Mammoet Megaloads/Keystone XL Pipeline Gatherings & Trainings


Mammoet 2014 Routes

Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) and allies invite concerned regional citizens to attend four tar sands megaload/pipeline-oriented events planned for this week, between April 2 and 6.  On the evenings of Wednesday, April 2, and Friday, April 4, community organizers with offer presentations and inter-community discussions among Sandpoint and Plummer residents, Coeur d’Alene and Kalispel tribal members, and Moscow climate activists about the three heaviest, longest, and widest megaloads to ever travel on U.S. Highway 95 and either Idaho Highway 200 or Interstate 90 and East Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive, hauled by Mammoet USA South.**  On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, April 5 and 6, we will provide condensed workshops sharing non-violent direct action skills with people eager to learn about and confront these transports and/or who have signed the Keystone XL Pledge of Resistance.  These convergences could feature a regional issue slide show, documentary screening, and/or action-planning conversations, depending on participant interests.

Citizen, Tribal, & Climate Activists Gatherings about Mammoet Megaloads

* Wednesday, April 2, 5:30 to 7:30 pm: East Bonner County Sandpoint Library Rooms 103 & 104, 1407 Cedar Street, Sandpoint, Idaho

* Friday, April 4, 5:30 to 7:30 pm: Benewah Wellness Center Conference Room B, 1100 A Street, Plummer, Idaho

Direct Action Training Sessions for Mammoet Megaloads/Keystone XL Pipeline

* Saturday, April 5, 12 noon to 4 pm: Coeur d’Alene Library Community Room, 702 East Front Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

* Sunday, April 6, 12 noon to 4 pm: The Attic, up the back stairs of 314 East Second Street, Moscow, Idaho Continue reading

Climate Justice Forum: Alma Hasse & Tina Fisher 3-31-14


The Monday, March 31, Climate Justice Forum radio program hosted by Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) gratefully welcomes Alma Hasse and Tina Fisher of Idaho Residents Against Gas Extraction (IRAGE), from ground-zero of Idaho oil and gas exploration and development, Payette County.  Alma and Tina will provide updates on citizen observations, documentation, and resistance in four counties, Payette County “baseline” water sampling requirements, seismic testing invasions and risks, proposed processing and pipeline facilities, IRAGE water testing outreach, and oil and gas leasing of state lands under rivers.  Broadcast on progressive, volunteer, community station KRFP Radio Free Moscow every Monday between 7:30 and 9:30 pm PDT, live at 90.3 FM and online, the show covers continent-wide dirty energy developments and climate activism news, thanks to the generous, anonymous listener who adopted program host Helen Yost as her/his KRFP DJ.

Climate Justice Forum: Jeanne McHale & Henry Willard 3-24-14


The Monday, March 24, Climate Justice Forum radio program hosted by Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) features Henry Willard and Jeanne McHale of the regional blues and rock band Henry C and the Willards, who are headlining the benefit concert at the Third Annual Celebration of WIRT this Saturday evening, March 29, at the 1912 Center in Moscow, Idaho. Jeanne and Henry will share some new, original songs from their recent unreleased, band recordings and talk about their music over the last few years. Broadcast on progressive, volunteer, community station KRFP Radio Free Moscow every Monday between 7:30 and 9:30 pm PDT, live at 90.3 FM and online, the show covers continent-wide dirty energy developments and climate activism news, thanks to the generous, anonymous listener who adopted program host Helen Yost as his KRFP DJ.

Third Annual Celebration of Wild Idaho Rising Tide!


Third Annual Celebration of WIRT Flyer 700x900px

The third year of relentless Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) activism has delivered plenty to celebrate!*  So we invite everyone to the Third Annual Celebration of Wild Idaho Rising Tide, commemorating our anniversary as a direct action collective and reinvigorating our members, friends, and supporters for another year of confronting climate change perpetrators.  Between 6:30 pm and midnight on Saturday, March 29, revel in a parade and benefit concert provided by four bands, along with home-cooked, potluck dinner and desert, beer and wine for purchase, and dozens of raffle prizes donated by community members and businesses.  Please join dirty energy resisters at the 1912 Center Great Room, 412 East Third Street in Moscow, Idaho, for a well-deserved wild time full of spirited conversation and danceable, singable music played by these remarkable artists:

Moscow Volunteer Peace Band

Depending on weather conditions, this year’s festivities will again begin with a parade converging at Friendship Square at 6:30 pm, and circling through downtown Moscow to the 1912 Center.  Peace is more fun than fossil fuel wars, so bring your protest signs, chants, and instruments to gather up rebellious party-goers.  Check out When the Saints Go Marching In performed by the Peace Band for the 2013 Moscow Mardi Gras.

Matti Sand

An artist who creates environmentally friendly, handmade jewelry, dolls, and greeting cards from her mountain home in the heart of Clearwater Valley, Matti writes and performs original songs on acoustic guitar, accompanied by lead guitarist John Fershee.  Playing together for a decade, they have recorded and self-released two albums of indie folk music entitled ‘One’ (2008) and ‘Two’ (2010), distributed in individually drawn, recycled cardboard cases.  Watch May 2012 footage of their Angel Dreams performance drawn from a Russian poem, at the 39th annual Moscow Renaissance Fair.

Mother Yeti

Zack Degler and Bill Tracy on guitar, drums, and vocals offer their dynamic, experimental, and psychedelic rock without bandmate Mike Halliday’s input on bass, keyboards, and vocals for this event.  Currently developing and capturing their repertoire through a somewhat primitive, home-recording approach, Mother Yeti has been playing scores of gigs over the last two years, saving their earnings for some real studio time.  With plenty of commitment and practice, they plan to tour the Earth and other planets soon.  Listen to their tune Up Or Down.

Henry C and the Willards

Originally formed to play for a September 2012 birthday party, this regional blues/rock band features musicians Henry Willard on guitar, dobro, and harmonica, Jeanne McHale on piano and vocals, Doug Park on bass and mandolin, Nels Peterson on drums, Terri Grzebielski on acoustic guitar and vocals, and Donna Holmes on percussion and vocals.  The band members have played with Kelley Riley, Charlie Sutton, The Hot Flashes, and several other performers.  View their musical videos.

With hearty thanks to Erik Jacobson for his event flyer design and to Jeanne McHale for co-coordinating the multiple entertainment and publicity aspects of this March 29 anniversary and fundraising party, Wild Idaho Rising Tide eagerly anticipates another lively evening gathering, enjoying shared camaraderie, live music and dancing, and plenty of rowdy fun.  To savor our successes, hundreds of selected photos and videos of our demonstrations and initiatives will cycle through a background slide show.  Do not miss this upcoming opportunity to support the exuberant activism of Idaho’s courageous, frontline challengers of the corporate, industrial, root causes of climate change for only $5 or greater voluntary admission contributions.  Please visit the WIRT website and facebook pages for further information, and print and post the color Third Annual Celebration of WIRT Flyer.  Contact wild.idaho.rising.tide@gmail.com or 208-301-8039 to assist with preparing for and staging WIRT’s big night.

* WIRT’s Third Year: Cause for Celebration! (March 23 Wild Idaho Rising Tide)

A Healing Walk through the Alberta Tar Sands


Fourth Healing Walk Group Photo 1 Cropped

What are the connections among climate change, the Alberta tar sands, megaloads, the Keystone XL pipeline, and the health of the planet and all of its inhabitants?

Explore these and related issues with local citizens on Thursday, March 27, at 7 pm in College of Law Room 103 at the University of Idaho in Moscow.  Area activists journeyed to the tar sands region of northern Alberta to join First Nations (Native Americans) and concerned citizens from across the continent for the 2013 Tar Sands Healing Walk.  Led by First Nations elders and leaders, participants witnessed the scale of environmental and social devastation caused by tar sands mining and crude oil processing.

Several local healing walkers, including James Blakely, Pat Fuerst, Dan and Pat Rathmann, Anne Remaley, and Helen Yost, will share what they learned on their solidarity journey, connecting local and regional megaloads, huge pipeline projects, impacts on people and places, and overarching climate change, cultural, and ethical issues.  During a discussion period following their presentation, the speakers welcome all questions, comments, and suggestions of solutions to these national, continental, and worldwide problems.

Continue reading

Climate Justice Forum: George Price 3-17-14


The Monday, March 17, Climate Justice Forum radio program hosted by Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) features George Price, a University of Montana professor and Indian Peoples Action organizer.  George discusses January and March 2014 tar sands megaload protests led by Indian Peoples Action in Missoula, Montana, Mammoet tar sands refinery transports on the Flathead Reservation, and other Montana tar sands/fossil fuels resistance and indigenous rights defense.  Broadcast on progressive, volunteer, community station KRFP Radio Free Moscow every Monday between 7:30 and 9:30 pm PDT, live at 90.3 FM and online, the show covers continent-wide dirty energy developments and climate activism news, thanks to the generous, anonymous listener who adopted program host Helen Yost as his KRFP DJ.

Climate Justice Forum: Rob Briggs 3-10-14


The Monday, March 10, Climate Justice Forum radio program hosted by Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) features Rob Briggs, a core WIRT activist and co-founder of the Palouse regional chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.  Rob discusses the rapidly-growing, nonpartisan, nationwide organization building the political will for a stable climate and advancing a market-based solution to climate change known as a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend.  Broadcast on progressive, volunteer, community station KRFP Radio Free Moscow every Monday between 7:30 and 9:30 pm PDT, live at 90.3 FM and online, the show covers continent-wide dirty energy developments and climate activism news, thanks to the generous, anonymous listener who adopted program host Helen Yost as his KRFP DJ.

Tribal and Climate Activists Gathering about Mammoet Megaloads


Higgens Point Enlarged

Friday, February 28, 3 to 5 pm, Conference Room A

Benewah Medical and Wellness Center, 1100 A Street, Plummer, Idaho

On Friday afternoon, February 28, at the Wellness Center in Plummer, Idaho, Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) organizers are holding an inter-community discussion among Coeur d’Alene and Nez Perce tribal members and Coeur d’Alene and Moscow activists about three of the heaviest, longest, and widest megaloads to ever travel on Highway 95 through Moscow and the Coeur d’Alene Reservation and on Interstate 90 and East Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive.

Dutch heavy hauling company Mammoet plans to move the 1.6-million-pound, 441-feet-long, 27-feet-wide, industrial transports to the Calumet-owned Montana Refining Company in Great Falls sometime in March or afterwards [1].  At this closest U.S. refinery to Alberta tar sands mining operations, these shipments would contribute to tripling refinery conversion of 10,000 barrels per day of Canadian tar sands crude into Rockies transportation fuels.  Per National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is currently reviewing this transportation project, called the Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive Temporary Overweight Truck Route, before Mammoet and the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) can construct the likely reusable “temporary” Interstate 90 on-ramp near Higgens Point, which would accommodate megaload passage while endangering natural resources and public infrastructure. Continue reading

Climate Justice Forum: City of Moscow Mammoet Megaload Workshop 2-24-14


The Monday, February 24, Climate Justice Forum radio program hosted by Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) features the entire recording of the January 15, 2014, public workshop hosted by the City of Moscow about Dutch hauling company Mammoet’s plans to ship the heaviest, longest, and widest ever megaloads in the region on Highway 95 and Interstate 90, through Moscow and Coeur d’Alene.  Representatives of Mammoet, the Idaho Transportation Department, the Idaho State Police, Latah County Sheriff’s Department, City of Moscow Police, and elected officials discussed plans to move the 1.6-million-pound, 441-feet-long, 27-feet-wide industrial transports to the Calumet refinery in Great Falls, where they will triple production of Alberta tar sands heavy crude oil.  Broadcast on progressive, volunteer, community station KRFP Radio Free Moscow every Monday between 7:30 and 9:30 pm PST, live at 90.3 FM and online, the show covers continent-wide dirty energy developments and climate activism news, thanks to the generous, anonymous listener who adopted program host Helen Yost as his KRFP DJ.

Climate Justice Forum: Peter Goodman 2-17-14


The Monday, February 17, Climate Justice Forum radio program hosted by Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) features Oregon megaload and coal export opponent and activist Peter Goodman of Act on Climate.  With Walla Walla Chief Yellow Bird, Carl Sampson, Peter filed a Petition for Review of Agency Order against the Oregon Department of Transportation on Tuesday, February 11, in Marion County Circuit Court in Salem. Carl and Peter are asking the court to require ODOT to follow state laws obliging it to act in the public interest and thus consult the Umatilla tribes and Oregonians before issuing permits to Omega Morgan tars sands megaloads that cause multiple harms and hasten global climate change.  Broadcast on progressive, volunteer, community station KRFP Radio Free Moscow every Monday between 7:30 and 9:30 pm PST, live at 90.3 FM and online, the show covers continent-wide dirty energy developments and climate activism news, thanks to the generous, anonymous listener who adopted program host Helen Yost as his KRFP DJ.