Senator teams with Walcyzk to urge updated APA cell tower policy

State Senator Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) and the office of State Senator Mark Walcyzk, both of whom represent St. Lawrence County, have written to Governor Hochul, urging her to call on the Adirondack Park Agency to update its antiquated cell tower policy.

A recent Politico news story highlighted the governor’s inability to place a cell phone call to Vice President Kamala Harris while in Lake George, due to poor service. In the letter, Senator Stec noted that while being unable to make a call was inconvenient for the governor, poor or no service can be a major public safety issue for residents and visitors in the Adirondack Park region. To address this crisis, Stec called on the governor to encourage the APA to revisit and revise its policy on cell phone towers, which hasn’t been updated since being enacted in 2002.

“Cell phones play a key role in emergency response. The FCC has reported that 70 percent of all 911 calls come from cell phones. Recently, your State Police made the decision to remove emergency call boxes from along the Northway due to maintenance and upkeep challenges,” Stec wrote. “This makes reliable service even more vital. While a lack of it prevented your ability to make a congratulatory call to the Vice President, an inability for our residents to use a cell phone to call 911 is literally a matter of life or death.

“Remedying unreliable cell service for the 130,000 permanent residents of the Adirondack Park and its visitors doesn’t require Executive action or legislation, just a change in policy. We request that you direct the Adirondack Park Agency to revisit and revise its woefully antiquated cell tower policy so it reflects current cell phone usage and the challenges we face today,” he added.