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

Sunday, January 8, 2012

The Irony of it

Now, in 2012, Sec. Salazar came to El Paso Texas to look at the El Paso Desalination plant -- without any mention that Asarco El Paso has contaminated our surface drinking water supply and all of our irrigation district waters. Will El Paso TX get any of the over 190 million dollars (below) to remediate the old American Canal and clean the Asarco-chemical-plume that reaches the Rio Grand? No. The Asarco Bankruptcy, the Department of the Interior and other Governmental Agencies have acted as if the Asarco burning of illegal secret hazardous wastes from 1991 to 1998 never happened.

"December 10, 2009

Contact:
Georgia Parham 812-334-4261 x 1-203

ASARCO Settlement Provides $194 Million for Federal, State and Tribal Wildlife and Habitat Resource Restoration
Agreement includes Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District and Tri-State Mining District in southwest Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that an environmental damage settlement with ASARCO LLC, a North American mining conglomerate, would provide about $194 million for the recovery of wildlife, habitat and other natural resources managed by Interior, state and tribal governments at more than a dozen sites.

Through this historic settlement, the American public is compensated for the damage and loss of natural resources resulting from ASARCO’s past mining, smelting and refining operations,” Secretary Salazar said. “Were it not for this agreement, these injured resources would either remain impaired for future generations or require taxpayer expenditures to achieve environmental restoration.”

“This is a milestone not only for the Federal Government but also for Interior and its Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program,” Salazar said. “It exemplifies government working effectively for the American taxpayer to recover damages from polluters and restore and protect significant national landscapes and wildlife resources that have been injured.”

Assistant Secretary for Fish Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland called the settlement the type of environmental enforcement action that ensures that those responsible for polluting the nation’s landscapes and waterways are made to pay for their actions. “I want to commend the extraordinary level and amount of federal, state and tribal cooperation and coordination that accomplished this settlement,” Strickland said.

He also thanked representatives on the case teams that developed the claims, including Interior personnel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, other federal agencies and state and tribal governments for their professionalism and dedication. “The settlement demonstrates the ability of Interior’s bureaus and offices to work cooperatively and productively on behalf of the public – and especially the taxpayers – to achieve major benefits for the environment.”

The Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District spans multiple counties from 40 to 90 miles south southwest of St. Louis, Missouri and is located in the Big River/Meramec River, Black River, and St Francois River watersheds. It is one of the largest lead producing regions of the world. Natural resources affected by mining-related contamination include surface water, groundwater, fish, migratory birds, endangered species of fresh-water mussels and their supporting ecosystems, including sediment and floodplain areas. Lead mining continues in the New Lead Belt, also called the Viburnum Trend, and the region continues to be the nation’s top lead producer.

Heavy-metal mine, mill, and smelter wastes from Asarco’s operations covers thousands of acres of land in St. Francois, Madison, Iron, and Reynolds counties. Two National Priority List Superfund sites and an active mining and processing district are contained within the Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District affected by Asarco. Runoff from these operations has contributed to contamination of sediment in over 100 miles of streams including Flat River Creek, Big River, Adair Creek, Logan Creek, Sweetwater Creek, West Fork of the Black River, Logtown Branch, Little St. Francois River, and Big Creek. Interior and the State of Missouri jointly received $41.2 million for natural resource damages at five sites in the District. Interior received approximately $274,000 to reimburse past assessment costs.

The Tri-State Mining District spans 2,500 square miles, including parts of southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri and northeast Oklahoma. The District is located in the Spring River and Neosho River watersheds, both of which flow generally south, terminating in the headwaters of Grand Lake O’ the Cherokee. Natural resources affected by mining-related contamination include surface water, fish, migratory birds, freshwater mussels and threatened and endangered species and their supporting habitat, such as sediments. Interior, the states of Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma and six American Indian tribes jointly received $62.4 million for natural resource damages in the District. Interior received $2.3 million to reimburse past assessment costs.

Trustees for natural resources affected by mining operations in the Tri-State Mining District include two Interior Department bureaus - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the states of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, and several tribes: Cherokee Nation; Eastern Shawnee Tribe; Ottawa Tribe; Peoria Tribe; Seneca-Cayuga Tribe; and Wyandotte Nation. The Trustees for each site have completed or are now drafting plans to restore injured natural resources.

In Missouri, ASARCO conducted operations in Jasper and Newton counties. Mining and milling operations generated about 150 million short tons of waste scattered over 7,500 acres in Jasper County, affecting waterways such as Center Creek, Turkey Creek, Short Creek and their tributaries. Similar conditions occurred in Newton County, affecting Shoal Creek and its tributaries, and Lost, Sycamore, and upper Center creeks. The Interior Department and the State of Missouri will receive $20.1 million for Jasper and Newton counties. The Trustees for these sites are developing a draft restoration plan and anticipate releasing the draft for public review and comment in spring 2010.

The Tri-State Mining area is a mix of tallgrass prairie and hardwood forests. Commercial mining began in about 1848 in Missouri and moved westward into Kansas and southward into Oklahoma. Commercial smelters occurred in all three states within Tri-State. Historically, lead was the ore of primary interest; however, the ore was rich in zinc deposits, and zinc production became increasingly important over time. The Jasper County site was designated a Superfund site in 1990; the Newton County site was added in 2003.

Funds will be deposited into Interior’s Natural Resource Damage Assessment and
Restoration Fund and will be used to restore, rehabilitate, replace, and/or acquire the
equivalent of the injured natural resources managed by Interior and jointly managed with
state and tribal agencies. The majority of this amount is a joint claim with federal, state,
and tribal co-trustees, depending on the site.

For more information on the ASARCO settlement in Missouri, visit www.fws.gov/midwest/nrda/index.html
"

Sept. 2011 El Paso Mayor border affairs refers to Punto Colonet and Ferromex Santa Teresa Port of Entry Plan

"Calderón's capital projects plan includes the proposed rail bypass that would connect rail service in Juárez from San Jeronimo-Santa Teresa to the Guadalupe-Tornillo border crossings......"Mayors John Cook and Jose Reyes Ferriz of El Paso and Juárez are unhappy with the proposal, which they believe will disrupt vehicular traffic in Juárez during several years of construction, lead to an increase flow of dangerous cargo through heavily populated neighborhoods and undercut efforts to move cross-border rail traffic to a new port of entry at Santa Teresa, New Mexico," a 2008 cable said.....Robert Andrade, Cook's border affairs aide, said Calderón wanted the Santa Teresa rail bypass and rail border crossing because it is part of a plan for a new major seaport at Punto Colonet in Baja California, a project that is still pending."

from: "WikiLeaks cable: El Paso, Juárez mayors didn't like rail project"



Foxconn expands to Brazil...proximity to airfields a factor

"Foxconn to manufacture iPads in Brazil


By Lara Holmes

The Taiwanese firm Foxconn confirmed that it will begin manufacturing iPads in Brazil in December [2011] but is still negotiating a multimillion-dollar expansion plan in the country, said senior executives of the company and Brazilian government officials on Thursday.Rousseff President first announced the intention of Foxconn to build Apple Tablet popular in Brazil for an official visit to China in April [2012] ....Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou, and the Brazilian Minister of Science and Technology, Aloizio Mercadante, told reporters Thursday that the company begin to assemble the iPads locally in December at its plant in Jundiai, in the state of Sao Paulo.....Logistical factors such as proximity to airports, are key issues in this decision, the minister explained."

Santa Teresa N.M. Airport near Port of Entry is adding/changing airport runway(s), and opinion is that these would be capable of accommodating cargo planes.

Ferromex

"Ferromex still has $160.8 million dollars"

Tuesday, 11 October 2011 00:00

Asarco's owner Grupo Mexico owns Ferromex (and Carlyle Group owns more than 20% of Grupo Mexico)

The Asarco El Paso Cleanup TRUST has no feduciary responsibility to remediate or report on the secret materials Asarco incinerated between 1991-1998

What do Asarco's owners Grupo Mexico (Ferromex Railroad), Punta Colonet Pacific Seaport , Santa Teresa N.M. Port of Entry and Foxcon
have in common? They all depend upon development within ten miles of Asarco's secret hazardous waste incinerator (1991-1998) --- the contamination likely stretched out 30 miles (1000 square miles); and, the secret wastes (which included radioactive materials) should have been vetted before any of this port-development, railroad development, and Asarco-site-cleanup/development occurred....

http://puntacolonetmega-port.blogspot.com

"Sunday, December 12, 2010

Punta Colonet Mega-Port to be Bid in Spring 2011, Regardless of Panama Canal Expansion, Says Mexico Secretary of Communications & Transportation; Ferromex/Union Pacific Considering Bidding on Rail Portion"

Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory

Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory

For more information about this company, who is the keystone-company at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry, search this blog for "Foxcon" or google the internet for "Foxcon asarco".

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

asarco "former General Manager of the Mission Complex in Sahuarita, AZ "will take over duties as Argonaut's COO""


"Argonaut Gold Announces New Chief Operating Officer
Marketwire
Mr. Rhoades is the former General Manager of the Mission Complex in Sahuarita, AZ for Asarco LLC. He will take over duties as Argonaut's COO on January 3, ..."

"About Argonaut Gold

Argonaut is a Canadian gold company engaged in exploration, mine development and production activities. Its primary assets are the production-stage El Castillo Mine in the State of Durango, Mexico, the development stage and past producing La Colorada project, the advanced exploration San Antonio project, and several exploration stage projects, all of which are located in Mexico."

" Google Alert - asarco Arizona Silver Belt ADEQ to renew permit for ASARCO Hayden smelter"



"Arizona Silver Belt ADEQ to renew permit for ASARCO Hayden smelter
Officials of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality say they have reached a preliminary decision and are proposing to issue an Air Quality Renewal ...
www.silverbelt.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0..."

Google Alert - asarco "EPA Region 7 to Host News Conference Dec. 15 to ...."

"EPA Region 7 to Host News Conference Dec. 15 to ....
U.S. EPA.gov
From the early 1870s until it closed in 1997, the ASARCO plant emitted lead and other heavy metals into the atmosphere from smoke stacks and fugitive ...
"

"
WHO: EPA Regional Administrator Karl Brooks, Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle, Nebraska State Sen. Brenda Council and Douglas County Health Director Dr. Adi Pour

In 1998, the Omaha City Council solicited assistance from EPA in addressing problems with lead contamination in area soils, prompted by cleanup activities at the former ASARCO lead processing facility along the west bank of the Missouri River in Omaha.  From the early 1870s until it closed in 1997, the ASARCO plant emitted lead and other heavy metals into the atmosphere from smoke stacks and fugitive emissions."  [this site closed after EPA Region 6 and Federal DOJ discovered that Asarco had been running an illegal multi-state hazardous waste incineration operation -- sending wastes from Corpus Christi TX to El Paso TX, E. Helena MT (with some products then shipping to Globe CO) -- did some go to Region 7's Kansas City Asarco?]

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Now Houghton and others want to build a highway through the ASARCO site -- still without disclosing the illegal highly poisonous wastes

"Another proposal would align the project's northern section about 150 feet away from I-10 through the Asarco site. Some black slag, a smelting byproduct piled on the site, could provide road bed material, filling in depressions along the highway route, Houghton said. Although some of the slag could leach contamination and will be buried in high-tech landfills, analysis has shown much of it is safe for such highway construction use, officials have said.

An environmental impact study also is under way, Houghton said."  El Paso Times 12-7-11

See google alert:
"
Input sought for Loop 375 West
El Paso Times
It will connect the Border Highway with Interstate 10 through the Chihuahuita neighborhood and the former Asarco smelter property. New construction will be ..."

Monday, December 5, 2011

Investigator stated that Asarco confidential settlement in 1998 "a sellout of the public"

"With the government cornered into signing this consent decree you, USA, Texas and the US-EPA lose all
rights upon the acceptance of this decree
, which to me is a sell out of the public, since you are
supposed to look out for public interest."...."The TNRCC, has received some of these objections,
faxed to Albert M. Bronson, Asst. Attorney General on 5/26/99."

EPA FOIA document




Monday, November 21, 2011

The Asarco El Paso Clean-up Trust has no fiduciary or contractual obligation to test for/remediate ANY of the illicit materials from the 1991-1998 haz-waste years

"Mike Casbon, who is based in Indiana with multi-national contractor ERM Inc., has spent much of the past 10 months in El Paso, Texas, helping oversee the demolition of a copper smelting facility that is spread out over 200 acres.

ERM hired Brandenburg Industrial Service Co., Chicago, as its demolition subcontractor for the project. Malcolm Pirnie, Highlands Ranch, Colo., was the lead remediation contractor....Casbon said the efforts of ERM, Brandenburg and others working on the project have provided a tremendous financial success for the Asarco site land trust. Rather than spending down the trust's $52 million cash reserves for the project, work done thus far has provided an additional $25 million to the trust's value."
http://www.cdrecycler.com/cdr1111-2011-cdr-forum.aspx

The Asarco El Paso Clean-up Trust has no fiduciary or contractual obligation to test for/remediate ANY of the illicit materials from the 1991-1998 hazardous-waste years; and, the "decontamination" consisted of powerwashing (i.e. no testing with XRF before sale).
The "Trust's Value" might not be 25$Million greater if the bankruptcy court had considered liability from the illicit hazardous waste contamination in the Paso del Norte... Those sales of "metals" might be profitable only because the Bankruptcy court has for some reason ignored the presence of the illicit wastes... and the costs of removing/disposing of those illegal materials from those "metals" before sale...

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In 1997 Goldman Sachs was to underwrite pollution control bonds-refinancing for ASARCO

In late October of 1997, before Asarco was caught by the EPA and the Federal Department of Justice for running an unpermitted and illegal multi-state hazardous waste disposal operation-for-money, Asarco began plans to redeem some of its tax-exempt bonds for refinancing (see http://www.allbusiness.com/banking-finance/financial-markets-investing-securities/7054881-1.html ).  The Bonds included Pollution-control revenue refunding bonds in Arizona, Texas and Montana.   Goldman Sachs was going to act "as underwriter of the new bonds":

The issues to be called are the Industrial Development Authority of the County of Gila, Arizona, Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 1985 and 1987, 8.90% due July 1, 2006; the Nueces River Authority, Texas, 7 3/8% Environmental Improvement Revenue Bonds, Series 1976-A and 1976-B, due June 1, 2006; and the Lewis and Clark County, Montana 6 3/4% Pollution Control Revenue Bonds, 1976 Series, due December 1, 2006....The aggregate principal amount of bonds the Company plans to call is $133.4 million. The Company has recorded a pre-tax charge in the third quarter of 1997 of $3.9 million in connection with the refinancing, which is expected to reduce the Company's annual interest costs by approximately $3.0 million. Goldman Sachs will act as underwriter of the new bonds to be issued in the refinancing."

By 1998 Asarco was secretly caught by EPA and DOJ running the sham-recyling scheme and 'paid millions on the condition that the details would never become public." (quote from Rep. Reyes)  When the Asarco bankruptcy began in 2005, Harbinger (Hedge Fund) was one of the primary debt-holders.   The company was cleared of any liability from its illicit actions between 1991-1998; the debts of decades of pollution paid off on pennies on the dollar; and, the lucrative parts of the company saved.  All creditors were paid off.

In 2010 Goldman Sachs suddenly (see Bloomberg reports ) planned:

 "to pull its entire investment [120 million $] from Harbinger Capital’s flagship fund, for two reasons. 1) The returns weren’t very good and 2) Falcone “borrowed” $113 million from one of his firm’s smaller funds (where redemptions had been suspended) in order to pay personal taxes."
http://dealbreaker.com/2010/11/goldman-sachs-pulls-120-million-from-harbinger-capital-after-falcone-loans-himself-money-from-other-fund/

In a strange quirk of rumor, fast-forward to November 2011, a newsletter (http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article31653.html) claims that Goldman Sachs is positioned today to gain from the current European banking crisis:

"Incidentally, is it really that surprising that Goldman is now doing its best to precipitate a bank run of Europe’s major financial institutions by "suddenly" exposing the truth that was there all along? During the great financial crisis of 2008, the one biggest winner from the collapse of Bear and Lehman was none other than the squid. This time around, Goldman has set its sights on Europe and has already made sure that its tentacles will be in firmly in control at all the right places when the collapse comes, as the Independent shows."

Quote from Federal DOJ Bankruptcy court trustee Mike Boudlocke regarding ASARCO

"However, the project still is on target for a late 2012 completion,
said bankruptcy court trustee Mike Boudloche. He was appointed by the
U.S. Bankruptcy Court overseeing the ASARCO Inc. and Encycle/Texas Inc.
bankruptcy cases.

"We are almost finished with the asbestos removal on the stack and will
begin bringing it down the first week of December," Boudloche said on
Thursday.

The 315-ft tall, asbestos-lined stack, the most visible symbol of the
site's environmental problems, will be cut into pieces and hauled away,
he said."

http://www.caller.com/news/2011/nov/20/asarcoencycle-demolition-delayed-weather-still-tim/

Sunday, November 20, 2011

E. Helena Asarco Officials consider "moving the creek" away from the poisons... but El Paso TX cannot move the Rio Grande away from their ASARCO toxic site....

If the "officials" could, they would probably move the nation's sixth longest river, the Rio Grande - which is right next to the toxic Asarco El Paso smelter site -- because the Asarco El Paso plume has reached the river the entire length of the Asarco property...

"Google Alert - asarco
Officials consider moving creek at toxic slag pile
Washington Examiner
Ford said that a $140 million settlement with Asarco isn't enough to do the needed cleanup work on soils and groundwater, as well as move some 14 million ..."

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

United States of America vs Asarco LLC --- East Helena CAMU Trust

Taken from google alert:

"
U.S. v. ASARCO, LLC
Leagle.com
The fact that a subsequent bankruptcy settlement agreement resolved any remaining or future liability on ASARCO's part for that work also has no bearing on ...
"



" U.S. v. ASARCO, LLC 
No. 10-35824.


NOT FOR PUBLICATION

MEMORANDUM*

ASARCO appeals the district court's denial of its motion to terminate the East Helena CAMU Trust ("CAMU Trust") and grant of summary judgment in favor of the United States.  .... The fact that a subsequent bankruptcy settlement agreement resolved any remaining or future liability on ASARCO's part for that work also has no bearing on the trust's termination, since the trust's language is clear that the trustee is to reimburse ASARCO "or other persons" for work done on the CAMU Phase 2 Cell. Similarly, that the bankruptcy settlement agreement established a separate trust to fund cleanup activities at various locations, including at the East Helena site, which trust's funds could be used by the government for the CAMU Phase 2 Cell, also has no bearing on the CAMU Trust's termination.... AFFIRMED. "


Sunday, November 13, 2011

What Toxic World has Asarco's eight years of unpermitted hazardous waste incineration left El Paso Texas?

"Mankind has gone very far into an artificial world of his own creation."

From Carson’s speech in acceptance of the National Book Award, 1963
http://www.fws.gov/northeast/rachelcarson/Excerpts.html

Asarco pays more [65 million] to upgrade its Tuscon Mill than it will to clean up over 100 years of smelting and nearly ten years of illegal hazardous-waste incineration at El Paso TX [52 million]

Asarco pays more [65 million] to upgrade its Tuscon Mill than it will to clean up over 100 years of smelting and nearly ten years of illegal hazardous-waste incineration at El Paso TX [52 million].  And, how do we know that ASARCO isn't running another unpermitted Hazardous Waste Operation like it did from 1991-1998? They said the same thing - that they were increasing production and decreasing pollution when they put the new ConTop furnaces in El Paso Asarco 1992...

"Asarco Copper Mill to Double Output While Cutting Dust Emissions
By Tony Davis, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson

Nov. 10--Asarco will nearly double production at a mill south of Tucson, but it says it will reduce dust emissions slightly by adding pollution controls in a $65 million upgrade.

The mining company wants the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality to revise its air quality permit so it can increase the amount of copper ore running through its Mission Mine's south mill by about 71 percent....  County regulators say they agree with Asarco's calculations that emissions will decline despite the higher production levels.

The mill, just south of Pima Mine Road and west of Interstate 19, is one of two at the Mission complex, which employs about 625 people.

After the mine expands the south mill's production capacity, total employment will rise by perhaps 10 to 15 people in about the first quarter of 2013, said Tom Aldrich, Asarco's vice president of environmental affairs."

http://southwest.construction.com/yb/sw/article.aspx?story_id=165754240