MARK UDALL
2ND District, Colorado
128 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2161
(202) 226-7840 (FAX)

December 5, 2000

The Honorable Rick Sheehan
The Honorable Michelle Lawrence
The Honorable Patricia Holloway
Jefferson County Commissioners
Jefferson County Courts and Administration Building 100 Jefferson County Parkway
Golden, CO 8O419

Dear Commissioners:

I am writing about the pending application by Pinnacle Towers, Inc. to locate broadcast signal towers on property atop Eldorado Mountain in northern Jefferson County. As this proposed location is near a number of communities in Boulder County and thus may have effects on the residents of Boulder County, I urge you to seriously consider the input from nearby Boulder County communities as you consider this petition.

I have been following with interest the discussions of proposals for siting the digital signal towers. As you know, I joined with my Congressional colleagues to urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to respect local land use decisions in the siting of broadcast signal facilities--particularly your decision with regard to the use of Lookout Mountain for such towers. As you may also know, I also wrote the FCC urging that any consideration of a possible site specifically Squaw Mountain in Clear Creek County should include consideration of the extent to which placing a tower on a site might mean that digital signals could not be received in large areas in Boulder County or elsewhere in the Denver metropolitan area. Copies of those letters are attached.

It seems to me there are two important objectives to be sought that local officials take into account the views and concerns of all affected parties, and that so far as possible everyone in the affected area have the opportunity to receive the new digital signals. I think that achieving those objectives will require consideration of a wide range of siting options, including Squaw Mountain, as well as other possible locations.

Jefferson County Commissioners
Page Two

I am willing to work with all parties--including yourselves and other local officials as well as Representative Tom Tancredo and the broadcasters--to see if we can identify a location that is appropriate and acceptable AND that can be utilized in a timely manner.

Please let me know if I can be of assistance in this regard.

Warm regards,

Mark Udall

Enclosures

cc: Boulder County Commissioners
      Clear Creek County Commissioners
      Boulder City Council