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

Friday, September 18, 2009

FNS News: Leading Mexican Environmentalist Killed

"September 18, 2009
Environment News
Mexican Environmental Leader Killed
Editor?s Note:

Internationally-known Mexican environmentalist and forest defender Felipe
Arreaga was killed Wednesday, September 16, while driving his ATV in
Petatlan, Guerrero. The longtime campesino leader was struck by a mini-bus
and died a few hours later in a hospital in nearby Zihuatanejo. Although
Petatlan is the site of a military base, it lacks civilian medical
facilities capable of handling serious injuries. The driver of the
mini-bus fled the scene of the crash, and many circumstances of the
incident are still unclear....Kent Paterson

Frontera NorteSur (FNS): on-line, U.S.-Mexico border news
Center for Latin American and Border Studies
New Mexico State University Las Cruces,New Mexico"

For a free electronic subscription email: fnsnews@nmsu.edu

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Railroad Link from planned International City to El Paso

Rail in the Pass presentation video

Rail in the Pass documentation presented to the MPO and others (MPO archived it) (starts page 74)

01/2003 ASARCO highlighted for Intermodal Rail to San Jeronimo/Santa Teresa...


















Above figure is from 01/03. Verde moved here winter of 2003 to do the downtown redevelopment plan.
  • Remember that "Ferromex" is owned by Grupo Mexico, who owns ASARCO
  • that the secret of the toxic-waste was LOCKED UP in the EPA/DOJ/ASARCO CONFIDENTIAL-FOR-SETTLEMENT PURPOSES ONLY DOCUMENT (not revealed until 2006!)
  • that the rail remodeling could not happen if the poisons were ever disclosed.
  • that the Federal EPA came here in 2001 for "testing" and NEVER DISCLOSED THE TOXIC WASTE
TO THIS DAY THOSE CHEMICALS ARE SECRET

http://www.elpasompo.org/Publications/Transit/tabid/185/Default.aspx

Senator Shapleigh writes about examples of successful Regional Metropolitan Governments

"METRO GOVERNMENT IN THE TIME OF DEFICITS"

September 10, 2009

Written by Senator Eliot Shapleigh, www.shapleigh.org

"...local governments are taking a close look at consolidation, whereby city and county governments merge as a single taxing entity and service provider....  In 1962, the city of Nashville, Tennessee and the county of Davidson consolidated all services, including the public school systems, police, fire, water and sewer services, planning and zoning, and public works....

Other examples of successful Regional Metropolitan Governments can be found in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon. ....consolidated governments also experienced a 17% increase in capita income, compared to 11% growth in non-consolidated regions."

Citigroup Bank is a "Key Financial" entity for the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority

Citigroup Bank is a "Key Financial Team member" for the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority (CRRMA) that builds El Paso TX highways

Citigroup is a primary ASARCO Bondholder

Another Key Financial Team member for the CRRMA is Fulbright and Jaworski, L.P. whose partner Evelyn H. Biery ".... has assisted  the official committees of unsecured creditors in the ASARCO LLC case"

The CRRMA is slated to build an elevated toll road right by ASARCO El PASO over Paisano through the worst of the worst ASARCO contamination and over our drinking/irrigation water supply (the El Paso MPO led by Rep. Joe Pickett voted to ALLOW THIS CONSTRUCTION DESPITE THE STILL-SECRET POISONS)

Would El Pasoans agree that it might be possible that these key members of the CRRMA might have a conflict of interest WITH DISCLOSING THE STILL-SECRET ILLEGAL TOXIC-WASTES THAT THE EPA told the DOJ ASARCO BURNED THROUGH THE 1990's AT THE EL PASO SITE??







Is land-grabbing and development of the Asarco site worth more than finding out what happened to this 3 year old child ??

Is the ASARCO illegal & secret-toxic-waste a legacy issue to this child:

[Westside El Paso] "....Lopez's daughter Danika was born in February 2006 with myriad health problems. She has Goldenhar syndrome, a congenital condition that causes facial deformities and also affected her heart. She has lung problems and was born without several body parts, including fingers, an ear and the bones of one forearm.

Danika spent the first 80 days of her life in a hospital, mostly in intensive care. Her parents' insurance covered her medical costs for a while, but it was maxed out at $5 million when she was about 2...."
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_13280354

" "We've also seen a lot of what is known as 'Goldenhar Syndrome,' that is where there is a missing left eye and left ear. It's very strange...."
http://nucnews.net/nucnews/2003nn/0307nn/030703nn.htm

ASARCO El Paso was shut down in February of 1999 after the EPA registered the highest Beta-radiation levels in the USA in El Paso in 1998 (we are assured that these readings mean nothing by the EPA, and that we are safe).  Four months before the shut-down the TCEQ decided to deny the nuclear-dump-license for the Sierra Blanca site just about 80 miles from El Paso, after press/media events reached international levels.

ASARCO is paying just $52 million to "clean up" a secret-toxic-waste-site on the West side of El Paso.  To put that amount of money into perspective, that amount could only pay for medical care for ten children with the birth/heart -defects like what Danika has suffered -- and, only for the first few years of their lives.

In 2006 a Lena Katamanin bought a Highland Park IL property from Swiss Company ASARCO A.G. for $496,000 -- it is now being offered for sale at $980,000

In 2006 a Lena Katamanin bought a Highland Park IL property from Swiss Company ASARCO A.G. for $496,000 -- it is now being offered for sale at $980,000

"Date    Address    Price    Seller    Buyer
Jun 30 [2006]    Single Family1380 S Lincoln Avenue     $496,000     Ag Asarco     Lena Katamanin
(see: http://lakeco.blockshopper.com/months/cities--11/2006/6)

...Owner: Lena Katamanin
Offered for Sale: $980,000
+ AGENT: Elena Maliavina

sales history (2001-present)
Shadow
$496,000 on June 30, 2006
B: Lena Katamanin
S: Ag Asarco
...
2007 property taxes: $12,126.22"


The AGENT Elena Maliavina is listed for the following Highland Park real estate swap in the same Highland Park neighborhood over a single property sold back and forth with the Chicago Title Land Co. Trust with Michael Vdovets



http://lakeco.blockshopper.com/property/1625106001/1380_s_lincoln_avenue/listing/

A Google search shows that a Chicago Michael Vdovets name shows up in connection with a "Center of the Northshore" Chicago IL EPA database... [the "Center of the Northshore" is apparently a condo, bank, restaurant complex being developed on an apparently contaminated site apparently formerly owned by "combined insurance co of america"]
http://www.northbrook.il.us/Government/BoardsCommissions/Passouts/2007/0424APR/documents/TrafficStudy2-21-07.pdf  -- and  --
http://oaspub.epa.gov/enviro/fii_query_dtl.disp_program_facility?p_registry_id=110007556885  )

Illinois EPA data systems.
BOL ID # Facility Name Street City Lat/Lon
0312075243 Center of the Northshore 700 Skokie Blvd Northbrook 42.13993/-87.79413
Site Remediation Program Data
http://epadata.epa.state.il.us/land/inventory/deepSeids.asp?strInvNo=0312075243

A Michael Vdovets from Chicago also shows up listed with Kaiser Development Group LLC
http://www.childrenofisraelfund.org/israel56.asp

His name also appears in conjunction with:
"Consultant:     GaiaTech, Inc.
Point of Contact:     John H. Yang
Address:     200 North LaSalle Street   Suite 2600
      Chicago, IL  60601 "

http://epadata.epa.state.il.us/land/SRP/Results.asp?IEPAID=0312075243




April 09 Pentagon Knowingly Exposed U.S. Soldiers To Toxic Waste: Leaked Memo [THE ASARCO EPA/DOJ/TCEQ EL PASO HEARING WAS MAY 11 - one month later...]

"Pentagon Knowingly Exposed U.S. Soldiers To Toxic Waste: Leaked Memo

Huffington Post   |  Stuart Whatley   |   April 10, 2009



The Pentagon allegedly endangered U.S. soldiers by implementing and covering-up dangerously toxic waste-incineration [... very much sounds like ASARCO EL PASO, which incinerated secret illegal industrial and military wastes for almost ten years...]  practices at Balad Airbase in Iraq during years past, as revealed in a leaked Air Force memo [PDF]...."

Soldiers report: "chronic bronchitis, asthma, sleep apnea, chronic coughs and allergy-like symptoms. Several also have cited heart problems, lymphoma and leukemia." [DOES THIS SOUND LIKE ASARCO EL PASO?]

"The story then goes on to discuss a Pentagon report titled "Just the Facts" which, given the now-leaked memo, reeks of obfuscation. According to Army Times, "Just the Facts" admits the "occasional presence" of possibly harmful toxins but then attempts to write-off the cancerous Balad Airbase miasma as harmless..."

[We are assured in El Paso around ASARCO that having the highest radioactive BETA readings in the U.S.A. winter of '98 just before the smelter closed was "harmless"]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/10/pentagon-knowingly-expose_n_173493.html

Monday, September 14, 2009

City of El Paso - will they approve 1 million $ contract to SAIC (high-clearance Government-contractor-company under investigation for fraud; and company that did ASARCO testing)

for more on "SAIC" do a search in the blog search-engine

"SECOND AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT
SOLICITATION NO. 2008-010R BETWEEN THE CITY OF EL PASO AND SCIENCE
APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION (SAIC).....

WHEREAS, El Paso City Council by motion on March 25, 2008 awarded Solicitation
No. 2008-010R for a total amount of $846,545.57 to Consultant for services to prepare a
Regional Growth Management Plan (the “RGMP”) and on even date the City Manager entered
into a Professional Services Contract with Consultant for said services (the “Contract”); and
WHEREAS, on April 14, 2009, the CITY and CONSULTANT first amended the
Contract to provide for additional public outreach services and increased the total amount of the
Contract to $882, 399.32; and
WHEREAS, CITY and CONSULTANT now desire to amend the Contract to provide
for additional services related to presentation and housing analysis activities, to increase the
contract award for payment of said additional services by $156,777.19 resulting in a total
contract award amount of $1,039,176.51, and to extend the overall period of performance and
receipt of project deliverables, as specified herein.....
2. CONSULTANT will prepare and deliver oral presentations of the
major findings of the Regional Growth Management Plan to the City Manager
and
selected staff, to the City Council, and to the Mayor and selected personnel. The
presentation will include both physical and electronic versions of the presentation.
These presentations will be provided during the same week as the El Paso Housing
Forum II."

Glencore and Sterlite-owner in same business

January 2009 "Swiss commodities firm Glencore International AG ....has submitted a written proposal for a joint venture with Asarco LLC, a lawyer for the bankrupt U.S. copper miner said on Tuesday.  Glencore, an Asarco creditor, previously said in court documents that it was interested in joining a bid to buy the assets.   Asarco will consider the proposal along with a stand-alone plan it is putting together, company attorney Jack Kinzie told the bankruptcy court. Kinzie also said Asarco was still negotiating with Sterlite...."
http://www.reuters.com/article/euMergersNews/idUSN1341100020090113

Why is there a Swiss Bank named "ASARCO A.G." created in 1998-9? (Do a search on Katamanin in the blog search engine)


September 2009 SWISS Company Glencore developing open copper mine in Zambia where STERLITE owner is largest producer right now...

"Glencore's Zambia unit to start new copper mine...LUSAKA, Sep 9 (Reuters) - A unit of Swiss company Glencore International AG will develop an open pit copper mine in Zambia....Mopani Copper Mines (MCM), majority owned by Glencore, to develop an open pit mine in the Mindola ore body in Kitwe, 330 km north of Lusaka. ...Mopani was Zambia's second largest copper producer before new mines with higher output like Lumwana mine, owned by Equinox Minerals Ltd and Kansanshi mine, a unit of Canada's First Qunatum Minerals came on stream last year. The largest copper producer in this southern African country of 12 million people is Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), a unit of London-listed Vedanta Resources Plc [STERLITE]."
http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/09092009/323/glencore-s-zambia-unit-start-new-copper.html

ASARCO Swiss Bank

In 2006 a woman with the same last name as the man in charge of a Swiss Bank named "ASARCO" bought a Chicago Highland Park property for around 1/2 million dollars. This property is now being offered for sale after Mikhail Katamanin recently entered into bankruptcy after an offshore company sued him.   Search "Mikhail Katamanin" in the blog search engine to see gambling and additional information.
"1380 S Lincoln Avenue, Highland Park, Ill 60035  Owner: Lena Katamanin
Offered for Sale: $980,000 + AGENT: Elena Maliavina
$980,000.00
sales history (2001-present)

$496,000 on June 30, 2006
B: Lena Katamanin
S: Ag Asarco"
http://lakeco.blockshopper.com/property/1625106001/1380_s_lincoln_avenue/listing/

"Appeals court blocks BLM-Asarco land swap" (lawsuit brought by Cntr for Biol. Diversity, Sierra Club and Western Land Project)

(AP) "By BOB CHRISTIE (AP) – 1 hour ago

PHOENIX —....The ruling in the lawsuit filed by three environmental groups in 2001 overturns a lower court decision backing the exchange long sought by Asarco....It ruled that federal environmental laws required the BLM to compare in detail the likely environmental consequences that would occur with and without a land swap.

"The BLM has not done this. Indeed, it has not even attempted to do this," Circuit Judge William A. Fletcher wrote."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5izWoekhj3D80CKKt36ghgvjPMD6gD9ANB4EO0



Saturday, September 12, 2009

Someone is making money... while the children of the Paso del Norte pay the costs of the Toxic pollution through Medicaid

Who is making the money?   The same people who don't want the "asarco secret document" known?  The people who want to develop the Asarco El Paso site without declaring the illegal and secret toxic waste ?   Grupo Mexico and Asarco must just love it when we ignore the secret illegal toxic waste.  

A retired ASARCO supervisor told me that his only regret was watching the children playing outside in the dirt in the yards near the Asarco site and his fears for their health.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125266583730602707.html#

"Vendata makes fresh bid for ASARCO"
11-September-09
"BY DAVID MCLAUGHLIN       Vedanta Resources PLC made a renewed bid to buy Asarco LLC out of bankruptcy, raising its offer to $2.56 billion ....Asarco said in court documents filed Thursday night that India-based Vedanta has agreed to pay $2.56 billion in cash to take Asarco out of bankruptcy, up from an earlier offer of about $2.29 billion.   The new offer comes after a Texas judge recommended last week that Vedanta's offer should be rejected and that Asarco's assets should go to its parent, Grupo Mexico...."

Friday, September 11, 2009

Child born with missing bones, facial deformities and heart defect

ASARCO is paying just $52 million to "clean up" a secret-toxic-waste-site on the West side of El Paso.  To put that amount of money into perspective, that amount could only pay for medical care for ten children with the birth/heart -defects like what Danika has suffered -- and, only for the first few years of their lives.

[Westside El Paso] "....Lopez's daughter Danika was born in February 2006 with myriad health problems. She has Goldenhar syndrome, a congenital condition that causes facial deformities and also affected her heart. She has lung problems and was born without several body parts, including fingers, an ear and the bones of one forearm.

Danika spent the first 80 days of her life in a hospital, mostly in intensive care. Her parents' insurance covered her medical costs for a while, but it was maxed out at $5 million when she was about 2...."
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_13280354

" "We've also seen a lot of what is known as 'Goldenhar Syndrome,' that is where there is a missing left eye and left ear. It's very strange. A lot of people believe this has something to do with the radiological problem related to the use [in IRAQ] of depleted uranium [a radioactive isotope].""
http://nucnews.net/nucnews/2003nn/0307nn/030703nn.htm

ASARCO El Paso was shut down in February of 1999 after the EPA registered the highest Beta-radiation levels in the USA in El Paso in 1998 (we are assured that these readings mean nothing by the EPA, and that we are safe).  Four months before the shut-down the TCEQ decided to deny the nuclear-dump-license for the Sierra Blanca site just about 80 miles from El Paso, after press/media events reached international levels.


Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The Paso del Norte: paying Asarco clean-up dollars out of your pocket and mine...

http://www.newspapertree.com/opinion/print/4226-janacek-water-bills-to-el-paso-citizens-will-subsidize-fort-bliss

"On May 27, 2004 the El Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board (PSB) promised DOD that PSB would build the world's largest inland desalination plant on Fort Bliss property to allow Fort Bliss to keep its existing wells in reserve as a strategic buffer"

AND ALL THAT TIME THE FEDERAL DEPT. OF JUSTICE, THE EPA, THE TCEQ and ASARCO KNEW THAT ASARCO HAD CONTAMINATED THE HUECO BOLSON AND THE RIO GRANDE; and, that ASARCO had signed onto a 1998 confidential settlement admitting it had burned secret illegal (and unknown) toxic wastes for profit for years.  In exchange, Rep. Reyes later said, Asarco paid millions on condition that the details of what it had done would never be revealed to the community.

Some of that secret waste was military waste; and, now the desal plant that would remove 99% of the contaminants from the Hueco-Bolson-water was being built -- and, the contaminants piped over 20 miles N.E. to deep-well-injection sites on Fort Bliss property.

What exactly did Asarco burn?  And what exactly did they contaminate the Hueco Bolson with and in what amounts?  Why were we never told? 
And now, to add insult to injury, the Taxpayer will foot the bill to remove ASARCO toxic wastes from the Hueco Bolson water? (Asarco had dumped chemicals offsite to the sewage plant(s) for years, and then the water was treated as purple-pipe water to re-inject into the Hueco Bolson aquifer to replenish it.)

 
"
May 13, 2005....the PSB General Manager signed an agreement to build the desalination plant on Fort Bliss property.(3) The agreement guaranteed PSB nothing in return."... "On Aug. 18, 2009, PSB announced plans to execute an easement, water supply contract (4) and water purchase contract (5) with Fort Bliss. If Fort Bliss does not pay its fair share of costs, El Paso citizens will be forced to make up the difference. The easement, water supply contract and water purchase contract could cost El Paso citizens as much as $930 million."

ASARCO EL PASO will pay only 52 million dollars to the community for clean-up of its site, under the Corpus Christi Bankruptcy court that is ignoring the liabilities from ASARCO EL PASO's illegal activities (the DOJ Bankruptcy Trustee and the Court are ignoring that the DOJ made PUBLIC the 1998 EPA-DOJ Asarco confidential-for-settlement-purposes-only-document).


"building a border fence is to build an economic platform" and the folks wanting this to happen have been planning for this "model" for years

This model is dependent upon government continuing to hide ASARCO's toxic-waste.    

Quote (see below):  "The option to building a border fence is to build an economic platform which both creates economic and national security in urban cities..."

"But first we start with a question: What is the option to not building the exiting fence? Or is there another option?

bordercommerce.com would answer to this question with the following.

The option to building a border fence is to build an economic platform which both creates economic and national security in urban cities. When the levee is not proving flood protection, then it should also be used in an economic fashion. As part of the re-construction of the levee, which would mean a small height increase and creating a usable deck upon which it will become the foundation for economic development between El Paso and Cd. Juarez for all the approximately 20 miles of border they share.

Investment in this new levee with a deck, connections to this deck, development and / or re-development along these connections, personal ports of entry using this new deck are parts of what will become the new paradigm of securing our border urban cities [i.e "plural"] and creating economic activity to sustain this security.

This is how we answer the question above.

What about Asarco?

Well it is near this three state, two nation focal point where this new vision of the border can begin. Asarco, its land near the river and across the freeway towards Executive drive and bounded by UTEP as well, just happens to be between that area.

Monday, September 7, 2009

puerto de guaymas and Arizona rail route : What you aren't being told in the Paso del Norte













The Ferromex line [yellow] travels to Nogales and Naco. The dark blue line is the UP Railroad (east-west) Sunset Line. UP Railroad is the one that presently goes through the ASARCO contaminated site in El Paso Texas, and that uses crushed slag for ballast on its rails as far away as at least Alpine. UP is presently continuing on its plans for a fuel tank farm and intermodal loading/offloading ramp at the Santa Teresa Airport -- within the 15 mile zone of contamination from the ASARCO stacks....

"It was published in the Official Newspaper of the federation, the Rules of General Character in the matter of Foreign trade 2009, where the multimodal runner Guaymas-Mexicali gets up itself officially. Day 29 of April of this year, left published in the Official Newspaper of the federation, the Rules of General Character in the matter of Foreign trade 2009, where the multimodal runner Guaymas-Mexicali within the Agreement of Agreement for the Development of Multimodal Runners of the country gets up itself officially, supported in article 131 of the Customs Law, will be able to be promoted the international transit by railroad between the customs of Guaymas and running present Mexicali.El multimodal Guaymas-Arizona during the period of January-December of the 2008 registered a movement of 220.000 tons of merchandise in traffic of international transit, which is equivalent to a 206% of increase with respect to previous the immediate year."
(babelfish online translation) http://www.puertodeguaymas.com/noticias/12-notas-del-puerto/96-nuevo-corredor-multimodal-guaymas-mexicali- (see map above, from this weblink)

"In late 2008, the Puerto de Guaymas announced its plan to construct a new container terminal with capacity to handle more than 100 thousand container a year. The terminal will focus on traffic with the US’s southwestern markets and regional markets in Mexico."

Arcelor Mittal (Mexico plant) is providing the steel. This is the company that bought the Border Steel tiny plant just north of El Paso TX, about 30 miles away -- which may still put it in the contamination zone from Asarco.

"ARCELOR MITTAL starts operations on Puerto de Guaymas "

"Starting from the 7:00 hrs. of the day Monday 17 of November beginning the shipment of approximately 60 thousand tons of iron mineral for el Puerto de Guyamas, starting the beginning of operations of the new terminal of the company hurries this way number 1 in the world, Arcelor Mittal whose investment in the port enclosure of Guaymas reaches the 18 million dollars since in the construction of an installation of first level is totally automated as for reception and material shipment to ship cellar what will be able to assist crafts in so single three days of service..."

Arcelor Mittal is the company that bought the tiny "Border Steel" plant just up Inter-State Highway I10 from El Paso, TX.  Arcelor Mittal has a bad environmental-reputation.

http://www.puertodeguaymas.com/home-interior?task=view
 

Sunday, September 6, 2009

"The Perfect Storm at the NAFTA Institute"

"06/13/2009 04:09 pm"
http://www.discussdac.com/blog/tag/economy/

"There’s a perfect storm brewing in and around southern Dona Ana County.

While much of the storm is off in the future, when combined with current conditions it will permanently transform Dona Ana County’s economy.  

Specifically I’m talking about the following:

  • The Santa Teresa International Border Crossing
  • The Dona Ana County International Airport
  • Access to I-10 and I-25
  • The relocation and expansion of Union Pacific’s railroad station
  • What will be one of the largest electronic manufacturing campuses in the world [FOXCONN]
  • And a new port in northern Baja

Considering the dramatic affect that this list will have on our future, we need to be very aware of what is currently happening and where we are going.

Punta Colonet

Located in northern Baja, this new port will become to Mexico what the New York and New Jersey port is to the United States.  In other words, this port will be massive.[Grupo Mexico is bidding on the 50 year contract to run the port and run the rail to Santa Teresa]

While it may seem logical that a port of this size would look to enter the U.S. at the closest international border crossing, southern California’s congestion and the strategic location of Santa Teresa may make it more efficient right here.   

So what do they see in southern Dona Ana County?

Union Pacific


Union Pacific is relocating its fueling station out of downtown El Paso and into Santa Teresa with plans on expanding into a block swap and inter-modal station [the station's planning is done, the BLM land swap with N.M. is done, and the next step is for N.M. to "auction the land" off (i.e. to U.P.)]

Why does this matter?  It matters because it will make railroad trade coming out of this area more efficient.  The railroad will someday be able to avoid both downtown El Paso and downtown Juarez, and the open land offers room for growth and minimal utility conflicts.

Our location is currently the northern end of the Sunset Line which starts in San Diego.  The route then opens up to the north, east and southeast.  When you factor in the interstates, the international airport and the border into the equation, Santa Teresa could become one of the most efficient locations to start your trade in the United States.

Foxconn

The world’s largest manufacturer of electronics sees the potential for profit here.

In fact, they have invested in 240 hectors west of Juarez where they’re planning a manufacturing campus complete with dormitories, restaurants and recreation areas.  They are planning to employ 10k employees in the next 2 years, and word on the street is they are looking to employ 30k in the long run.  By the end of their first year they will already employ over 5k.

Where are we going?

When you combine the expansions of these companies into Dona Ana County with the airport, the border crossing, and the interstates you get something that exists nowhere else in the United States or Mexico.  It truly is the perfect storm for the future of U.S./Mexico trade. [and it is being built within the 15 mile toxic-zone of ASARCO's stacks, without *anyone* declaring what the decade of illegal secret military/industrial waste-burning left in the Paso del Norte...and, without any effort to clean up dioxins, pcb's, polonium (radioactive lead), actinides (radioactive), etc.]

As manufactures look for the most efficient place to produce and distribute to the U.S. the Juarez/Santa Teresa area is destined to be at the top of the list.

To make this work we need to pay more attention to security on the border and consider more self imposed security measures.  We also can’t forget that there are legitimate concerns with NAFTA in the United States, and we cannot ignore that manufacturers choose Mexico for its cheap labor.

While I am not about to enter into a lengthy examination of the pros and cons of NAFT in this article, it seems like only yesterday (actually 1998-1999) that I was studying the affects of NAFTA with Neil Harvey at New Mexico State University.  Funny the way it is that today I am continuing to study this from a more unique position.

Dona Ana County's Role


And from my position today I’m looking at what Dona Ana County can do to benefit.  Most pressing is the need for the county and Sunland Park to step up the efforts to finalize the utility and land management organization that will serve Santa Teresa.

In addition, the county needs to coordinate with other organizations.  They include the New Mexico Department of Economic Development, the New Mexico Border Authority, the International Business Accelerator and the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance (among others).

Together we need to continue to recruit and market ourselves to the industries that are looking for a U.S. base of operations.  And we need to be prepared to offer housing and commercial space for companies looking to work on the U.S. side of the border.

To succeed it will take the hard work of each organization listed above and we all need to be committed to finding the right way to benefit from our unique position in this perfect storm."
[reprinted for fair use]