone coverage.
“We've been told by the governor's office that the movable cells on wheels would require a lengthy permitting process through” the Adirondack Park Agency, Little said in a statement.
Environmental groups have long opposed the 100-foot towers, saying they would spoil the landscape of a sparsely populated area of the Adirondack Park and violate scenic easements that govern construction in the area.
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Justin Serpico wrote on Mar 16, 2007 2:52 PM:
Thomas Strang wrote on Mar 15, 2007 5:34 PM: