CITYDESK/NEWS ALL SORTS OF SCHOOLIN’
—George Prentice
10 | JULY 7–13, 2010 | BOISEweekly
NEWS
TAKING THE SCENIC ROUTE Trafficking big oil equipment in central Idaho GEORGE PRENTICE The muggy summer air was thick with skepticism in central Idaho last week. A room packed with Idahoans had just been told that a pending transport project would generate more than 10 million dollars in the Gem State’s economy. “Bullshit,” whispered Jeanne McHale of Moscow. “I don’t trust them.” “Them” is Exxon/Mobil/Imperial, one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world. Not including Imperial (the company’s Canadian operations), Exxon/Mobil is the largest of the oil “supermajors” with daily production of nearly 4 million barrels. One of its many global projects is located in the oil sands of Kearl, in the remote northeast corner of Alberta, Canada. In a complex 10-step process, ore would be mined from the oil sands, crushed, hydrated and diluted into bitumen, which ironically is sold to road and paving contractors. Why the irony? Because for any of this to happen, huge loads for the Kearl project would need to travel across U.S. Highway 12. By all accounts, U.S. 12 is one of the most picturesque drives on the continent; it’s an eastwest highway that connects the Pacific Ocean to downtown Detroit. In Idaho, it begins at the stateline in Lewiston, runs along the Clearwater River to Orofino, winds past the Lochsa River in remote sections of the Clearwater National Forest and then up to Lolo Pass as it approaches Montana. It’s designated as part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Passions run high along U.S. 12. Generations of central Idahoans have camped and fished there. More than 150 Idaho businesses line the highway, most of them mom-and-pop operations. So their dander got up when rumors started to circulate nearly two years ago
Surprisingly, the one poster that most that more than 200 loads of giant equipment attendees were craning to see, a map of the could convoy through their playground. But proposed route, was blurry even when magniit was only last week when they got their first fied. Ken Johnson, a spokesman for Exxon, opportunity to give any feedback, or so they a tall soft-spoken man, was unprepared to thought. answer a number of Three meetings were direct queries. scheduled in the region: “How about the in Moscow, Lewiston 5,000 employees of and Kooskia. At the HOW EXXON/MOBIL/IMPERIAL IS PLANNING TO MOVE THE EQUIPMENT businesses along Highfirst, on June 28 in way 12?” asked one Moscow, opponents The transportation across U.S. Highway 12 attendee. were ready. Some in Idaho would be divided into three stages. Each load would travel overnight (no earlier “It’s hard for us to carried signs: “Our than 10 p.m. and no later than 5:30 a.m.). gauge the impact on Shoulders Can’t Bear STAGE 1: From the Port of Lewiston to mile businesses,” diverted Your Loads.” “Oil and post 73.8 near Kooskia (73.5 miles). Johnson. Water Don’t Mix.” STAGE 2: From mile post 73.8 to mile post “Are you prepared “Axle of Evil.” One 139 in the Clearwater National Forest to reimburse businesseven came in costume, (65.2 miles). es for any potential dressed as a giant truck. STAGE 3: From mile post 139 to losses?” asked another. He purposely bumped mile post 174.4 at the Montana state line “We’ll look at into people and (35.4 miles). everything on a caseknocked over stacks The Idaho Transportation Department is by-case business,” said of papers to make his promising that if permits are granted, only Johnson. point. The only probone load will be allowed on a stage at a time. “Will it be only lem was that this was Additionally, ITD’s Jim Carpenter said, “We will only grant one permit at a time. And only these truckloads? no public hearing. As when a load has successfully passed through What’s to keep you a matter of fact, Idaho a stage will we consider the next permit.” from shipping and has no requirement to Exxon is promising a maximum traffic delay shipping and shipping hold a public hearing of 15 minutes. Oil executives say they’re currently negotiating with Idaho State Police to endless loads?” asked on the matter. Securing provide either on-duty or off-duty escorts. “We another protestor. a permit to transport will pay for all of it,” said Exxon spokesman “We have no adsuch a controversial Ken Johnson. ditional plans beyond load requires only an these shipments,” informational meeting. Johnson said cauA nicely dressed, tiously. button-downed team “Forever?” asked the protestor. Johnson from Exxon hung up a series of colorfully smiled but didn’t answer. “C’mon,” pleaded illustrated posters promising all kinds of the protestor. “Please say forever.” Johnson positivity: “Minimizing Impact,” “Safe and offered only nervous laughter. Efficient.”
EXXON/MOBIL LOADS: BIGGER THAN A T-REX AD A M RO SE NLUND
As BW hit stands on July 7, four teams of representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency were headed to Idaho to coordinate damage assessments in the counties affected by June’s wicked weather. Federal, state and local representatives will spread out to conduct four concurrent investigations later this week. You may remember in early June when high winds, heavy rains and floods swept through central and western Idaho. Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter requested that FEMA conduct preliminary damage assessments to trigger a possible presidential disaster declaration. That, in turn, could generate up to $2 million in federal disaster assistance. Team No. 1 will cover Lewis and Idaho counties; Team No. 2 will cover Valley County; Team No. 3 will cover Adams County; Team No. 4 will cover Gem, Payette and Washington counties. As far as VIPs go, however, FEMA’s reps are hardly the most high-profile crowd in Idaho this week. Every July, some of the globe’s biggest media tycoons descend on the Wood River Valley for the annual Allen & Co. media conference getting underway this week. Call it summer camp for billionaires. The attendees are supposed to remain hush-hush, but the armada of private jets at Friedman Memorial Airport in Hailey makes it rather obvious. Bloomberg Business is reporting Apple CEO Steve Jobs is in Sun Valley, as is News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, Disney CEO Bob Iger, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Ironically, the event is officially closed to the press, but past events have included off-the-record business presentations, along with yoga, golf, trap and skeet tournaments, tennis, barbecues and cocktails at the Sun Valley Resort. It’s the 28th annual event. On June 24, Boise Weekly reported that Idaho’s Public Charter School Commission pulled Nampa Classical Academy’s charter. On July 2, Citydesk followed up that report with news the administration was begging forgiveness from their own educators. Many of the teachers were paid four days late last week, and the school’s treasurer, Matt Schneiderman, apologized in an e-mail, saying he was surprised by the development. Some Nampa Classical teachers receive their salaries over the course of 12 months, which means they expect to be paid through the summer. But the recent revocation of the charter also means revocation of any state funding beyond June 30. In another piece of bad news for NCA: A potential $150,000 loan to the school has fallen apart. Schneiderman says investors balked when the school’s charter was revoked. In what may be the final chapter, NCA has appealed to the State Board of Education, which is expected to rule on the fate of the school at its August meeting. When Nampa Classical Academy opened its doors last fall, it quickly became the second largest public charter school in Idaho with more than 500 students.
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