Love this set of comments and questions:<br><br>"Some say the Kearl Oil Sands project is destroying the Canadian environment and killing residents of the area. Still, that leaves plenty of questions that need answers: Who makes sure delays are only 15 minutes?"<br>
<br>Who cares about the Canadian environment? But if I have to wait in traffic for more than 15 minutes, there is going to be hell to pay!<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 5:43 AM, Tom Hansen <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com">thansen@moscow.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">Courtesy of today's (May 10, 2011) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.<br>
<br>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
OUR VIEW: Questions about semimegaloads in Moscow<br>
Lee Rozen, for the editorial board<br>
Posted on: Tuesday, May 10, 2011<br>
<br>
<br>
In the middle of about 60 nights this year, Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil wants<br>
to send oil equipment convoys that are a block or so long, two lanes wide<br>
and 16 feet tall rumbling and blinking north through downtown Moscow.<br>
<br>
The Korean-built equipment would head from Lewiston via U.S. Highway 95,<br>
Interstate 90 and Montana to the Kearl Oil Sands in Alberta. To get each<br>
load from Lewiston to the Benewah County line should take one night<br>
between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Officials promise traffic delays of no more<br>
than 15 minutes.<br>
<br>
But the travel plan is under review, and neither Idaho nor Montana has<br>
issued the necessary permits, or said when they will. The Moscow<br>
semi-megaload route has been chosen because of the delays in getting<br>
megaloads up the scenic U.S. Highway 12 corridor.<br>
<br>
ExxonMobil and Idaho Transportation Department officials have deigned to<br>
listen to Moscow's concerns about that at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Hamilton<br>
Indoor Recreation Center, 1724 E. F St.<br>
<br>
At that meeting. ITD and oil company officials will talk first, and then<br>
take questions and comments from those who have signed in. Also, you can<br>
email your thoughts to the ITD at <a href="mailto:comments@itd.idaho.gov">comments@itd.idaho.gov</a>, and the City<br>
Council at <a href="mailto:skalasz@ci.moscow.id.us">skalasz@ci.moscow.id.us</a>.<br>
<br>
Mayor Nancy Chaney apparently has declared the morality of ExxonMobil<br>
profits, the Kearl Oil Sands project and fossil fuel consumption<br>
off-limits for discussion Wednesday night.<br>
<br>
ExxonMobil made profits of $10.7 billion in first quarter 2011. Some say<br>
the Kearl Oil Sands project is destroying the Canadian environment and<br>
killing residents of the area.<br>
<br>
Still, that leaves plenty of questions that need answers:<br>
<br>
Who makes sure delays are only 15 minutes? What happens if they aren't?<br>
<br>
Will all cross-streets in Moscow be closed?<br>
<br>
Is it a delay if traffic keeps moving at 15 miles an hour behind the<br>
convoy? (The ITD says it isn't a delay; federal rules say it is.)<br>
<br>
Who pays for moving power lines and stoplights out of the way?<br>
<br>
Will this semi-megaload convoy be likely to wake me up when it goes by my<br>
house or apartment?<br>
<br>
Will you notify shippers - and the media so they can alert the public - in<br>
advance of a convoy?<br>
<br>
Once permits are issued, can their terms be changed without notice?<br>
<br>
What if state police escorts get called to an emergency? Will that stall<br>
the convoy?<br>
<br>
What if Montana won't let the semi-megaloads in?<br>
<br>
Let's hope we hear some good answers.<br>
<br>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Seeya there, Moscow.<br>
<br>
Tom Hansen<br>
Moscow, Idaho<br>
<br>
"This is the 'Mouse that Roared,' 'David and Goliath' and 'Avatar' all<br>
rolled into one. We must remember that the thousands of citizens involved<br>
in this effort to protect their personal and family safety, their<br>
businesses and their lifestyles are confronting some of the largest<br>
international corporations in the world."<br>
<br>
- Linwood Laughy<br>
<br>
=======================================================<br>
List services made available by First Step Internet,<br>
serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<br>
<a href="http://www.fsr.net" target="_blank">http://www.fsr.net</a><br>
mailto:<a href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com">Vision2020@moscow.com</a><br>
=======================================================<br>
</blockquote></div><br>