Proposals: Blanket Yellowstone, Mount Rainier with cell phone coverage

Yellowstone National Park would be blanketed with strong 4G cell coverage under a multi-site expansion entering its final approval phase, according to comments filed this week by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).  New commercial structures would rise above four Yellowstone sites, and would transform scenic Mt. Washburn, the park’s highest point, into a hulking telecommunications bunker bristling with antennas.

Mount Rainier also would have increased coverage, but the current proposals call for no new cell towers within the park boundaries.

Backcountry purists argue against increased coverage in wilderness areas of the parks while some people point out the potential safety advantages. Full story.