The Idaho Transportation Department was poised to issue four oversize permits to ConocoPhillips for mammoth shipments on U.S. Highway 12 tomorrow, but now will hold off due to the filing of a lawsuit in 2nd District Court in Grangeville today by local residents seeking to block the shipments. "It was the intent of the department to issue four permits to ConocoPhillips tomorrow," ITD spokesman Jeff Stratten said in an email. "The department will defer the issuance to await the judge's ruling."

He added, "The permit included a requirement for a $10 million damage bond. The bond was recommended to the department by Governor Otter after listening to the comments of Idahoans at the three public meetings and his Capitol for a Day in Pierce."