Idaho DMV chief Alan Frew is the one who signed a memorandum decision issued in August approving the four ConocoPhillips megaloads. Frew just told the contested-case hearing that he got three things wrong in his memorandum, both in the August version and in a later…
The next witness called at the contested-case hearing on ConocoPhillips megaloads today is Alan Frew, ITD department of motor vehicles administrator. Frew has worked for ITD since 1985.
A provision in the ConocoPhillips permits that allows the company to barricade highway turnouts on U.S. Highway 12 24 hours in advance of when its megaloads would need to pull off in them has come up in today's hearing. Laird Lucas, attorney for the megaloads…
Attorney Laird Lucas, in his cross-examination of ITD commercial vehicle services manager Reymundo Rodriguez, asked Rodriguez, "Have you ever denied a permit based on public convenience?" Rodriguez answered no. Lucas then asked, "In the 64,000 permits that you granted last year, did the public ever…
Reymundo Rodriguez, ITD's commercial vehicles service manager, testified this morning that ConocoPhillips originally proposed to move its two giant coker drums as two huge megaloads, but ITD determined that in that configuration, they were too big to travel the route from the Port of Lewiston…
ITD commercial vehicle services manager Reymundo Rodriguez is the first witness to be called this morning in the ConocoPhillips megaloads hearing. Rodriguez, under questioning from ITD attorney Tim Thomas, said he's worked for ITD for 23 years. Typically, ITD issues about 64,000 over-legal permits a…
This morning's contested-case hearing in the ConocoPhillips megaloads case has paused for a 10-minute break after opening statements, after which ITD will begin presenting its case in chief. Its first witness will be ITD staffer Reymundo Rodriguez. Here, attorneys from all sides mill about before…
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…
Deputy Idaho Attorney General Larry Allen, in ITD's opening statement at the megaloads hearing this morning, said, "ITD has a good process in place and it takes very seriously the charge, as testimony will show today, of insuring public safety and convenience." He said, "ITD's…
Natalie Havlina, attorney with Advocates for the West, is giving the opening statement for the opponents of the megaloads. "What is reasonable under these circumstances depends on what is appropriate and isn't for this particular road," she said. "This particular road is a scenic byway,…
As the hearing begins, ConocoPhillips and ITD moved to exclude an array of evidence, from anything about the larger plan from ExxonMobil for more than 200 megaloads to other information about Montana regulations, routes, accidents and more. "There has been no showing or evidence why…
As hearing officer Merlyn Clark opened this morning's contested-case hearing, he announced that he met with counsel from both sides last Friday, and among the topics discussed were the addition of 10 more plaintiffs beyond the original three, all people who live, work or do…
There's quite a full house this morning for the contested-case hearing on the four ConocoPhillips megaloads proposed for U.S. Highway 12 in north-central Idaho. With all seats taken, there are now more being set up in the back of the room.
Susan Bennion, the longtime Idaho legislative analyst, redistricting whiz and consummate professional in the political world of the state Capitol has died of cancer at the age of 65. She worked for the state Legislature for more than three decades and retired in 2005. Funeral…
Embattled Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, headed to court in Coeur d'Alene today to try to appeal the state Board of Tax Appeals' decision to reject his state income tax appeal; he faces an order from the state Tax Commission to pay $53,523 in back state…
Here is a statement from Jon Hanian, press secretary for Gov. Butch Otter, on the wolf de-listing negotiations between Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and the U.S. Secretary of the Interior:“The Governor was encouraged to hear that Secretary Salazar continues to share our belief that wolves are…
Idaho Transportation Department spokesman Jeff Stratten said, "These loads will not exceed the capacity of any bridge on the route. Permits will not be issued if they cannot supply us a configuration that the models show is under the capacity of the bridge." The permit…
The Missoulian newspaper reports today that the four mega-loads of oil refinery equipment proposed for U.S. Highway 12 by ConocoPhillips each will exceed the weight capacity of every bridge on the route in Idaho, and on one of the bridges, the Arrow Bridge, the push-truck…
PERSI, the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho, will postpone its contribution rate increase that had been scheduled for next July 1, based on the system's current strong funding position and the impact an increase would have on the budgets of public employers and employees…
There's no comment yet from Idaho Gov. Butch Otter on the report from Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer about wolf de-listing talks going bad; Otter is in Las Vegas for a Western Governors Association meeting, and that's where he participated in yesterday's 6 p.m. conference call…
The governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer, says negotiations to remove wolves from the endangered species list - and allow wolf hunts starting next month in Montana and Idaho - stalled yesterday, when Wyoming and Idaho refused to go along with an Interior Department proposal that…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Skiers and snowboarders hoping to hit the slopes at Tamarack Resort should thank a federal bankruptcy court judge who gave his approval to using equipment and property necessary for skiing to begin Dec.…
Wild weather, fog, clouds and flashes of blue sky combined to bring this sunset over Boise this evening, as the rain-pelted snow on the ground turns to slush...
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — A Republican who lost his bid for the Idaho Senate says religious mailers that were sent to Latah County voters and appeared to carry his endorsement may have cost him the election. Gresham…
After being caught last week dragging an illegally shot elk behind his snowmobile, former political candidate Rex Rammell has released an op-ed piece claiming he was misled by a sporting goods store that sold him an elk tag and that state Fish & Game wardens…
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