With the possibility that Imperial Oil could ship megaloads up either or both highways coursing north from the Port of Lewiston, our public resource interests would best be served by constraining the capacity of the port to accept and store oil company modules at its facilities.  After all, it was the hearty welcome to the port by the Mega-ho governor and congressional delegation that foisted this looming industrial corridor hell upon us.  The good news is that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), who must consider any dock extension permit requested by the port due to its forays into public waters, has extended the public comment period another thirty days until August 22, 2011, perhaps due to our collective insistence.  So if you have not commented yet (perhaps due to WIRT’s late notice: Sorry!) or if you commented only on the overarching megaload situation encouraging port expansion (as detailed in Fighting Goliath’s forwarded talking points: Thanks!), you now have an (additional) opportunity to dissect and denounce the technical intricacies of the port’s expansion plan.  WIRT hopes to provide more information about these items later.  However, the bad news is that the Corps did not (yet!) offer public hearings addressing this port proposal, as many of us requested, and that the Port now also proposes laying foot-deep gravel on ten acres “to allow for additional storage area for equipment and miscellaneous products delivered to the port” (likely more megaloads).  Please see the brief public notice/permit application/project proposal, Port of Lewiston Expansion Permit Application, and WIRT’s submitted Port of Lewiston Permit Application Comments.  Send your comments about Application NWW-2010-213-Wpr (note different number) to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at PortofLewiston-PN@usace.army.mil.

(From WIRT Newsletter)

The Port of Lewiston has applied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a permit to expand their dock facilities into the Clearwater River.  The Port is proposing this expansion explicitly to increase its capacity to accommodate larger equipment and oversize cargo, likely more oil-processing megaloads that haulers could transport on U.S. Highway 12 and/or U.S. Highway 95 and onward to the interstate system and the Alberta tar sands.  As a tax-payer funded project that could receive support amid ubiquitous budget crises, the expansion may also encourage later silt dredging in front of Port terminals and/or raising of the Lewiston dikes to offset possible flooding aided by ongoing silt accumulations.  Further discharge of dredged and fill materials into the river could adversely impact water quality.  This potential Port enhancement could also simultaneously buttress the economic viability of the four lower Snake River dams while further jeopardizing the recovery and restoration of wild salmonid and other fish populations in the Clearwater Basin.  All of these consequent conditions could precipitate myriad negative socioeconomic and ecological effects in our region.

Unless the Corps grants an extension, the 30-day public comment period for the Port’s expansion plan expires on Friday, July 22.  Please ask for an extension of the comment deadline that currently deters many regional residents who travel during the summer months from submitting comments.  Demand a series of public hearings in Lewiston and the affected highway corridor cities, during which public officials could share information and accept input.  Also tell Corps decision makers that the current environmental assessment for the Port’s plan is inadequate and that an environmental impact statement should be prepared to study the cumulative impacts of this project.  See the Port of Lewiston Expansion Permit Application and consider utilizing some or all of the preceding and following talking points provided by our allies All Against the Haul, Fighting Goliath, and Friends of the Clearwater.  Send your emailed concerns to the Army Corps of Engineers at PortofLewiston-PN@usace.army.mil or your mailed written comments to:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Idaho Falls Regulatory Field Office

900 N. Skyline Drive, Suite A

Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402-1700 Continue reading →