Exxon Invading Idaho Wilderness with Tar Pit Sands Trucks

In addition to the issue below, I have learned that Governor Otter has pledged Idaho’s ‘help’ in regard to the transportation of Tar Pit Sands equipment by offering up use of Idaho’s largest campground and gateway into the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness as a parking lot for the Canada-bound vehicles.

Wilderness Gateway Campground has over 90 units and is located just off highway 12, which is along the proposed route of the equipment. It is the trailhead for Stanley Hot Springs. Weir Creek and Jerry Johnson Hot Springs are both accessible from highway 12 as well.

From Friends of the Clearwater…

The Exxon Mobil Corporation has been developing a huge open pit mine in Alberta, Canada for a few years now. This project has been referred to in the media as the Tar Pit Sands project. This project effects the Clearwater Basin because the oil processing equipment is being shipped up the Columbia River Basin this summer, and then unloaded at the Port of Lewiston. The equipment is then being loaded onto trailers and driven up the Wild & Scenic Lochsa River corridor, up and over Lolo Pass into Montana, and eventually into Canada. Transporting of these mega rigs are to begin in early fall. The dimensions of the rigs are between 170′–210′ feet long, approximately 25′ feet wide, and up to 30 feet tall. Over 200 of these industrial processing rigs will weigh up to 550,000 pounds.

As you may be aware, the local and regional media has just begun to report on this critical issue and citizen awareness has just begun. Many citizens and environmental groups are outraged about the fact that there has been no public involvement or scoping done by public officials and there has also not been any environmental review. Public meetings in townships along Route 12 are supposed to be announced, but so far they have not taken place. For the most part, the public has been kept in the dark and the potential ecological consequences have been swept under the rug.

Therefore, Friends of the Clearwater is asking you to Take Action and write a letter or send an email to the Idaho Transportation Department, Governor Butch Otter, and the editors of our local papers. You can reach Alan Frew of the Idaho Transportation Department at: 3311 W. State Street, PO Box 7129, Boise, Idaho 83707-1129, Attention Alan Frew or email him at Alan.Frew@itd.idaho.gov. You can also call the department to voice your concerns at (208) 334-8000.

You can contact Governor Butch Otter by emailing him at governor@gov.idaho.gov or submitting comments via his web site at http://gov.idaho.gov/WebRespond/contact_form.html. You can call his office at (208) 334-2100.

If you wish to contact the editor’s of the Lewiston Tribune, the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, or the Idaho Statesman they can be reached at letters@lmtribune.com, letters@dnews.com, and editorial@idahostatesman.com. Both the Tribune and the Daily News have 250 word limits and the Statesman has a 200 word limit.

Here are some important talking points you may wish to consider:

Rt. 12 is a federally designated Scenic Byway (Northwest Passage Scenic Byway) and All-American Road
Rt. 12 runs through the heart of the Nez Perce Reservation and historic Lewis & Clark country
Rt. 12 parallels 2 federally designated Wild & Scenic Rivers, the Middle Fork of the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers
Rt. 12 is already a dangerous, narrow, curve-hugging road to travel on

Travel/Tourism, Public Safety, Property Values, Recreation and Way of Life will all be negatively impacted. The Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers are an important fishery for both native and anadromous fish species. Numerous wildlife species cross in their pursuit of food and habitat.

Please continue to use this web site to get updates about this massive industrial transportation project threatening our lifestyles and precious resources. Another good source of information is http//:www.fightinggoliath.org and/or http://northernrockiesrisingtide.wordpress.com.

Thank you so much everyone for taking the time to get involved and make a difference!

Related: Visit Exxpose Exxon