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"THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING"
--Burke

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Why aren't the TCEQ and EPA letting El Pasoans know about the MERCURY levels around the ASARCO plant?

Asarco Tacoma stack contaminated a hundred square miles...

and the Asarco East Helena stacks?  "The EPA said tests showed that an area of about 100 square miles had been affected to some degree by Asarco emissions." 
http://www.helenair.com/news/article_782a2871-8aa9-56d9-9752-0664afd8c9d5.html

So doesn't this suggest that the Asarco El Paso smelter likely has affected 100 square miles, too?  That would be any land (and water) 30 miles out from the Asarco site -- almost clear up to Las Cruces, and definitely throughout Santa Teresa.

So why aren't our environmental regulatory agencies telling us about this in El Paso and Sunland Park?  (TCEQ, NMED and the Federal EPA)?


Dept. of Health and Human Services

The ATSDR is the "Dept. of Health and Human Services". Umm. Isn't
this the agency that we have evidence covered up the Asarco
contamination in Sunland Park N.M., and that was recently investigated
by a Federal investigative committee for fraud?

DEQ confirms that East Helena MT ASARCO stack demolition was "safe" (E. Helena burned unmanifested toxic wastes, too)


The way that authorities are getting around the safety issue is to NOT LOOK for the unmanifested toxic wastes that both Asarco El Paso and Asarco E. Helena handled and burned (nearly ten years of the incineration).

So, how much credibility does this safety assurance have with the public now?  None.   The conflicts of interest preventing full disclosure are so common that to this day we do not have Dioxin data, PCB data, mercury data, polonium data, or uranium data for the El Paso Asarco stack area --- and, to this day no citizen group has been given split samples/funds to take these samples to a non-conflicted scientist/lab.

Google News Alert for: Asarco

DEQ confirms demolition of East Helena stacks done safely
Great Falls Tribune
By Tribune Staff • November 7, 2009 Air sampling tests show that the demolition of three smelter stacks at the ASARCO smelter in East Helena in August did ...
See all stories on this topic

"Air sampling tests show that the demolition of three smelter stacks at the ASARCO smelter in East Helena in August did not produce negative health effects, the state Department of Environmental Quality said Friday....The DEQ asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency to review the air quality samples for potential impacts to public health.  Exposure to chemical contaminants identified in the sample would not be expected to result in acute health outcomes because of the low concentrations of chemicals in the plume and the short duration of inhalation exposure, the agency's Dan Strausbaugh and Dr. Michelle Watters said...." [the news report did not give any chemical name(s) or amounts.]

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Dr. Al Armendariz named Region 6 Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

"November 5, 2009 by citizensarah

Environmental Groups Applaud EPA Choice

New Regional Administrator could signal change in direction for polluted state

DALLAS – Environmental advocates across several states are applauding the Obama Administration’s choice of Dr. Al Armendariz to lead Region 6 of the Environmental Protection Agency, which includes Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Armendariz, an engineering professor at Southern Methodist University, has worked with diverse constituencies ranging from corporations to citizens groups and has published dozens of studies on myriad environmental issues throughout his career. His appointment garnered high praise from the environmental community."
http://texasvox.org/2009/11/05/dr-al-armendariz-named-region-6-administrator-of-the-environmental-protection-agency/

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Asarco Swiss Bank

Why is there a Swiss Bank called Asarco A.G. (Asarco SA, Asarco Inc.)??