LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Lewiston Port Manager David Doeringsfeld has suggested residents of U.S. Highway 12 should look at the “larger picture.” We should grant giant oil companies a cheaper route to ship massive Korean-made equipment to Canada; namely, via U.S. 12.
But I say it is Doeringsfeld who needs to see the larger picture; that is, the larger local picture.
In a partial list, I have counted close to 120 U.S.12 corridor businesses, Lewiston to Lolo Pass, that, in order to stay in business, depend in large part on the presence of travelers, tourists and local recreationists. They come via Highway 12. If giant oil companies are allowed to turn the highway — the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway and 1 of just 27 of our nation’s All-American Roads — into a massive-load truck route, all those businesses will suffer. Some may even sink. And the rural people of Highway 12 will become Big Oil’s next victims.
These north central Idaho businesses play a significant roll in maintaining travel and tourism as Idaho’s 3rd largest industry. The decline of these businesses will affect the entire state. And some local families could lose their livelihoods. 
Manager Doeringsfeld needs to look across the river, to count Lewiston’s travel/tourism-related businesses, then drive to Lolo Pass, do the count himself, so he knows upon how many businesses his mega-load truck route will have a negative effect … and ask Gov. Otter to ride with him.
Borg Hendrickson
Kooskia ID 83539

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