Investor who controls a Swiss Bank called ASARCO "facing foreclosure seeks protection from creditors"

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=34626

"Foreign investor Mikhail Katamanin, who in May was hit with a $12-million foreclosure lawsuit on his Highland Park mansion, filed a personal bankruptcy petition June 6 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Chicago. The little-known investor listed assets of $1 million to $10 million and liabilities of between $10 million and $50 million, according to the filing. His debts are described as “primarily consumer,” and the list of creditors includes Atlantis at Paradise Island Resort & Casino in the Bahamas, Caesars Palace Las Vegas Hotel & Casino and Trump Taj Mahal Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. Chicago lawyer Kori Bazanos, who represents Mr. Katamanin, declined to comment.

Related story: Lender asserts claim on lakefront mansion " (follows below)

"May 19, 2009

By Samantha Sleevi

Lender asserts claim on lakefront mansion

(Crain’s) — A Caribbean investment company has sued to collect on a $12-million loan to a little-known investor, asking the court to put a lien on a lakefront mansion in Highland Park.

Foreign investor Mikhail Katamanin took out the short-term loan in March 2008 from Plymouth Consultants Ltd., which is based in the British Virgin Islands, according to a complaint Plymouth filed May 1 in Lake County Circuit Court. The loan, which initially charged 15% interest, wasn’t paid off when it came due Jan. 7, Plymouth alleges.

Mr. Katamanin failed to put up as security a nearly 7,000-square-foot home at 975 Sheridan Road, as required by the loan, the complaint says. As a result, Plymouth is asking for a court-ordered lien on the two-story house, which has 4½ bathrooms, two fireplaces and a brick exterior, according to the Lake County Assessor.

The reason for the loan is not disclosed in the complaint. John F. Kennedy, a partner with Chicago firm Shefsky & Froelich Ltd., which represents Plymouth, declined to comment.

The property is held in trust by Swiss company Asarco A.G.[this BANK lists Asarco llc and Asarco SA under its nomiker], which Mr. Mikhail controls, according to the complaint and public records.

Mr. Katamanin lives next door, at 985 Sheridan Road, a 10,555-square-foot mansion with 5½ bathrooms, two fireplaces, a pool and a stucco exterior, according to the assessor.

Mr. Katamanin did not return calls requesting comment. Northbrook lawyer Irving Drobny, who represents Asarco, is out of the country until next week, according to employees at his office.[Irving Drobny also represents the Royal Family of Vietnam]

Mr. Katamanin has made two interest payments totaling about $1.67 million, according to the complaint.

The claim also is to be arbitrated in Switzerland, according to the complaint."

Greenfield environmental Trust Group is trustee for the East Helena site (also burned the secret-stuff)

In Montana (like here) Asarco is transferring the deed to the still secret-toxic-wastes to the PUBLIC.  (WAKE UP EL PASO!!!!!)   And they plan to sell off parcels (sound familiar?) and even talked about using the ground-up slag for sand-traps at their golf-course ...
http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_fda17544-8aa5-11de-9003-001cc4c03286.html

"Wardell is optimistic of future redevelopment too, especially once the bankruptcy proceedings end and it's clear who owns Asarco. A legal agreement already has been reached - but won't be instituted until the bankruptcy is completed - that the Asarco-owned lands in Montana will be deeded to a custodial trust, owned by the public and managed by the Boston-based Greenfield Environmental Trust Group.

The group can sell the lands, including parcels that create a band of currently unusable property around East Helena that has stymied expansion of the community. Money from the sale would go back into the custodial trust, and used to pay for some remediation costs - including underground arsenic and selenium plumes - plus the cost of administering the trust.

In addition, the court-approved settlement calls for $5 million in compensatory fees to be put into a separate trust and used for things like wildlife improvement projects or acquisitions for recreational purposes in the East Helena area."

see
http://archives.newspapertree.com/Asarco/asarco_1998_memo.pdf

for more information about what they are all covering-up.... the details of what they did are still being covered-up and the public still needs to know what chemicals are involved

Helena Stack were demolished , and the Secret Toxic wastes remain secret

http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_fda17544-8aa5-11de-9003-001cc4c03286.html


-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	East Helena Stack demolition -- important information for Cleveland Wrecking Co.
Date:	Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:14:33 -0600
To:	Jim_Sheridan[at]urscorp.com
CC:	AskDOJ[at]usdoj.gov, thornton.wood[at]oag.state.tx.us, jackson.lisap[at]epa.gov, john.harrington[at]helenair.com, Diana Washington Valdez <dvaldez[at]elpasotimes.com>, dcrowder[at]epmediagroup.com, Piper.Bonnie[at]epamail.epa.gov, Bill_Torres[at]urscorp.com, Joe_LeClair[at]urscorp.com, Steve_Sheridan[at]urscorp.com

To:  Mr. Sheridan, President of Cleveland Wrecking Co.
Fr: 

Please look through this formerly-confidential-for-settlement-purposes-only EPA document to the Federal Dept. of Justice written in 1998 and kept secret until 2006:  http://archives.newspapertree.com/Asarco/asarco_1998_memo.pdf

This document will let you know that the EPA said ASARCO secretly burned illegal toxic wastes for profit for nearly ten years and that some of that went to the ASARCO Helena smelter. 

This settlement-document is now a public document; but, Asarco and the EPA/DOJ are continuing to act as if this document never was released, and that the illegal near-decade of unmanifested-waste-burning never happened.  Rep. Reyes (Chair, House intelligence committee) was quoted saying that Asarco paid millions of dollars on the condition that details of what it had done would never become public.

Your workers will be exposed to whatever chemicals have been left in that community from ASARCO's illegal activity -- and it could contain anything -- some of those sources you will see in that document are military, some are industrial.    The wastes Asarco secretly burned and handled were unmanifested and could have contained anything:  actinides (radioactive alpha particles or other particles), dioxins, pcb's, polonium, etc.   The EPA has never revealed what these chemical-values are for the community.

The stacks should not come down, in my opinion, until the EPA does independent-stack-sampling of the residues left inside the stacks from ASARCO's illegal activities; and, until all workers are equipped with white-haz-mat suits with independent-oxygen-support.    Even with that done, the demolition of the stacks will potentially expose the community to the secret chemical wastes, in the resulting dusts.   And, that demolition-waste should not go to any landfills without the EPA, ASARCO and the DOJ revealing to us what is in that waste.

I feel that your company should have been notified about this document, and that you should not demolish the stacks without the facts in front of you. 

Groundwater arsenic throughout ground/surface water at E Paso TX Asarco site

To: Lorinda Gardner [tceq regional director, El Paso TX]
Sb:  Response to Lorinda Gardner's three emails sent 2:36 pm 12-Aug-09

Ms. Gardner, you and Asarco have denied our community group's (SPGEG) request.   We asked for split samples.  We asked for funds to run the tests at a lab of our choice.

You (TCEQ) are denying this request unnecessarily in favor of the industry who the EPA let us know burned the secret toxic waste here for a decade.   I would like an explanation for why the TCEQ invented a road-block.   Your actions throw suspicion on any further testing that the TCEQ may claim to "independently" conduct at Asarco and suggest there may be conflicts-of-interest about coming-clean with the Paso del Norte community.  

The TCEQ and its attorneys are quite aware of the formerly-confidential-for-settlement-purposes-only EPA document to the Federal DOJ (http://archives.newspapertree.com/Asarco/asarco_1998_memo.pdf) in which the EPA said Asarco burned unmanifested toxic wastes for profit for nearly a decade.  Rep. Reyes (Chair of the House Intelligence Committee) stated on record that Asarco paid millions on condition that details of what it had done would not become public.   However, this document is now a public document, and the secret of the terrible chemical contamination of our community and watershed is out.

NOTICE: THIS WILL DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO UNITED STATES V. PANARELLA, 277 F.3^RD 678 AND UNITED STATES V. GRAY, NO. 95-50533, SEPTEMBER 18, 1996.  IT IS REQUESTED THAT NO PERSON WHO EITHER KNOWS, OR SHOULD KNOW, THAT ANY ASARCO CONTAMINATION OF CORPUS CHRISTI OR PASO DEL NORTE REGION IS BEING CONCEALED PARTICIPATE IN ANY FURTHER ACTION IN THIS MATTER.  THIS REQUEST INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE ATTORNEYS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES OF ASARCO.

TCEQ "overlooks" open-records-request about selection of ASARCO trustee

Michael,
This is the first time (and in over 5 years of many PIA requests) that the TCEQ has lost a PIA from me.   You lost it until *after* the bankruptcy hearing.   Now, the TCEQ wants to charge me for copying?   Not only are fees waived (you are incorrect) but I am a member of a long-standing group [...] and the TCEQ could EASILY waive fees because of that if they wanted to.

"In response to another request, all submittals for the trustee position are available for review in the regional office."  Why did it take so long for anyone at TCEQ to tell me that??  I asked not only in June - but my previous trustee PIA was received by the TCEQ in Feb/March!!!!

You can likely understand that I am incredulous at your response.  I appreciate the information you attached and look forward to receiving copies (free) of the remainder. 

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Open Records Request for TCEQ ASARCO El Paso
Date:	Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:01:58 -0500
From:	Michael Chamberlain <MICHAMBE@tceq.state.tx.us>

I have been working with our PIA staff in looking into this request. Evidently, it was inadvertently mixed in with another request on receipt and was overlooked.  While you are correct in that untimely action on the part of TCEQ can waive some confidentiality, it does not waive copying charges.  That said, in this instance, you may be able to work out an accommodation with your regional office as to the documents held in that office.

 

In response to another request, all submittals for the trustee position are available for review in the regional office.  However, to keep negotiations with a proposed trustee competitive, these do not include fee information.  If you would like the fee information, I would be happy to forward that to the regional office as well, we just ask that you do not distribute it to keep negotiations competitive.  I have also attached several documents that may be responsive, including ones that would usually be held back as drafts.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Michael S. Chamberlain, J.D.

Legal Assistant

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Office of Legal Services
General Law Division, MC-173
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, Texas  78711-3087
512-239-0478
Fax: 512-239-0606
michambe@tceq.state.tx.us

***CONFIDENTIAL CLIENT/AGENCY COMMUNICATION***

REP Please consider our environment before printing this e-mail or any attachments.

>>> > 7/22/2009 10:08 AM >>>
Thanks, Lorinda,
Would you get the records officer to send me a reply from their office?

What they have done by not replying, and by over-extending the legal deadline, I believe, is make all information available to me even what they might have been withholding (confidential information) about the additional trustees.  Also, it means that all fees are waived.  

Would you send me a copy of the documents if this is correct and the fees are waived?  I don't have money for xeroxing and if I need copies would have to bring a small xerox machine into the office and copy one page at a time. 

thank you,

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Re: [Fwd: Open Records Request for TCEQ ASARCO El Paso]
Date:	Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:04:49 -0500
From:	Lorinda Gardner <LGARDNER@tceq.state.tx.us>

 

The records arrived in my office this week.  They are available for viewing.  I will get you an estimate for copies and electronic copies today.

 

Thanks

Lorinda D Gardner

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

El Paso Regional Director

lgardner@tceq.state.tx.us

915.834.4951

>>>  7/21/2009 11:34 PM >>>
Hi,
I have not gotten a reply to this public info. request.  Would you send me an estimate of the time it will take you to reply?  It has been quite a while.

thank you,


-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Open Records Request for TCEQ ASARCO El Paso
Date:	Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:24:41 -0600

Hello, P.I.A. Officer:

Would you please send me the update for this open-records request below, about the custodial trust information and let me know if the cost exceeds 25$ for this information.  I understand that since I made the original request that the list of possible trustees has expanded from ten to twenty-five.  

Also, please make sure that I am sent updates on this subject --- because I am on the list for all TCEQ updates, and still did not get this updated information or notification it was available to me at the local office ("Under the TX Public Information Act, I would like to be placed on a mailing list for all updates to the upcoming funding and formation of the custodial trust for demolition of the ASARCO El Paso plant, and remediation of the site; and, be able to see any public-information on this from 3-1-08 through the current date through my regional office.")

I am a long-term member of several community groups active on the Asarco issue for years, and respectfully ask that any fees be waived because this is for the public interest and not for personal gain.

thank you,




-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Open Records Request for TCEQ ASARCO El Paso
Date:	Sat, 14 Feb 2009 22:38:08 -0700

To:  Public Records Officer

sb:  ASARCO El Paso

A recent news article in El Paso TX stated that:

“ASARCO is working with the state of Texas to fund a custodial trust for the demolition of the plant and remediation of the site. Any custodial trust must be approved by the bankruptcy court that is overseeing ASARCOâ€Ts reorganization effort.

“We will not comment further on any specific details that are part of the bankruptcy process.”

Under the TX Public Information Act, I would like to be placed on a mailing list for all updates to the upcoming funding and formation of the custodial trust for demolition of the ASARCO El Paso plant, and remediation of the site; and, be able to see any public-information on this from 3-1-08 through the current date through my regional office.  

Also, I would like to know why, when I was on a list for notification to changes to ANY Asarco El paso permits, that I have received no notice from the TCEQ that any ASARCO permits have been revoked but read it in the newspaper last week.   I would appreciate an update on the ASARCO water permit and ore handling permit (#4151), in particular.  Are these permits still in effect? 

In addition, I would like a digital (cdrom or dvrom) copy of all of Mr. Brad Wilkinson's emails and correspondence and phone logs in any reference to the ASARCO El Paso toxic-waste pyramid (and its contents) that was recently covered with asphalt after being capped with clay, plastic and more clay.  This was formerly the ASARCO pond that handled overflow from the Asarco plant - including its electric plant; and the same pond that was dredged and its dirt shipped back to Corpus Christi TX for disposal at the TX US Ecology waste site.

Finally, I would like a digital (cdrom or dvrom) copy of all of Mr. Brad Wilkinson's emails and correspondence and phone logs from 10/1/2006 to current date regarding mention to any of the following nine metals/chemicals in relation to the ASARCO El Paso site (see list below).   These metals/chemicals might be referenced within the email etc. by their chemical symbols and/or chemical names, too.   This is not an idle request- some of these have been reported in huge amounts from the overflow of the ASARCO storm ponds.

If any of the information cannot be released to me in whole or in part because of confidentiality, please list those documents in question.

I ask that you notify me should the charges exceed 25$.
thank you,


List of chemicals (9)
Beryllium
Barium
Cesium
Hafnium
Mercury
Strontium
Thallium
Uranium
Vanadium

The other principal bond-holder for ASARCO...

"...Plainfield Asset Management LLC was founded in February 2005 by Max Holmes [the ASARCO El Paso air hearing was held around 5/2005].  The firm manages investment capital for institutions and high net worth individuals based in the United States and abroad.  Plainfield currently employs over 130 people among its three offices in Greenwich, Connecticut, Summit, New Jersey and London, England.

Plainfield Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.  Plainfield Asset Management LLP is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the United Kingdom.  Plainfield is a QPAM for ERISA fiduciaries.  The firm's accountants are PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.  The firm's prime brokers are Goldman Sachs & Co., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., JPMorgan Prime Services and Citigroup.  The firm's principal lawyers are Seward & Kissel LLP."

STILL NO ONE TALKING about the now public DOCUMENT in which the EPA told the Federal DOJ that ASARCO had burned secret toxic-waste for nearly 10 years.....

SO WHY ISN'T THE DOJ AND THE COURT LOOKING at the liabilities from this secret toxic-waste????

"

Objections Pour In Over Grupo Mexico's Asarco Plan Bankruptcy Law 360 (subscription) Law360, New York (August 06, 2009) -- A flood of objections have come in against the parent company of Asarco LLC, which filed one of three competing ... See all stories on this topic

---

 This as-it-happens Google Alert is brought to you by Google."

"Law360, New York (August 06, 2009) -- A flood of objections has come in against the parent company of Asarco LLC, which filed one of three competing reorganization plans for the bankrupt copper mining company.

The deadline for filing objections to the plan was Wednesday..."

[Fwd: Re: El Paso Times article and question]

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Re: El Paso Times article and question
Date:	Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:33:34 -0500
From:	Lorinda Gardner <LGARDNER[at]tceq.state.tx.us>

Attached please find groundwater semi-annual sample results for the ASARCO El Paso site which were recently obtained from ASARCO.  The results cover the years 2005-2008 (the 2009 results are not yet completed).  Please note that the attachment includes data as received from ASARCO and data that has been adjusted by my staff to make the charts readable (tabs 2005, 2006, 2007).  None of the data has been changed other than to adjust the format.

 

You asked "WHAT TCEQ tests on the "smelter's impact on groundwater" have been
completed.  And do these tests include hexavalent chromium?"  You have access to data on the Agency's ASARCO web site and the attached groundwater samples.  These data sets do not include hexavalent chromium.  The Agency's regional staff are currently conducting a split sampling event at the ASARCO El Paso site.  Hexavalent Chromium tests are planned for this sampling event.

 

You also asked "I would also like an explanation why the TCEQ never mentioned these
tests when many of us were just there talking with the TCEQ?  How much
more information is being left out?"  There was never an intention to leave information out of conversations either written or verbal.  The data is essentially considered as a set and all of it was used by ASARCO in the assessment of the site.  In the interests of transparency, we will post the data to the website as soon as possible.

 

Additionally, I've attached surface water sampling results as well.  You may have seen these before as they were included in Jim Sher's expert report for the bankruptcy litigation.  Note that there are exceedances for arsenic in the Rio Grande and the American Canal.  The TCEQ's planned remedy for the site addresses contamination reaching these water bodies from the ASARCO site.  Prior to the implementation of that remedy, we do not think these exceedances pose a problem for El Paso's drinking water for two reasons: 1) the closest drinking water intake is located approximately 2 miles from the site; and 2) El Paso treats water to drinking water standards prior to delivery to customers.

 

 

Thanks

Lorinda D Gardner

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

El Paso Regional Director

lgardner[at]tceq.state.tx.us

>>> <> 7/17/2009 9:41 AM >>>
Hi, Lorinda,

Please explain the following to our community.  According to the El Paso
Times yesterday, "In addition, tests in El Paso to determine the
smelter's impact on groundwater have been completed. The Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality is reviewing a proposed treatment
plan to deal with contamination caused by the smelter."

WHAT TCEQ tests on the "smelter's impact on groundwater" have been
completed.  And do these tests include hexavalent chromium?

I would like a copy of the tests and test results (please let me know if
costs will exceed 25$).

I would also like an explanation why the TCEQ never mentioned these
tests when many of us were just there talking with the TCEQ?  How much
more information is being left out?

USW also fails to talk about the secret Toxic Waste!!!

"Google News Alert for: asarco

(AMM) USW objects to Grupo Mexico's Asarco bid Metalbulletin.com (subscription) ... as promised, with the US Bankruptcy Court in Corpus Christi, Texas, against Grupo Mexico SA de CV's bid for bankrupt copper miner Asarco LLC. ... See all stories on this topic

---

 This as-it-happens Google Alert is brought to you by Google. "

Tacoma parks

"Google News Alert for: asarco

Metro Parks takes action in Asarco bankruptcy case Tacoma Weekly By Dawn Quinn The Metro Parks Board of Commissioners voted on a reorganization plan for retrieving funds owed to them by the now bankrupt ASARCO mining and ... See all stories on this topic

---

 This as-it-happens Google Alert is brought to you by Google."

"In the mid-‘90s, Metro Parks Tacoma (MPT) and ASARCO had come to an agreement on public improvements to be made to Metro Parks property and the two organizations signed legal documents affirming these agreements. In 2005, ASARCO filed for bankruptcy, and agreed to pay $5 million to MPT to make improvements last year. MPT has yet to receive any of these funds as of today."

TCEQ refuses to add FORMERLY SECRET DOCUMENT LINK to their ASARCO site

"Thank your for your suggestion. TCEQ understands that the memo [it is not a "memo" but instead is a 73 page confidential-for-settlement-purposes-only document ] is part of the history of the facility. However, our goal with the TCEQ web site is to inform people of the progress at the site on a going forward basis. As such TCEQ declines your request for adding the provided link to our ASARCO web page.
Sincerely

John Flores" [TCEQ]
==========================================
8/4/2009 10:12 AM

Dear Mr. Flores,

Please add a link to your Asarco Remediation website (http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/remediation/sites/asarco.html) to the now-public document
http://archives.newspapertree.com/Asarco/asarco_1998_memo.pdf (also covered by the NYTimes in a front page story 10/06).

We do not appreciate that the website has omitted this and wish it to be corrected -- this is a very important and key document for our community, because the EPA states to the Federal DOJ that ASARCO illegally and deliberately burned illegal and secret hazardous-wastes for profit for nearly ten years. ASARCO signed off on this secret-settlement-document. Rep. Reyes said that Asarco signed it on condition that details of what it had done would never become public.

However, the document is now public, and the community wants to know more.

Please post a link to this now-public document on your website.

thank you,

Harbinger backs out to let Grupo Mexico take on Sterlite....

"A unit of hedge fund Harbinger Capital Partners said its plan to restructure Tucson-based copper miner Asarco LLC should be set aside while

.....a confirmation hearing is held on the other two plans. Only if neither of those is approved should Harbinger's plan be put forth for confirmation, according to the filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Corpus Christi, Texas."

http://www.azstarnet.com/business/303453

East Helena fails to ask about the illegal and secret Toxic-wastes?? (these went to Helena, too!)

"Google News Alert for: asarco

Share your East Helena smelter history, photos Helena Independent Record By Independent Record - 08/04/09 As Asarco moves forward with the planned demolition of the three historic smoke stacks, the Independent Record wants to ... See all stories on this topic"

Our community wants to know

NO ONE is talking about the now public EPA-DOJ 1998 "confidential for settlement purposes only" document that revealed ASARCO burned illegal toxic wastes secretly for years for profit next to the Rio Grande.......

The Bankruptcy Court is not considering the liabilities from those secret toxic wastes spread over the Paso del Norte region. The DOJ Bankruptcy Trustee has failed to require that the Court consider the liabilities from the secret toxic wastes. The existence of these secret-wastes was CONCEALED and hidden away for eight years until an honest DOJ person released this document publicly. This information is now in the public domain. We know that the EPA said to the DOJ that ASARCO burned secret toxic wastes for years, for profit next to the Rio Grande (NYTimes 10/2006).

How can this company go through Bankruptcy and the DOJ, the Court, and the EPA entirely ignore that the EPA proved massive amounts of secret toxic chemicals from both military and industrial sources were handled and burned by ASARCO in our community??

Our Rio Grande next to Asarco is the LOVE CANAL of our region. 110 years of contamination - nearly ten or more years of it being secret toxic wastes -- are now "buried" in the sediments and surrounding lands around the Rio Grande including the alluvium beneath the old American Canal.

Our State and Federal politicians are failing to ask what these toxic chemicals are. Our community wants to know .

Wall St. Journal Aug 1-2 p. b-1

"UbS AG and the Swiss Gov..... agreed to settle a tax-evasion probe...An official transfer of account-holder identities might not happen until after September 23 [said]...lawyer who is representing UbS clients"....

A full month after the ASARCO bankruptcy is supposed to end. What about that ASARCO A.G. Swiss bank?

"The U.S. probe...is expected to expand to outside consultants that may have helped steer business to UbS or other Swiss banks"

Why won't the EPA and Federal DOJ make ASARCO's bankruptcy court consider the now public document detailing the incineration of illegal secret wastes for profit for nearly ten years??? WHAT IS being COVERED UP STILL???

The people of the Paso del Norte region would like to know.

HARBINGER'S CITIGROUP RECOMMENDS INVESTING IN PEMEX now

Citigroup recommends investment in Mexican oil giant Oil Online Banking giant Citigroup recommends investment in Mexican state-run oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) via its dollar-denominated bonds. ... See all stories on this topic

---

 This as-it-happens Google Alert is brought to you by Google.

Mexican federal police raided the headquarters of state oil monopoly Pemex on Wednesday

The Oil Drum | Drumbeat: July 30, 2009 By Leanan MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican federal police raided the headquarters of state oil monopoly Pemex on Wednesday in an investigation into rampant fuel theft that costs the company more than $2 billion a year, Pemex said. ... The Oil Drum - Discussions about... - http://www.theoildrum.com/frontpage

---

 This as-it-happens Google Alert is brought to you by Google.

.

Gulf of Mexico States, Washington D.C. and Mexico meet to discuss the Gulf of Mexico

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2009

CONTACTS: TCEQ-- TERRY CLAWSON 512/239-0046

                         GOMA-- VALERIE KLEINSCHMIDT 251/861-2523

 

TCEQ CHAIRMAN ATTENDS GULF OF MEXICO MEETING

Gulf of Mexico Alliance Aims to Keep Gulf a Treasured Resource

The Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) will convene Aug. 4-6 in Mobile, Ala., to address the health of the Gulf Region, drawing a diverse array of representatives from the five Gulf states, Washington D.C., and Mexico. Participants will gather to discuss implementation of the 2009 Governors’ Action Plan which outlines key steps and priorities for the Alliance over the next five years. 

 

“This alliance is about increasing regional collaboration to enhance the ecological health of the Gulf of Mexico,” said Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Chairman Buddy Garcia.  “A clean, healthy Gulf is essential to all Texans, whether they enjoy the recreational opportunities it offers, or the economic strength it brings to our state.”

 

Signed and supported by each of the five Gulf State governors, the Governors’ Action Plan aims to enhance community resilience, promote environmental education, support habitat restoration, reduce nutrient inputs to coastal waters, mitigate impacts to water quality, and identify and characterize Gulf ecosystems. Taking on issues that matter to Gulf state citizens, the Alliance is focused on achieving real results for a healthy Gulf.

 

“Texas, along with the Alliance, recognizes the Gulf economy, ecosystem health and water quality as challenges for the Gulf Region,” said Garcia.  “By working to organize and implement accurate mapping, tide level predictions, resilient land use plans, and habitat conservation and restoration, the Alliance aims to increase communities’ ability to bounce back after storm events.”

 

Some other actions of the Alliance involve increasing awareness of the connection between the environment and our health by coordinating effective water quality testing and working together to evaluate algal blooms and mercury in Gulf fish.  The Alliance is working to decrease the dead/hypoxic zone by reducing nutrient inputs. Through the implementation of a Sediment Master Plan, dredged material will be used for the most crucial restoration projects.      

 

The second Governors’ Action Plan for Healthy & Resilient Coast builds upon the successes of the last and sets specific actions to be undertaken for a healthy economy and ecology for the Gulf of Mexico. The regional meeting enables federal, state, non-profit, business, education, and research members of the Alliance to come together to solidify a course of action for the next five years. To learn more go to www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org.

 

 

Only money sacred?

"LONDON - British mining giant Vedanta said Tuesday it is going ahead
with plans to mine a bauxite-rich hillside in Orissa considered sacred
land by local tribals, and urged two international NGOs to give up their
protest campaign.

"We are proceeding with the mining plans but there are still a few
permissions that need to be granted," Zoe Watt, a spokeswoman for
Vedanta Resources, told IANS after a high-profile protest at the Annual
General Meeting of shareholders in London Monday."

http://blog.taragana.com/n/vedanta-to-go-ahead-with-mining-sacred-orissa-hill-122669/

Grupo Mexico Revamps Asarco Plan In Bid For Creditor Support,David McLaughlin 27 July 2009

"....Grupo Mexico said Monday it wants to revamp its proposed reorganization plan for Asarco in a move to secure creditor backing....A federal bankruptcy judge in Texas earlier this month said creditors could begin voting on the plans, with a voting deadline of Aug. 5. Grupo Mexico will go back to court Tuesday...."

https://www.fis.dowjones.com/WebBlogs.aspx?aid=DJFDBR0020090727e57r000gp&ProductIDFromApplication=&r=wsjblog&s=djfdbr

And NO ONE is talking about the now public EPA-DOJ 1998 "confidential for settlement purposes only" document that revealed ASARCO burned illegal toxic wastes secretly for years for profit next to the Rio Grande.......

The Bankruptcy Court is not considering the liabilities from those secret toxic wastes spread over the Paso del Norte region.  The DOJ Bankruptcy Trustee has failed to require that the Court consider the liabilities from the secret toxic wastes.   The existence of these secret-wastes was CONCEALED and hidden away for eight years until an honest DOJ person released this document publicly.    This information is now in the public domain.  We know that the EPA said to the DOJ that ASARCO burned secret toxic wastes for years, for profit next to the Rio Grande (NYTimes 10/2006). 

How can this company go through Bankruptcy and the DOJ, the Court, and the EPA entirely ignore that the EPA proved massive amounts of secret toxic chemicals from both military and industrial sources were handled and burned by ASARCO in our community??

Our Rio Grande next to Asarco is the LOVE CANAL of our region.    110 years of contamination - nearly ten or more years of it being secret toxic wastes -- are now "buried" in the sediments and surrounding lands around the Rio Grande including the alluvium beneath the old American Canal.

Our State and Federal politicians are failing to ask what these toxic chemicals are.  Our community wants to know .