ConocoPhillips attorney Erik Stidham said in his opening statement, "ConocoPhillips believes strongly that the process worked exactly as it should in this case. ConocoPhillips has a specific need for these permits." He said the Billings refinery has giant coker drums that are "at the end of their useful life;" the four giant loads are the replacement drums. He said of the refinery, "Four hundred people work there, generate fuel that serves the needs of folks in Montana, Idaho, Washington, Utah and Oregon region. About 7 percent of Idaho's gasoline comes from the refinery that we're talking about today." Dozens of those employees are in the audience today, wearing T-shirts supporting the plan.

Stidham said Conoco "hired the best in the business" to move the loads when it hired Emmert International, the trucking firm, which has "46 years of experience with these types of loads."  He said, "These are customized trailers ... custom-made to handle U.S. 12 and the loads they're going to be carrying." He told the hearing, "ITD did exactly what it should be doing in this case and it did it well," and said, "in fact, it's the only route" the equipment could travel.