Judge halts shipment on Idaho road of giant tar sands equipment

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Judge halts shipment on Idaho road of giant tar sands equipment
Source: Reuters - Fri, 13 Sep 2013 11:31 PM
By Laura Zuckerman

SALMON, Idaho, Sept 13 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge has temporarily blocked a shipment of massive oil field equipment from traversing a scenic Idaho roadway that cuts through the homeland of the Nez Perce Tribe and runs alongside two federally protected rivers.

U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill halted next week's planned shipment on U.S. Highway 12 of an oversized water treatment system destined for Canadian tar sands in a decision handed down late Thursday.

He also ordered the U.S. Forest Service to ban the so-called megaload on the 100 miles (161 km) of roadway that crosses national forest lands in Idaho until the agency has conducted a study of environmental, economic and tribal impacts.

The temporary injunction against the shipment of equipment owned by a General Electric Co subsidiary is the latest development in a three-year battle by Native Americans and environmentalists to protect a route in Idaho that follows a historic trail broken by early Nez Perce bison hunters.


Read more: http://www.trust.org/item/20130913232339-hsw99/?source=search

[RKP5637]

1. Good! n/t

[Auntie Bush]

2. What a good judge!

[IDemo]

17. True, one of the best

And as a totally irrelevant side note, my wife played foosball with him on occasion at the Idaho State University student union.

[MotherPetrie]

3. GOOD.

[Cleita]

4. Amazing. Salmon in very right wing, like tea bagging right wing.

But the residents are also very independent and self-sufficient even if seemingly backwards. I think they saw a turd, that smelled like a turd and decided it was a turd no matter what someone tried to tell them otherwise. Good for them! I'm proud of them!

[dorkzilla]

5. Great news, great development! n/t

[Blue Idaho]

6. Let's hope this one sticks!

Folks out of Lewiston, Idaho have been fighting the good fight for some,time now. Let's hope the tribe and this judge can stop these monstrosities from traveling through Idaho.

[Left Coast2020]

7. Every time a judge rules like this...

We need to send thank you notes.

Seriously. Let em know people have their back.

I'm somewhat familiar with that area being I worked at the radio station there in Lewiston back in the 90's.

[cstanleytech]

8. What are the odds though that it will survive a challenge?

[Veilex]

9. Honestly...

If its an indian reservation, actually really good.

[cstanleytech]

11. Even against the commerce clause?

[Veilex]

12. Commerce clause might be a problem...

Though "a study of environmental, economic and tribal impacts" might be enough to stop it cold. There are quite a few laws on the books that protect historical artifacts. That load could very well threaten those artifacts, as the article suggests. That would place the transport of the equipment outside the commerce clause.

[Doctor_J]

20. Eventually Slappy & Fat Tony & Smirk's two hacks will use the Commerce Clause to kill this

but at least this judge is slowing it down. The Commerce Clause might not go into effect until the pipeline is signed off.

[silvershadow]

10. So the parent company of MSNBC is behind this? Or does GE still own MSNBC? nt

[Paulie]

14. GE sold NBC to Comcast

[silvershadow]

15. Oh, well, that's good for MSNBC. As far as Comcast goes, it's no surprise and I hope they die a

slow, painful death. LOL

[Rockyj]

13. The Judge Rocks!

[marble falls]

16. Shut. It. Down!

[Scurrilous]

18. K & R

[olddad56]

19. i wonder what it will cost the billionaires to get that reversed?

Thy probably already have a higher judge on 'retainer'.

[gopiscrap]

21. Good

[BlueToTheBone]

22. In Arkansas, they are forcing taxpayers to

fix the roads the frackers have ruined. Good for Idaho!