U.S. Route 12 Meetings in Moscow, Lewiston and Kooskia

Save the Clearwater from ExxonMobil/Imperial Oil

The ExxonMobil/Imperial Oil Corporation is proposing to ship over two hundred tar sands oil processing modules up U.S. Route 12 along the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers beginning this fall. The dimensions of these industrial rigs are reported to be between 170’-210’ feet long, approximately 25’ feet wide, and up to 30’ feet tall. They weigh up to 550,000 pounds. The equipment is destined for the tar sands deposits in Alberta, Canada.

This year-long transportation project poses a serious threat to the Clearwater Basin and north-central Idaho communities. The Middle Fork of the Clearwater and the Lochsa Rivers are both designated as Wild & Scenic Rivers and are world-class fishery and recreation destinations. From Lewiston to Lolo Pass, U.S. Route 12 is a federally designated scenic byway for it’s outstanding scenic beauty and national heritage. The travel/tourism industry is absolutely vital to the economy of communities in the Clearwater valley. U.S. Route 12 is a narrow, two-lane corridor and is a very dangerous road to drive on already.

State law does not require the Idaho Transportation Department to conduct an environmental review when considering the issuance of permits and therefore none has been done. While Idaho Governor Butch Otter, the Idaho Transportation Department, and ExxonMobil/Imperial Oil have been working together the past two years, the public has been left in the dark with zero public involvement opportunities and little media coverage until now.

How You Can Help

Two open houses will occur in the Clearwater Valley and one in Moscow:

• Moscow on Monday June 28th at Moscow City Hall from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM.

• Lewiston on Monday June 28th at the Red Lion Hotel from 4:00-7:00 PM.

• Kooskia on Tuesday June 29th at the Kooskia City Hall from 4:00-7:00 PM.

For those in the Moscow area who can’t attend the Moscow meeting during the day, we will carpool to Lewiston at two separate times. The first departure will occur from the Rosauer’s parking lot in Moscow at 2:30 PM. The second departure will occur from the same lot at 5:00 PM. People are free to leave the meeting early and return to Moscow if they can make arrangements.

There is also a formal comment period which ends on Wednesday July 14th. . Write to the  Idaho Transportation Department and please send a copy to Governor Butch Otter:

• Alan Frew, Idaho Transportation Department, PO Box 7129, Boise, Idaho 83707-1129, email at comments@itd.idaho.gov or online at http://itd.idaho.gov.

• Governor Butch Otter, Office of the Governor, PO Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720 or submit comments via his web site at http://gov.idaho.gov/WebRespond/contact_form.html.

Talking Points To Consider

• Rt. 12 is a federally designated Scenic Byway (Northwest Passage Scenic Byway) and All-American Road

• Rt. 12 runs through the heart of the Nez Perce Reservation and parallels portions of Lewis & Clark’s journey

• Rt. 12 parallels 2 federally designated Wild & Scenic Rivers, the Middle Fork of the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers

• Rt. 12 is already a dangerous, narrow corridor and highway

• The Travel/Tourism industry and local businesses of the Clearwater valley will be negatively impacted

• Public safety and emergency response will be greatly impeded

If permits are issued for this project, there is a strong possibility that other corporations will seek to use U.S. Route 12 as a shipping route and the entire corridor could be widened and transformed into an industrial highway. Please consider coming to the meetings in Moscow, Lewiston or Kooskia and/or writing a letter to the Idaho Transportation Department. Again, the deadline for written comments is Wednesday July 14th. Even if you are not an Idaho resident, please write. Time is short and we must unite to protect our precious wildland corridor from big oil!

For more information visit the FOC website at www.friendsoftheclearwater.org or the excellent site by rural residents along the route at www.FightingGoliath.org.