The environmental analysis and review process for a proposed microwave radio antenna tower in the St. Mary area of Glacier National Park has been completed and a decision to upgrade the existing infrastructure has been made. National Park Service Intermountain Regional Director John Wessels signed the decision on January 22, 2013. The environmental impacts associated with the project and consideration of public comments were part of the analysis process.
The replacement tower will not be a cell tower, nor will it provide cell service; there are no cell towers in Glacier National Park. The tower will upgrade existing infrastructure and provide digital subscriber line (DSL) broadband Internet service to the greater St. Mary area as part of a larger statewide Montana Public Service Commission requirement mandating CenturyLink to upgrade communications capabilities at its rural exchanges. The tower will also support National Park Service radio communications equipment.
Currently, the greater St. Mary area is limited to cellular modem and satellite technologies for Internet services, and does not include the faster and larger capacity DSL Internet service for residential, visitor, and government use. CenturyLink's Internet service in the greater St. Mary area is therefore not meeting the demands of local users.
CenturyLink's tower must be located within the park because the new system will need to be hardwired to the existing CenturyLink equipment building, which has been in the St. Mary developed area since 1955. Due to concerns raised by park management about additional communications infrastructure within the park, and to avoid placing an additional tower in the Divide Creek floodplain, the new tower will replace the existing National Park Service radio tower. The existing 70-foot tall tower will be removed and National Park Service radio equipment will be co-located with CenturyLink's equipment on the replacement tower.
A right-of-way permit will be issued to CenturyLink to build and operate the tower. It will be an approximately 80-foot tall, three-legged, steel lattice structure with a 6-foot diameter microwave dish. The tower will be supported by an approximately16-foot by 16-foot concrete footing. Construction will take approximately three weeks.
The decision document is available on the agency's planning website.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park
Showing posts with label St. Mary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Mary. Show all posts
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Comments sought on proposal to install new telecommunications tower in St. Mary area
Glacier National Park is requesting public comments on a proposal from CenturyLink to install a new telecommunications tower in the St. Mary administrative area inside the park. An environmental assessment financed by the project proponent has been completed and public comments are due by November 23.
CenturyLink requested permission from the National Park Service to install a new microwave radio antenna tower in the St. Mary developed area on the east side of Glacier National Park. The purpose of the project is to provide digital subscriber line (DSL) service to the greater St. Mary area and improve the reliability and speed of internet access. The project is part of a larger statewide Montana Public Service Commission requirement mandating CenturyLink to upgrade communications capabilities at its rural exchanges in Montana. The upgrade would also benefit National Park Service radio communication capabilities.
Two alternatives were analyzed in the environmental assessment: 1) Alternative A (No Action), and 2) Alternative B (Preferred). Under Alternative A (no action), a new microwave radio antenna tower would not be built in St. Mary, and existing internet and National Park Service radio communication systems in the area would not be upgraded. Under Alternative B, the new tower would be built in St. Mary and internet and National Park Service radio communications systems would be upgraded.
The environmental assessment is available through the park's planning web site: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/StMaryTower. Public comments may be posted online at this web site, or through the mail to: Superintendent, Glacier National Park, Attention: St. Mary Tower EA, PO Box 128, West Glacier, Montana 59936.
Jeff
Hikes in Glacier National Park
CenturyLink requested permission from the National Park Service to install a new microwave radio antenna tower in the St. Mary developed area on the east side of Glacier National Park. The purpose of the project is to provide digital subscriber line (DSL) service to the greater St. Mary area and improve the reliability and speed of internet access. The project is part of a larger statewide Montana Public Service Commission requirement mandating CenturyLink to upgrade communications capabilities at its rural exchanges in Montana. The upgrade would also benefit National Park Service radio communication capabilities.
Two alternatives were analyzed in the environmental assessment: 1) Alternative A (No Action), and 2) Alternative B (Preferred). Under Alternative A (no action), a new microwave radio antenna tower would not be built in St. Mary, and existing internet and National Park Service radio communication systems in the area would not be upgraded. Under Alternative B, the new tower would be built in St. Mary and internet and National Park Service radio communications systems would be upgraded.
The environmental assessment is available through the park's planning web site: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/StMaryTower. Public comments may be posted online at this web site, or through the mail to: Superintendent, Glacier National Park, Attention: St. Mary Tower EA, PO Box 128, West Glacier, Montana 59936.
Jeff
Hikes in Glacier National Park
Monday, January 9, 2012
Public Comments Encouraged for Proposal to Install Telecommunications Tower
Glacier National Park is requesting public comment on a proposal from CenturyLink to install a new telecommunications tower in the St. Mary administrative area inside the park. An environmental assessment financed by the project proponent is being conducted. Public comments on the tower proposal should be directed to the park by February 3.
The tower would service the greater St. Mary area and is part of a larger statewide initiative through the Montana Public Service Commission to upgrade telecommunications facilities to small rural exchanges in Montana.
The telecommunication capacity in the St. Mary area, both inside and outside the park, is currently inadequate to support resident, visitor, and government internet demands. The new tower would upgrade the area's telecommunication capacity to a modern standard and improve the reliability and speed of internet access. The National Park Service's existing 50-foot radio tower in St. Mary would be removed and replaced with a new, approximately 80-foot tall microwave antenna and radio support structure. The new tower would be constructed of steel lattice supported on a concrete footing, and would include a 6-foot diameter microwave dish for CenturyLink and up to three National Park Service antennas.
The new structure would be located next to the existing park telecommunications building in the St. Mary administrative area, and the microwave feed wiring would be connected to the existing CenturyLink equipment building. The new structure would be designed to provide a direct line of sight to the CenturyLink Divide Mountain transfer station.
To date, two alternatives have been identified: 1) The no-action alternative, and 2) an action alternative that would remove the existing National Park Service radio tower and install a new tower.
Comments and concerns on the proposed project should be submitted by Friday, February 3. Comments can be posted online, or may be mailed to:
Superintendent
Glacier National Park
Attn: St. Mary Microwave Tower Proposal
P.O. Box 128
West Glacier, MT, 59936
There will be another opportunity to comment on the project when the environmental assessment is completed.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com
The tower would service the greater St. Mary area and is part of a larger statewide initiative through the Montana Public Service Commission to upgrade telecommunications facilities to small rural exchanges in Montana.
The telecommunication capacity in the St. Mary area, both inside and outside the park, is currently inadequate to support resident, visitor, and government internet demands. The new tower would upgrade the area's telecommunication capacity to a modern standard and improve the reliability and speed of internet access. The National Park Service's existing 50-foot radio tower in St. Mary would be removed and replaced with a new, approximately 80-foot tall microwave antenna and radio support structure. The new tower would be constructed of steel lattice supported on a concrete footing, and would include a 6-foot diameter microwave dish for CenturyLink and up to three National Park Service antennas.
The new structure would be located next to the existing park telecommunications building in the St. Mary administrative area, and the microwave feed wiring would be connected to the existing CenturyLink equipment building. The new structure would be designed to provide a direct line of sight to the CenturyLink Divide Mountain transfer station.
To date, two alternatives have been identified: 1) The no-action alternative, and 2) an action alternative that would remove the existing National Park Service radio tower and install a new tower.
Comments and concerns on the proposed project should be submitted by Friday, February 3. Comments can be posted online, or may be mailed to:
Superintendent
Glacier National Park
Attn: St. Mary Microwave Tower Proposal
P.O. Box 128
West Glacier, MT, 59936
There will be another opportunity to comment on the project when the environmental assessment is completed.
Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
What happened to the other 7 backcountry chalets in Glacier?
Did you know that there were a total of nine backcountry chalets in Glacier National Park at one point? So what happened to the other seven?
In the early 1900s some Americans were becoming alarmed over the increased spending of American dollars on European travel. While discussing Glacier one day, Senator "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman of South Carolina stated: "It is very ridiculous to me to see the amount of money spent by Americans to see the scenery of Europe without having first seen what we have at home." This concern provided one of the motivations for creating a national park at Glacier. Having an "American Alps," or a "Switzerland of the United States," such as Glacier, allowed America to compete against Canadian and European resorts and tourist attractions.
The Great Northern Railway played an extremely important role in the establishment of a national park during this time period as well. The Great Northern had a rail line running along the southern edge of Glacier, and saw the establishment of a national park as a way of increasing passengers on their trains, while also increasing their revenues.
So it was against this backdrop that the president of the Great Northern Railway, Louis W. Hill, began building a number of hotels and chalets throughout the park in the 1910s as a way of promoting tourism. These buildings were modeled on Swiss architecture as part of Hill's plan to portray Glacier as the "American Alps" or "America's Switzerland". Included in this project was a network of 9 European-style chalet complexes. Thus, leaving from one of Hill's luxury lodges, guests could hike or ride to one these rustic chalets in less than a day.
The chalets, built between 1910 and 1915, included Sperry, Granite Park, Cut Bank, Goat Haunt, Going-to-the-Sun (Sun Point), St. Mary, Gunsight Lake, Many Glacier, and one of the Two-Medicine Chalets (the other was converted into a store, which is still in use today). In their prime, several of the Chalets would host 100 to 150 guests a night.
Today, only Sperry and Granite Park remain. Both owe their survival to the use of native stone as their primary construction material. The masonry of these chalets made it possible to withstand Montana’s brutal winters. In contrast, the wooden structures of the other chalets deteriorated so badly that many had to be razed during the late 1940s.
St. Mary Chalet:
The first chalet to meet its demise was Gunsight Lake when it was destroyed by an avalanche in 1916. The Many Glacier Chalets burned down during a massive forest fire in 1936. During WWII the remainder of the chalets were closed. The lack of use during the war years forced a reassessment of the facilities, and by 1944 park officials agreed that the St. Mary Chalet was no longer necessary and was subsequently destroyed. Similarly, the chalets at Cut Bank and Sun Point were regarded as "beyond repair" and an "eyesore" and were destroyed by 1949. Finally, the structure used for lodging at Two-Medicine was razed and burned in 1956.
It’s a shame that America had to lose these historic structures. Too bad the Great Northern Railway didn’t have the foresight to build more of the chalets out of native stone. Modern day hikers would have even more overnight destinations from which to consider.
For more historical perspective on this subject, check out Glacier's Historic Hotels And Chalets, which traces the creation and use of the Great Northern Railway’s hotels and chalet colonies in Glacier National Park, and includes many old photographs.
*******************************************************************************
Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.
In the early 1900s some Americans were becoming alarmed over the increased spending of American dollars on European travel. While discussing Glacier one day, Senator "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman of South Carolina stated: "It is very ridiculous to me to see the amount of money spent by Americans to see the scenery of Europe without having first seen what we have at home." This concern provided one of the motivations for creating a national park at Glacier. Having an "American Alps," or a "Switzerland of the United States," such as Glacier, allowed America to compete against Canadian and European resorts and tourist attractions.
The Great Northern Railway played an extremely important role in the establishment of a national park during this time period as well. The Great Northern had a rail line running along the southern edge of Glacier, and saw the establishment of a national park as a way of increasing passengers on their trains, while also increasing their revenues.
So it was against this backdrop that the president of the Great Northern Railway, Louis W. Hill, began building a number of hotels and chalets throughout the park in the 1910s as a way of promoting tourism. These buildings were modeled on Swiss architecture as part of Hill's plan to portray Glacier as the "American Alps" or "America's Switzerland". Included in this project was a network of 9 European-style chalet complexes. Thus, leaving from one of Hill's luxury lodges, guests could hike or ride to one these rustic chalets in less than a day.
The chalets, built between 1910 and 1915, included Sperry, Granite Park, Cut Bank, Goat Haunt, Going-to-the-Sun (Sun Point), St. Mary, Gunsight Lake, Many Glacier, and one of the Two-Medicine Chalets (the other was converted into a store, which is still in use today). In their prime, several of the Chalets would host 100 to 150 guests a night.
Today, only Sperry and Granite Park remain. Both owe their survival to the use of native stone as their primary construction material. The masonry of these chalets made it possible to withstand Montana’s brutal winters. In contrast, the wooden structures of the other chalets deteriorated so badly that many had to be razed during the late 1940s.
St. Mary Chalet:
The first chalet to meet its demise was Gunsight Lake when it was destroyed by an avalanche in 1916. The Many Glacier Chalets burned down during a massive forest fire in 1936. During WWII the remainder of the chalets were closed. The lack of use during the war years forced a reassessment of the facilities, and by 1944 park officials agreed that the St. Mary Chalet was no longer necessary and was subsequently destroyed. Similarly, the chalets at Cut Bank and Sun Point were regarded as "beyond repair" and an "eyesore" and were destroyed by 1949. Finally, the structure used for lodging at Two-Medicine was razed and burned in 1956.It’s a shame that America had to lose these historic structures. Too bad the Great Northern Railway didn’t have the foresight to build more of the chalets out of native stone. Modern day hikers would have even more overnight destinations from which to consider.
For more historical perspective on this subject, check out Glacier's Historic Hotels And Chalets, which traces the creation and use of the Great Northern Railway’s hotels and chalet colonies in Glacier National Park, and includes many old photographs.
*******************************************************************************
Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.
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