Folks continue to have plenty to say-
Here is the story on the coming third week of testimony, from the Spokesman-Review.
It seems to me that local folks willing to testify are mostly unhappy. Here is a detailed story about past testimony in New West. New Idaho Megaloads Hearings Address More Than 200 Shipments. By Steve Bunk.
Despite efforts by the Idaho legislature to prevent people from suing over the plans of the lovable oil companies, two new lawsuits on the issue were recently filed. One is by the National Wildlife Federation, the Montana Environmental Information Center, the Montana chapter of the Sierra Club, and the Missoula County Commission against the Montana State Department of Transportation. The other is by Idaho Rivers United. IRU is against the Forest Service. The Lochsa River and a corridor 1/4 mile on either side is part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and most of it is public national forest land. In fact the Lochsa was one of very first rivers protected, but the Forest Services is just standing by while the road right-of-way is being heavily chopped up for the wide and long loads.
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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.
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I recently saw an ad on tv by Exxon-Mobil about how wonderful the Kearn Oil Sands project will be for everyone.
Apparently, they feel the need to seed a huge marketing cloud to raise enough dust to keep most people from seeing whats behind the dirt.
On the Canadian homefront, here is some additional info about the Kearn Sand Storm:
CBC Censors its own Exxon-Mobil Oilsands Report
By Kyle Havens – http://www.vivelecanada.ca/article/235929814-cbc-censors-its-own-exxonmobil-oilsands-report
A quote:
“The loss of water permit stems from a Federal Court of Canada judgment in early March that found that, in approaving the Kearl project, the Alberta and federal governments didn’t fully explain why greenhouse gas emissions were not significant. That ruling didn’t throw out the overall approval.”
Also, the Nez Perce Tribe just came out with a more official stand against the Megaloads, and have even nixed their contract with Exxon-Mobil as a supplier for fuel at gas stations on the reservation.