Monthly Archives: October 2012

Flashpoints Interview of Alma Hasse & Helen Yost

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Alma Hasse of Idaho Residents Against Gas Extraction and Helen Yost of Wild Idaho Rising Tide talked with nationally broadcast radio program host Dennis Bernstein between 0:56 and 20:38 of the Wednesday, October 17, edition of Flashpoints.  Alma and Helen discussed citizen resistance to looming first fracking in Idaho, to tar sands equipment transports in eastern Montana and north central Idaho, and to national energy policies and debates.

Idaho Proposed Rules for Class II Injection Wells: Notes and Comments

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Last year, the Idaho Legislature passed House Bill 464 and its many detrimental provisions.  It crippled local governments’ ability to conduct the conditional use permitting process for oil and gas development and imbedded the federal “Halliburton Loophole” for hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in Idaho state law, meaning that the practice of fracking does not fall under the definition of injection.  Thus, neither fracked wells nor wells used for the storage of natural gas and oil are considered injection wells and thus are not regulated as Class II injection wells in Idaho.  The state’s new proposed rules strictly concern the storage of toxins that are a by-product of oil and gas development, such as produced water, brine water, the fracking fluid pumped out of a fracked well, etc.

Please read the following articles respectively dated September and June 2012 for a better understanding of injection well issues and risks and the history of their oversight:

Are Fracking Wastewater Wells Poisoning the Ground beneath Our Feet? by Abrahm Lustgarten, Scientific American

The Trillion-Gallon Loophole: Lax Rules for Drillers that Inject Pollutants into the Earth, by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica Continue reading →

Idaho Transportation Department Greenlights Mega-Load for U.S. Highway 12

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The Idaho Transportation Department has issued a permit today for a mega-load to roll across Idaho from the Port of Wilma in Washington, entering Idaho on Route 128, and along U.S. Highway 12 to the Montana border.  But this time, the shipment – which weighs approximately 520,000 pounds – is water purification equipment destined for northern Alberta.

The load, which has been shipped up the Columbia River, is expected to leave the Port of Wilma beginning Monday, October 22, and take four days to reach the Montana border before heading north.

The mega-load, which is 300 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 22 feet high, will be accompanied by three flagging teams, three pilot vehicles, two vehicles with portable signs, and the Idaho State Police.

Read more: Idaho Transportation Department Greenlights Mega-Load for U.S. Highway 12

(By George Prentice, Boise Weekly)

Water-Purification Equipment will be Transported on Disputed Idaho-Montana Mountain Highway

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A large shipment of water-purification equipment will be transported through Idaho to Montana on a disputed mountain highway where big loads have been the subject of oversized controversy.

The Idaho Transportation Department announced Wednesday a trucking company will transport the purification equipment on U.S. Highway 95 and U.S. Highway 12 next week.

The shipment weighs 520,000 pounds and is 300 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 22 feet high.

Read more: Water-Purification Equipment will be Transported on Disputed Idaho-Montana Mountain Highway

(By The Associated Press, The Oregonian)

Climate Justice Forum: Doug Shields 10-22-12

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On the Monday, October 22, Climate Justice Forum radio program hosted by Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT), we gratefully talk with former Pittsburgh City Council president Doug Shields, an active anti-fracking consultant, prior council member chief-of-staff, and litigation paralegal specializing in environmental and regulatory law (douglas.shields20@gmail.com).  Concerned about the human and environmental health impacts of hydraulic fracturing, Doug introduced and secured unanimous passage of a community rights ordinance that prohibited shale gas extraction operations in Pittsburgh, the first such ban in the nation, adopted on November 16, 2010.  (See Doug’s brief appearance on Democracy Now!, Pittsburgh Ban on Natural Gas Fracking Faces Challenge from State Authorities.)  Broadcast on KRFP Radio Free Moscow between 7:30 and 9:30 pm PDT live at 92.5 FM and online, and later aired on KMEC in Ukiah, California, the show also covers continent-wide dirty energy developments and opposition to fossil fuel extraction and transportation projects.  Listen to an edited recording of the October 22 Climate Justice Forum posted in Radio4All and adopt WIRT as your KRFP DJ.

Climate Justice Forum: Dana Lyons 10-15-12

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The Monday, October 15, Climate Justice Forum radio program, hosted by Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT), welcomes Bellingham performer and environmental educator Dana Lyons, who is bringing his Great Coal Train Tour to Moscow on Friday evening, October 19.  Dana shares stories of resistance to proposed Northwest coal export mines, trains, and ports, gathered on his tour from potentially impacted communities, like eastern Montana ranchers, Lummi Indians, and Puget Sound residents, along the railroad/shipping lane route from Montana to Washington and Oregon.  Broadcast on KRFP Radio Free Moscow between 7:30 and 9:30 pm PDT live at 92.5 FM and online, and later aired on KMEC in Ukiah, California, the show also covers continent-wide dirty energy developments and opposition to fossil fuel extraction and transportation projects.  Listen to an edited recording of the October 15 Climate Justice Forum posted in Radio4All and adopt WIRT as your KRFP DJ.

The Brave and Bold Homecoming Parade 10-6-12

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On Saturday morning, October 6, Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) celebrated our ongoing community solidarity and shared successes, as we reveled in the sunny, supportive, citizen-packed streets of Moscow, so close but so far away from the same cold, dark, and lonely streets that we together defended from the regional and global ravages of ExxonMobil tar sands megaloads.  Participating in the 2012 University of Idaho Homecoming Parade, aptly named The Brave and Bold, our grassroots collective of activists carried our five-by-fifteen-foot group banner and tar sands and fracking protest signs from Rosauers to Seventh Street, through a cheering crowd lining Main Street in downtown Moscow.  Along the way, we handed out organic candy, our new issue-oriented WIRT brochure, and Dana Lyons concert flyers to our fellow city residents.  At Friendship Square, the entry announcer introduced us by proclaiming half of our mission statement (perhaps by reading our banner): “Wild Idaho Rising Tide confronts the root causes of climate change.”

After walking earlier in the parade with the Latah County Democrats, several melodious members of the Moscow Volunteer Peace Band doubled back and joined us for the last few blocks and bolstered our entourage to over a dozen walkers with rambunctious tunes.  Congratulations and hearty thanks to everyone in our community who contributed to our effective demonstration, especially Meghan, who printed our 100 handouts and supplied our candy for the parade-side kids, Ellen, Jo, and Meghan, who valiantly wielded our heavy sail of a WIRT banner for a mile through the winds of change, Lynn, who displayed our campaign messages on protest signs, Helen and Pat, who created and distributed educational material, and Fritz, Jeanne, and the Peace Band, who gracefully emboldened our fossil fuel resisters with their music.

Continue reading →

Dana Lyons’ Great Coal Train Tour in Moscow

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On Friday evening, October 19, performer and environmental educator Dana Lyons will bring his Great Coal Train Tour to Moscow.  Visiting communities from Billings to Bellingham and from Portland to Coos Bay along the route of proposed coal export trains through four Northwestern states, Dana’s fun, inspiring, and family-oriented concerts intermingled with informational sessions foster interest and understanding of this significant regional issue.  His tour provides accurate and intricate descriptions of coal export impacts, as it catalyzes public discussion, networking, and engagement with organizers opposing this regionally and globally detrimental scheme.

Singer and guitarist Dana Lyons hails from Bellingham, Washington – ground-zero of Northwest resistance to coal exports, near the largest proposed coal export facility in North America, SSA Marine’s Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point.  Best known for his comedy hit song Cows with Guns, Dana has recorded eight albums during his lifetime artistic career, including Circle the World and At Night They Howl at the Moon: Environmental Songs for Kids.  Working around the Earth to raise awareness, activism, and funds for environmental and social justice issues, Dana has collaborated with Dr. Jane Goodall and her environmental group Roots and Shoots. Continue reading →

The Brave and Bold Homecoming Parade

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Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) will walk among friends, co-workers, colleagues, and neighbors and may be accompanied by local musical performers in the 2012 University of Idaho Homecoming Parade, aptly named The Brave and Bold.  On Saturday, October 6, our grassroots collective of activists, who directly confront the root causes of the climate crisis and promote community solutions to it, will carry our five-by-fifteen-foot group banner and dozens of tar sands, coal, and fracking protest signs along Main Street to Seventh Street.  The homecoming parade presents one of our best opportunities to reach our fellow city residents, as we once again take to the streets, chant brief slogans, and hand out educational and Dana Lyons concert flyers along the way.  The entry announcer will describe our mission and introduce us as “Hundreds of these regional citizens are protesting hydraulic fracturing (or ‘fracking’) for natural gas in Idaho, export of Montana and Wyoming coal to Asia on 50 daily trains to ports across the Northwest, and Alberta tar sands development and transportation via megaload equipment transports and pipeline construction.”

Meet us under our unfurled banner beneath the Rosauers sign in the east parking lot (411 North Main Street in Moscow) at 9 am on Saturday morning.  We have requested a spot toward the back of the parade that starts at 10 am, so some of our more melodious co-activists in the front can potentially double back and bolster our entourage.  Although we share plenty of tar sands, megaload, and fracking protest signs, we plan to craft our first anti-coal export signs for parade display at the WIRT Activist House on Thursday evening, October 4, at 5 pm.  Spark some crucial, election month resistance to the tyranny of fossil fuel corporations and stir up some action in Moscow this weekend with us!  If we have not been The Brave and Bold in this town over the last year, then who has?  Let’s shine together again!