After a federal judge denied a request from residents for a temporary restraining order, Homeland Towers and Verizon on Monday (March 28) began cutting down trees on a parcel off Rockledge Road in Nelsonville to make room for a 95-foot cell tower.
Although litigation continues in state court, the firms had to begin cutting by March 31 before a seasonal ban goes into effect to protect a species of bats, or wait until November. “The devastation is pretty significant,” said Courtney Tarpley, who lives next door and who, with her husband, filed a lawsuit. “They don’t even have the go-ahead to build the tower.”
It is very sad that the tower company could not find a way to serve the residents of Nelsonville and Cold Spring without making a very deleterious impact on our local environment, by way of sullying our scenic view shed, sullying the adjacent historic Cold Spring Cemetery and endangering our threatened local northern long-eared bats. Moreover, they have had no respect for the neighbors who live near this unfortunate environmental debacle. Their behavior will redound to the detriment of the public reputations of Homeland, Verizon and AT&T. Have they all learned nothing from the environmental movement? Have they learned nothing of good corporate behavior and citizenship? Very disappointing!