Yes, folks, Asarco (El Paso) is being eagerly watched over the world --- will it succeed in getting rid of its environmental liabilities? Will it succeed in cleansing itself through the bankruptcy process from the environmental liabilities that it never declared on its tax-books? Can other industries use the model it is creating to shed their own debts?
In the 1990's all companies were suppose to be honest and declare on their tax books what evironmental liabilities (clean up costs, hazardous waste dumps etc) they had. Many didn't. It is a huge criminal liability and a huge problem for many corporations.
Asarco made a secret agreement in 1998 with our government in the Department of Justice to hide its decade of sham recycling/the burning of toxic wastes -- many from military sites--- that poisoned Mexico and New Mexico, mostly poor mexican-american peoples. It contaminated our water and an international aquifer. They are still hiding stuff.
Asarco did not declare (and has not declared to this day) its environmental liabilities. The TCEQ and EPA are compromised. Our government in the highest offices are allowing Asarco to dump these toxic costs.
Asarco was bought by Grupo Mexico (the Carlyle group) and also Glencore -- see:
Metal Men: Marc Rich and the 10 Billion Dollar Scam, by A. Craig Copetas... also, see http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,122,00.html Grupo Mexico owns over half the freight railroad right-of-way in Mexico.
You and me the taxpayers are getting taken. We not only are getting the toxic waste dumped on us, but are being asked to take on the debt to deal with the mess.
The Border region is getting dumped on, violating the La Paz accord (agreement) between nations. People have been exposed to terrible toxic waste and not told what it is.
The above is the story of the Anapra, Mexico; Anapra and Sunland Park New Mexico people. And no maneuvering or dodging from the responsible parties can change the irrevocable facts of how it happened and what Asarco and our regulatory officials did.
My thanks to the Sunland Park Environmental Group for this information
