HASTINGS — AT&T Inc. is hoping to build a 150-foot-tall cellphone tower near Afton State Park, a plan that critics say will ruin the view along the St. Croix River.

The phone company says its proposed location is the only site it could find to help eliminate a gap in cellphone coverage.

But the proposal has drawn fire from several conservation groups. Bill Neumann of the St. Croix Scenic Coalition calls the plan an “assault” on of the most scenic places in Minnesota.

The clash follows a number of similar disputes. A court ruled earlier this month that AT&T cannot build a 450-foot tower near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Opponents don’t oppose cellphone towers, but they prefer designs and heights that blend better with surroundings.