Cellular Towers Invade US National Parks

I just saw this blog entry describing the unchecked growth of cellular towers in our national parks:

"Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, federal lands were opened to the placement of cell towers. However, Congress instructed the National Park Service (NPS) to develop appropriate regulations for implementing the law, noting that that 'the Washington Monument, Yellowstone National Park or a pristine wildlife sanctuary, while perhaps prime sites for an antenna and other facilities, are not appropriate and the use of them would be contrary to environmental, conservation, and public safety laws.'

Last month PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility) protested the placement of a cell tower that actually overlooks Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. The group stated that the NPS increased the height of the tower after submitting the plan for review to the state of Wyoming. PEER said the NPS also failed to file a notice with the Federal Register that it was considering or approving the tower -- as required by law -- and in addition it failed to allow for public comment on the plan."

The article goes on to describe how cellular towers "...in the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Everglades National Parks, Big Cypress and Mojave National Preserves, as well as Yellowstone, have gone up with no public notification or review."

I love a strong cellular signal as much as the next guy, but I have to believe that there are many, many natural places where the location of a tower simply isn't justifiable. There's a reason why these are called "natural" wonders and "natural" preserves, and a 100' cellular tower shouldn't be part of that environment. If some people prize mobile coverage and technological access more than the natural state of these national parks, why visit there in the first place?