Gov. says oil company megaloads have their place

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HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Gov. Brian Schweitzer says banning the contested oil company megaload shipments from state highways could hurt efforts to attract businesses to the state.

Schweitzer made the comments in a meeting Tuesday with the head of the state trucking association.

Exxon Mobil is seeking permits to haul more than 200 loads of equipment from Lewiston, Idaho through northwestern Montana to an oil-sands project in Alberta, Canada.

The governor says he doesn't think the proposed oil equipment megaloads pose a threat to area rivers as some suggest.

Schweitzer says his office is trying to recruit a company that builds large oil field equipment to Billings. That company too would need to ship oversize loads on state highways.

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