Lac Courte Oreilles Band maintains harvest camp at mine site

Tuesday, October 29, 2013  

It looks like the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho has won the battle against megaload shipments through the reservation and off-reservation treaty areas.

The tribe won an injunction that prevents Resources Conservation Company International, a subsidiary of General Electric, from sending trucks through the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, an area where the tribe retains hunting, gathering and other treaty-based rights. The company has decided not to appeal and will be looking for alternate routes.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Forest Service is about issue a draft environmental impact study to address future shipments through the forest area. The agency is required to consult the tribe as part of the lawsuit.

A megaload truck went through the reservation in August, carrying energy equipment to Canada.

Get the Story:
GE Will Find A New Route For Its Megaloads Or Scale Back The Over-Sized Shipments (Boise State Public Radio 10/28)
U.S. Forest Service megaload impact study draft ready for finalization soon (KLEW 10/28)

District Court Decision:
Nez Perce Tribe v. USFS (September 13, 2013)

Al Jazeera: Nez Perce Tribe battles big energy shipments (10/14)
Nez Perce Tribe stands up for treaty rights in megaload case (09/26)