Lisa Foderaro in The New York Times reports reports environmental activists and the Olana Partnership oppose a plan to erect a 190-foot communications tower on Blue Hill in Livingston, about two miles away from Frederic Church's 250-acre property. The Olana property is now a state historic site noted for its viewshed (and, full disclosure, Olana is partnering on a Sept. 22 fundraising event with WGXC). Opposition to the tower, which was recently approved by Livingston’s planning board, is based on viewshed obstruction. Activists are suing the town, as well as the farm family who applied to build the lattice tower, to overturn the approval on the grounds that the environmental impact on the viewshed was not adequately considered. Livingston officials, however, say they did abide by the State Environmental Quality Review Act, considering feedback on the visual impact of the tower, which will measure 13 feet across at the tree line. According to the application for the new tower on Blue Hill, some two dozen small antennae and satellite dishes would occupy the structure. There are already two smaller communications towers on Blue Hill. Local Firefighters and emergency workers strongly supported the application, citing the need for better signals for police and fire department communication devices. Scenic Hudson’s land use advocacy director, Jeffrey Anzevino, said the group and Olana recognized the need for better emergency services. “They are important for everybody,” said Anzevino, whose group has spent years and millions of dollars conserving about 1,500 acres of land within view of Olana. “But we don’t think that public safety and views are mutually exclusive. We want to ensure both.” Read the full story at the Read the full story in The New York Times.