CREEDE – Divide Ranger District and Mineral County are inviting public input on a proposal to construct cell communication towers on five sites within the Rio Grande National Forest and two sites on private land within Mineral County. The proposal was submitted by Northeast Colorado Cellular, Inc., doing business as Viaero, in order to bring reliable cell phone service to the Creede area, and the highway corridors northwest and southwest of South Fork.

The communication structures would be single poles, 65 feet tall each with a 10 foot by 20 foot adjoining shed. The towers proposed for siting on National Forest System land would be located near Tewksberry Corrals, Palisade Campground, Wason overlook, East Bench, and north of Park Corrals. Towers proposed for private property would be located within the railroad right-of-way near Big River Guest Ranch and Wagon Wheel Gap.

A public meeting to discuss the proposed project is scheduled for Thursday, June 21, at the Creede Community Center at 5 p.m. Representatives from the Mineral County Planning and Zoning Commission, Viaero, and the Rio Grande National Forest will be present to share information, receive public input and answer questions.

Maps of the five sites proposed for siting on the Divide Ranger District may be viewed on the Rio Grande National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=53986.

Input to the Rio Grande National Forest concerning the Northeast Colorado Cellular communication corridor project are most useful if received by June 27. Comments may be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to Divide Ranger District, Attn: Martha Williamson, 13308 West Highway 160, Del Norte, CO.

Comments concerning the proposed towers near Big River Guest Ranch and Wagon Wheel Gap may be emailed to Mineral County at [email protected]; mailed to Mineral County, Attn: Janelle Kukuk, P.O. Box 70, Creede, CO 81130; or dropped off at the Mineral County Courthouse at 1201 N. Main, Creede.

For more information concerning the proposed towers on the Rio Grande National Forest, contact the Divide Ranger District at 719-657-3321. For more information concerning the two proposed towers on private land, call Mineral County Administrator at 719-658-2360.