[Vision2020] Update on Hiway 12 from FightingGoliath.org

[nickgier at roadrunner.com]

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday the Idaho Supreme Court elected to expedite the ConocoPhillips appeal to overturn Judge John Bradbury’s recent decision to revoke the Idaho Transportation Department's permit for the CP transports. The ISC scheduled a hearing of the appeal for October 1st. 

The Idaho Transportation Department has now signed on to the appeal, which may have been a requirement for expediting the case since the party who lost in district court -- ITD -- had not itself appealed the Judge's decision.

Meanwhile, one lane of Arrow Bridge has a new concrete surface and the other lane remains intact, which would allow for Big Rig use. The Lewiston Tribune reports that prior to the above Idaho Supreme Court announcement, ConocoPhillips had paid the contractor on the Arrow Bridge project to stand down until September 7. We think it unlikely the contractor can delay commencing work on the second lane until Oct. 1st.  Once that work begins, regardless of the outcome of the appeal, there likely can be no Big Rig shipments until the end of October or later. 

This extended delay of the shipments is good news, time-wise, for those planning additional intervention strategies.  The delay is probably not good news for Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil, which now must make some shipping decisions of its own without knowing what the Idaho Supreme Court may decide.
 
We smile.
 
Lin & Borg
The Rural People of Highway 12
www.FightingGoliath.org