Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the two-day contested-case hearing on ConocoPhillips' proposed megaloads on U.S. Highway 12. State hearing officer Merlyn Clark said he'll take the issue under advisement. He asked attorneys on all sides to submit briefing on several…
Hearing officer Merlyn Clark said he'll rule as quickly as he can, but there's a lot of information in the record that he'll need to review. He asked the attorneys on all sides to submit post-hearing briefs by noon on Wednesday, "so I can then…
That was the last witness - now the hearing officer and attorneys are discussing the schedule for post-hearing briefing.
ConocoPhillips has called Steven Steach, manager of its Billings refinery, to testify. "For the last 60 years we've been supplying transportation fuels to the Rocky Mountain Region," Steach said. "We're about 10 percent of the refining capacity in this region." Steach noted that the plant…
Emmert International's project manager, Mark Albrecht, said his firm has hired a barricade company to block the turnouts along U.S. Highway 12 before the ConocoPhillips megaloads come through. Though ITD's proposed permits call for barricades for 24 hours in advance of the loads, Albrecht said,…
Under cross-examination, Mark Albrecht, project manager for Emmert International, is defending the details of how the specialized trailers for the ConocoPhillips megaloads will work. "We gauge each section of road," Albrecht said.
Mark Albrecht, project manager for Emmert International, said the specialized trailer his firm would use makes it almost impossible that the giant drum could tumble off into the river below. "The trailer was specifically chosen for this route and this load," he said. "That trailer…
Emmert International project manager Mark Albrecht said his firm has contacted several commercial trucking firms in the Highway 12 area to coordinate plans and set up protocols for notifying each other when trucks are moving. Asked why the ConocoPhillips megaloads are planned to move at…
In the three years that Emmert International worked on its transport plan for the four ConocoPhillips megaloads, project manager Mark Albrecht said, "I'd have to say that route's been measured at least 25 to 30 times. ... We really wanted to make sure that we…
Mark Albrecht, project manager for Emmert International, said his firm considered other routes to move the huge coker drums from their manufacturer in Japan to ConocoPhillips' Billings, Mont. plant. "We knew that we were looking at something coming from overseas, so we looked at several…
ConocoPhillips has now called its next witness, Mark Albrecht, who has worked for Emmert International for more than 30 years and started there at age 15. He started as a laborer and now is a project manager and director of operations. He said he's handled…
In his cross-examination of Terry Emmert, attorney Laird Lucas asked Emmert, "Emmert is in the business of hauling heavy loads?" Emmert responded, "Yes." "And it's good business for you if you can open up a new corridor for hauling heavy loads?" Lucas asked. "Yes," Emmert…
ConocoPhillips has called its first witness, Terry Emmert, whose father started Emmert International 45 years ago. That's the firm Conoco has hired to move its four megaloads from the Port of Lewiston to its Billings, Mont. refinery. Emmert is testifying about other giant loads his…
Hearing officer Merlyn Clark said he has "some concerns about Mr. Frew's testimony about balancing, as opposed to primary concern for safety and convenience." ITD motor vehicles administrator Alan Frew testified yesterday that ITD balances all highway users' needs, including balancing the needs of those…
Conoco attorney Erik Stidham, arguing for his motion for a directed verdict, said, "What is clear is that the intervenors are trying desperately, desperately to call this a precedent and it's not." He said all the concerns they've brought up were considered by ITD. But…
Laird Lucas, attorney for the megaloads opponents, arguing against Conoco's motion for a directed verdict, asked, "Where is the concern for the public? It is not in the record. ... To this day there has not been a public meeting on the Conoco loads." He…
The hearing is back under way, and there were no questions on cross-examination for Linwood Laughy. That concluded the intervenors' case in full. Next up is ConocoPhillips; attorney Erik Stidham rose and read a long statement moving for a "directed verdict," saying that the intervenors…
It's just before noon in Boise; the megaloads hearing is taking a break for lunch and will resume at 1 p.m. Mountain time.
Linwood Laughy said based on his calculations, he doesn't believe the megaloads can meet ITD's standard of not delaying traffic more than 15 minutes. "I've calculated it out," he said. "One stretch they'd have to go 49 mph."Attorneys for ConocoPhillips are now cross-examining Laughy, asking…
Asked how it would affect him if turnouts along Highway 12 were barricaded 24 hours in advance of megaloads passing through, resident Linwood Laughy said, "I drive in that area - I will of course not be able to pull over if I had any…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — While officials debated the safety of hauling huge loads of equipment from Idaho into Montana, an oversized load of refinery equipment made a two-month trip from Oklahoma to south-central Montana. The Billings Gazette…
Attorneys for the megaloads opponents have put back up on the big screen the photo of a stretch of U.S. Highway 12 where a sheer rock wall rises on one side of the road, and a wooden guardrail 31 feet from the rock wall marks…
Linwood Laughy testified that after discovering the 200-plus megaloads were in the works, he filed public records requests and his wife set up a website. Laughy said he started sending out "ITD Alerts" when he found new information, hoping to alert ITD to concerns. "I…
Highway 12 resident Linwood Laughy said the first he heard about the proposed megaloads was in April of 2010, when he was working in his home office and the power went out. He headed down the road, and encountered an Avista power truck and crew…
Linwood Laughy said the Highway 12 corridor is "a very unique and special area." It's designated as the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway for the entire 174 miles from Lewiston to Lolo Pass. Most of the Lochsa River and all of the Selway River are in…
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