Hearing officer limits testimony he will consider to small matters-
The much awaited hearing on giant oil machinery on Highway 12 was held today in Boise. It sounds like the Idaho Dept. of Transportation hearing officer will oil the way for the movement of the giant oil modules.
The hearing officer said he would only consider the first 4 modules, not the hundreds more to follow. The first 4 go to the Billings, Montana refinery, not Alberta’s tar sand pits.
The oil company said the plaintiffs, 4 citizens along Highway 12, lack standing to because they weren’t singled out — the transport won’t affect them to any greater extent than other citizens along the highway. Happily for Conoco, the hearing officer also said he would limit his review to whether foes have a right to get involved at this stage of the process.”
Oil company says foes lack standing in US 12 case. By Todd Dvorak. AP (from Business Week)
Boise Weekly has a story giving more of the color of the hearing. Overflow Hearing on Oversized Loads. By George Prentice.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
Having lived on the Lochsa at Powell permanently and part-time, I find the unfolding of this story to be nothing short of completely depressing. I give a sincere tip of my hat to the couple who have challenged the big oil companies.
If ITD had involved the public sooner in the permitting process, ConocoPhillips may have delayed shipment and avoided storage and legal costs (they claim $2.5 million in damages from this delay) until they were sure permits were finalized. They took a chance based on ITD assurances all would go well. I’d laugh if Conoco turned around and sued the state for damages.
Where is the CBD when they might actually do some good…
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hmmmm………