Copyright 2000 The Denver Post Corporation
The
Denver Post
September 15, 2000 Friday 2D EDITION
SECTION: DENVER & THE WEST; Pg. B-02
LENGTH: 379 words
HEADLINE:
Udall, Tancredo in towering dispute 'Super' antennas face limits on Front Range
BYLINE: By Mike Soraghan, Denver Post Washington
Bureau,
BODY:
WASHINGTON - Rep. Mark Udall wants to
preserve Colorado's Front Range mountain backdrop from development.
But Rep. Tom Tancredo is worried a Udall bill aimed at
doing that could prevent television stations from finding a
suitable mountain spot for erecting a 'super tower.'
The
dispute has sparked a feud between the two that threatens passage of
Udall's bill to create 'roadless' areas in
the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest. Tancredo, a Republican from
Jefferson County, opposes the bill because it also orders the U.S.
Forest Service to do a study of the mountain backdrop west of Rocky
Flats. The Forest Service would consult with local governments in the
area and note ways that the federal government could prevent
development in the backdrop, such as having the federal government
buy the land.
'It's a relatively blatant attempt to get the
federal government involved in an area it does not belong in,'
Tancredo said.
People in the area of Lookout Mountain have
raised health concerns about putting an 'antenna farm' on top of the
mountain, and Jefferson County commissioners in November denied a
request to allow a digital television 'super tower' there. The group
of television stations that wants to build the tower has appealed
to the Federal Communications Commission.
In the meantime,
Tancredo said, the commissioners and the stations are looking for
other sites, and some of the potential sites are within the area
Udall wants the Forest Service to review.
Tancredo said that having the
federal government involved would make it more difficult for local
officials to find another site.
Udall, a Democrat from
Boulder, said the study would not block a tower in the backdrop area,
but would simply provide the best possible information for officials
to make a decision.
He acknowledged the study could recommend that the
federal government buy a site to prevent a big television tower
from scarring the backdrop.
'That ought to be a part of the
mix,' Udall said. 'Radio and television towers are important, but so
are the views that we enjoy. The decisions ought to be made with the
best possible information. That's the point of this study.'
GRAPHIC: PHOTOS: Tancredo Udall
LOAD-DATE: September 15, 2000
