Associated Press - January 14, 2011 10:54 AM ET
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - The Idaho Transportation Department has rejected arguments by a group wanting to prevent the state from issuing permits to ConocoPhillips to ship oversized oil-refinery equipment along northcentral Idaho's U.S. Highway 12.
The agency on Thursday filed a response to an appeal made Monday by a group of local residents contesting a hearing examiner's ruling last month that the agency should issue the permits.
The agency in its response says that the hearing examiner applied the correct legal standards, the group didn't produce relevant evidence the shipments would harm members of the group, and that most issues raised by the group aren't relevant to the ConocoPhilips permits.
The state agency also says that if the group wants to set new policy for commercial use of the highway, the proper route is through federal or state legislatures.
It's unclear when Idaho Transportation Department director Brian Ness will make a decision on whether to issue the permits.
The agency on Thursday filed a response to an appeal made Monday by a group of local residents contesting a hearing examiner's ruling last month that the agency should issue the permits.
The agency in its response says that the hearing examiner applied the correct legal standards, the group didn't produce relevant evidence the shipments would harm members of the group, and that most issues raised by the group aren't relevant to the ConocoPhilips permits.
The state agency also says that if the group wants to set new policy for commercial use of the highway, the proper route is through federal or state legislatures.
It's unclear when Idaho Transportation Department director Brian Ness will make a decision on whether to issue the permits.
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