Monday, March 15, 2010
ASARCO records available for viewing at TCEQ El Paso Office
-------- Original Message --------
==
Hi, Lorinda,
If any ASARCO related paperwork is about to expire its retention-time at
the regional office, I would like to ask the TCEQ to transfer those
documents ...I know that six boxes of Asarco records from Senator
Shapleigh's P.I.A. were sent to the regional office at one time for the
community to access.
Would that be possible.
thanks,
| Subject: | Re: Asarco TCEQ records |
|---|---|
| Date: | Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:47:22 -0600 |
| From: | Lorinda Gardner <LGARDNER@tceq.state.tx.us> |
Due to continuing interest in the ASARCO files, the regional office will not be purging those files. The six boxes will be maintained for community viewing.
Thanks
Lorinda
Lorinda D Gardner
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
El Paso Regional Director
Hi, Lorinda,
If any ASARCO related paperwork is about to expire its retention-time at
the regional office, I would like to ask the TCEQ to transfer those
documents ...I know that six boxes of Asarco records from Senator
Shapleigh's P.I.A. were sent to the regional office at one time for the
community to access.
Would that be possible.
thanks,
BLOWING DUST FROM ASARCO IN ARIZONA - ARIZONA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (AEQ)
| Videos | KVOA.com | Tucson, Arizona Video - ASARCO releases statement on blowing dust. Posted - 3/2/2010 at 10:12AM ... More News Videos. ASARCO releases statement on blowing dust ... |
DUST VIDEO
[PARAPHRASED QUOTE FROM A LOCAL AZ SCIENTIST] 'NO ELEVATED METALS ABOVE REGULAR LEVELS'
WHERE HAVE WE ALL HEARD THAT BEFORE? SOUND FAMILIAR?
Monday, March 8, 2010
El Paso TX is still waiting waiting waiting for ANYONE to turn over the data telling us what poisons were left here from the illegal waste-burning years....
the silence from government and industry is becoming increasingly silly, deafening, and downright embarrassing for someone or another... in all this time no one can tell the millions of people living in this region some very very basic smelter-contamination data: amount of polonium here, amount of dioxin here (etc.)
"PNL was selected to manage this effort, and bridge the project management gap between industry and academia, because of our data visualization culture and capabilities."
http://www.projectnavigator.com/about_news.html
"PNL was selected to manage this effort, and bridge the project management gap between industry and academia, because of our data visualization culture and capabilities."
http://www.projectnavigator.com/about_news.html
"Project Navigator, Ltd. named as trustee for ASARCO El Paso remediation
November 23, 2009
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has released a statement announcing the selection of Project Navigator, Ltd. as the custodial trustee for the ASARCO site remediation in El Paso, Texas. For the full release, please click here."
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
[Fwd: Google Alert - asarco bankruptcy]
Google Web Alert for: asarco bankruptcy
"Law360, New York (March 02, 2010) -- Baker Botts LLP is up in arms over mining company Asarco LLP's interpretation of some of the events involved in its exit from bankruptcy, saying Asarco's assessment of the job the firm did as counsel could affect its ability to collect its fees. The firm filed an objection Monday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law filed by Asarco..."
| Baker Botts Moves To Protect Asarco Fees - Law360 Baker Botts LLP is up in arms over mining company Asarco LLP's interpretation of some of the events involved in its exit from bankruptcy, saying Asarco's ... |
"Law360, New York (March 02, 2010) -- Baker Botts LLP is up in arms over mining company Asarco LLP's interpretation of some of the events involved in its exit from bankruptcy, saying Asarco's assessment of the job the firm did as counsel could affect its ability to collect its fees. The firm filed an objection Monday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law filed by Asarco..."
Monday, March 1, 2010
CLEAN WATER ACT
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/us/01water.html?th&emc=th
The Rio Grande is a navigable river, protected under the Clean Water Act and NOAA's ORR process. Yet, when ASARCO's storm pond broke and breached/poured thousands and thousands of gallons of extremely concentrated stormwater runoff into the river and old American Canal in 2006, our Rep. called it an "incident". There was no ORR ever done because the EPA refused to enter the spill into the national EPA spills database.
This entire "incident" was glossed over and ignored. The "pulse" of extremely toxic materials was ignored.
And THIS IS A RIVER PROTECTED AS A NAVIGABLE RIVER UNDER THE CLEAN WATER ACT.
After this, the EPA came here and signed an M.O.U. with the University right there by Asarco, promising to funnel monies and projects into the local university. To this day, we do not have basic chemical information (dioxins, polonium etc.) about what is at that site.
When will the silence end?
The Rio Grande is a navigable river, protected under the Clean Water Act and NOAA's ORR process. Yet, when ASARCO's storm pond broke and breached/poured thousands and thousands of gallons of extremely concentrated stormwater runoff into the river and old American Canal in 2006, our Rep. called it an "incident". There was no ORR ever done because the EPA refused to enter the spill into the national EPA spills database.
This entire "incident" was glossed over and ignored. The "pulse" of extremely toxic materials was ignored.
And THIS IS A RIVER PROTECTED AS A NAVIGABLE RIVER UNDER THE CLEAN WATER ACT.
After this, the EPA came here and signed an M.O.U. with the University right there by Asarco, promising to funnel monies and projects into the local university. To this day, we do not have basic chemical information (dioxins, polonium etc.) about what is at that site.
When will the silence end?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
E. Helena ASARCO clean-up "plan" eerily resembles the El Paso TX Asarco clean-up plan
The E. Helena ASARCO clean-up "plan" eerily resembles the El Paso TX Asarco clean-up plan -- get an independent contractor who knows "nothing" about the illegal hazardous waste document, sell the land as soon as possible and pump the monies back into the clean-up. What everyone forgets is the "smoking gun memo" (20010628) that shows how the EPA deliberately covered-up the Asarco contamination problem in El Paso/Corpus Christi (E. Helena also handled the secret wastes). We have all been lied to, and they continue to lie to us.
"Cindy Brooks is president of the Massachusetts-based Greenfield Environmental Trust Group, which is the custodial trust that’s temporarily taken possession of the Asarco land. They’re working with state, federal and local organizations to deal with soils contaminated by lead from the smelter, and also two underground plumes containing high levels of arsenic and selenium. The plan calls for the Asarco lands to be sold at some point, with proceeds returning to the trust to pay for environmental cleanup."
"Google News Alert for: asarco
"
"Cindy Brooks is president of the Massachusetts-based Greenfield Environmental Trust Group, which is the custodial trust that’s temporarily taken possession of the Asarco land. They’re working with state, federal and local organizations to deal with soils contaminated by lead from the smelter, and also two underground plumes containing high levels of arsenic and selenium. The plan calls for the Asarco lands to be sold at some point, with proceeds returning to the trust to pay for environmental cleanup."
"Google News Alert for: asarco
| E. Helena looks to future with first-ever growth plan Helena Independent Record Asarco owns almost all of the land immediately adjacent to the city — about 1000 ... “With the unlocking of the Asarco property, I think our growth will ... |
Monday, February 15, 2010
"Asarco's miners have agreed with Grupo Mexico to extend their existing contract for another year"
"Google News Alert for: asarco
| Daily podcast – February 15, 2010 Creamer Media's Mining Weekly Asarco's miners have agreed with Grupo Mexico to extend their existing contract for another year, staving off fears of labour troubles after the Mexican ... See all stories on this topic " |
Monday, February 8, 2010
Big Surprise
"Meanwhile, Grupo Mexico's hard-fought reacquisition of U.S. copper miner Asarco will generate tax benefits of US$1.024 billion for Grupo, which will be realized beginning the second quarter of this year." (the tax benefits ALONE for that 2nd quarter will be TWENTY TIMES the TOTAL AMOUNT that El Paso TX will get to "clean up" over 100 years of smelting wastes and nearly ten years of secret toxic-waste incineration (of only god-knows-what) to make this entire region safe for its millions of residents -- mostly Mexican-American or Mexican origin. THIS IS CRIMINAL and our GOVERNMENT IS LETTING IT HAPPEN DESPITE EVIDENCE THAT COULD HAVE STOPPED IT. The big question is.... why haven't they stopped it?).
...and now that the environmental liabilities from the secret toxic-waste incinerator in El Paso TX have been swept under the proverbial rug, Copper is suddenly King Again.
"Google News Alert for: asarco
| Grupo Mexico predicts growth in copper and other metals, reversing ... Mineweb With the re-acquisition of US copper miner Asarco, Grupo Mexico claims it is now the world's top company in terms of copper reserves. ..." |
Contaminated ASARCO land -- Powers that be want to convert it to STUDENT HOUSING for UTEP
This is ridiculous and a horrible statement for UTEP
Google Web Alert for: asarco
Google Web Alert for: asarco
| YouTube - ASARCO Land The ASARCO land presents the student population with a great opportunity to develop a student community. A community that will foster relationships, ... |
Friday, February 5, 2010
In 3 months, Grupo Mexico reports 342.1 mil profit
According to the Bankruptcy Court, Asarco has around 52 million to clean up El Paso TX from 100 years of smelting and nearly ten years of the secret military (and industrial) hazardous-waste Asarco-incineration. Grupo Mexico made that amount in net profit in less than one week of business....
One hundred years of smelting contamination and less than one week's of net-profits...
One hundred years of smelting contamination and less than one week's of net-profits...
"Google News Alert for: asarco bankruptcy
| UPDATE: Miner Grupo Mexico Reports 4Q Net Profit Of $342.1 Million FOXBusiness The company highlighted the restructuring of US mining unit Asarco following its emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It said Asarco will have ..." |
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Verde IPO Offering and scrapping of plans for USA side of the International City that had been planned within the ten-to-15 mile zone from ASARCO El Paso toxic stacks
February 1, 2010 "Taking Verde public-- What it could mean for El Paso... Holdings from Tijuana to McAllen... Bill Sanders: ‘Godfather of REITs’" By Sito Negron and Timothy Roberts"
http://www.elpasoinc.com/readArticle.aspx?issueid=270&xrec=4910
"by Vic Kolenc / El Paso Times Posted: 01/28/2010 12:00:00 AM MST
http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_14281005?source=most_emailed
http://www.elpasoinc.com/readArticle.aspx?issueid=270&xrec=4910
"by Vic Kolenc / El Paso Times Posted: 01/28/2010 12:00:00 AM MST
EL PASO -- Verde Realty has scrapped plans for a city-size residential and commercial development on almost 24,000 acres it owns in Santa Teresa, according to federal documents it filed."
http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_14281005?source=most_emailed
Monday, February 1, 2010
ASARCO El Paso DID operate the worlds two largest Con-Top furnaces as a secret Hazardous-Waste Incinerator for nearly 10 years...
El Paso TX also has a rash of teratogenic birth defects (also heart defects) - especially during the mid-1990's at the height of Asarco's illegal activities. Word of mouth, off the record, is that OBYN's and family doctors have told parents that the birth defects were due to something that they ingested, something in the water. But no one is willing to go on record to state that.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered two state agencies to investigate a rash of birth defects that have confounded impoverished Kettleman City for more than a year....The birth defects became a rallying point last year for residents trying to stop the expansion plans of the West's largest hazardous waste facility by Chemical Waste Management Inc. Their stories of miscarriages and the photographs they carried of children with facial defects failed to convince the Kings County Board of Supervisors that the company's expansion plans should not go forward."It seems like we're finally getting justice," said resident Maricela Mares-Alatorre, whose family first butted heads with Waste Management 20 years ago [1986 - the year that Asarco Encycle started-up] over plans to build an incinerator."
Saturday, January 30, 2010
State Senator Shapleigh makes ASARCO announcement at UTEP last Thursday night
"In a surprise announcement last Thursday night at UTEP, State Senator Eliot Shapleigh said that the Asarco land next to UTEP and I10 had been only minimally impacted by the smelter. 'All it needs,' he explained to the audience, 'is a good power-washing!'
One of the founding UTEP-Student-members of Get the Lead Out Analisa Cordova was ecstatic at the news, which would allow for development of that land by UTEP. Suggested uses for that land presented that night included a UTEP research facility or expanded student-housing. Students explained that there wasn't enough housing at the present Miner Village location."
Back in 2006 Potomac River neighborhood discovered that Charles County was dumping radioactive Polonium (common around smelters) into wastewater effluent
"Charles County Government Is Dumping Radioactive Waste Into Potomac!
It is being done by the CHARLES COUNTY GOVERNMENT by the choice of the CHARLES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. A neighborhood discovered radioactivity in its water, and upon further testing it was found to be POLONIUM, which is 5000 times more radioactive than radium, which took the life of Madame Curie, who discovered both elements. From my internet research, 6.8 TRILLIONTHS of a gram is carcinogenic. A gram is about the weight of a small paper clip.
The county could have dug another well, until they found one without polonium (the stuff is very rare) but instead chose to use a $300K filtration system that is expensive to operate to filter the water (which still leaves significant amounts in the drinking water, but below EPA standards). THEN, they will truck the radioactive waste to the Mattawoman Wastewater treatment plant, and dump it UNTREATED into the effluent stream that goes into the Potomac.
I wrote a private letter to the Commissioners giving them 15 days to reverse their decision, and telling them that I would publicly applaud them if they did the right thing. I also told them that after 15 days, I would do whatever I could to stop them, including going public, and whatever else it takes. On the 19th day, I had no response at all, so I FILED SUIT AGAINST THE COUNTY, claiming that it violates the zoning ordinance, and asking for an injunction.
For more, please see the Md. Independent article below:
www.somdnews.com/stories/071406/indymor185910_32103.shtml
If you are concerned, I would like tohear from you. Thanks.
Kurt Wolfgang wolfgangcommissioner.com
The county could have dug another well, until they found one without polonium (the stuff is very rare) but instead chose to use a $300K filtration system that is expensive to operate to filter the water (which still leaves significant amounts in the drinking water, but below EPA standards). THEN, they will truck the radioactive waste to the Mattawoman Wastewater treatment plant, and dump it UNTREATED into the effluent stream that goes into the Potomac.
I wrote a private letter to the Commissioners giving them 15 days to reverse their decision, and telling them that I would publicly applaud them if they did the right thing. I also told them that after 15 days, I would do whatever I could to stop them, including going public, and whatever else it takes. On the 19th day, I had no response at all, so I FILED SUIT AGAINST THE COUNTY, claiming that it violates the zoning ordinance, and asking for an injunction.
For more, please see the Md. Independent article below:
www.somdnews.com/stories/071406/indymor185910_32103.shtml
If you are concerned, I would like tohear from you. Thanks.
Kurt Wolfgang wolfgangcommissioner.com
ASARCO El Paso: UTEP student government event with Custodial Trustee and State Senator announces push to develop the El Paso ASARCO site
Last evening State Senator Shapleigh and the UTEP student government representatives presented, along with comments from the Project Navigator ASARCO Custodial Trustee, plans and ideas for development of the ASARCO El Paso site.
We don't even know what chemicals have been left there from the years of illegal and secret Toxic-waste burning that the EPA and Federal DOJ kept under wraps from 1998 through to 2006, when an honest DOJ attorney and the NYTimes broke the story. We don't know what has been left in our soils, air and water from what the EPA and DOJ secretly-admitted had been secret-burnings of military and industrial wastes by Asarco for profit for YEARS.
The entire ASARCO bankruptcy was based on the fraudulent concealment of this toxic-waste and its liabilities in El Paso TX and E. Helena MT. The DOJ Trustee would not require the courts to consider the DOJ/EPA document (a 1998 formerly confidential-for-settlement-purposes-only document and its d*mning evidence of what ASARCO had done for nearly ten years). The contract for the custodial-trustee does not mandate that the trustee look for or clean-up anything other than what the Bankruptcy court discussed -- and the secret wastes/poisons were never discussed.
Why? And why did the organizers of this UTEP event conveniently forget to mention that the lands around this El Paso ASARCO site --- 1000 square miles of it --- are likely extremely toxic from only god-knows-what Asarco burned all those years. 60% of the El Paso drinking water supply passes within a hundred feet of the smelter through an open over-70-year-old cracked and leaking concrete ditch. A little known fact in the area is that waters from the Rio Grande to Mexico and the USA are officially separated at the IBWC "American Dam" and that this dam sits at the foot of the smelter.
Why isn't our government protecting us? And why is our community so beaten-down that they have given up trying to make their government act? It is appalling that our governmental officials - both in the EPA, the TCEQ, the NMED and others refuse to disclose any details about what happened here. During the winter of 1998 just before the smelter shut down, the EPA said that the Beta Radiation level around the smelter was the HIGHEST IN THE NATION. Official(s) assure us that this was normal background radiation and nothing to worry about -- but, they fail to produce any reports or studies to substantiate their claim that this radiation level was "safe".
Next week the University next to the El Paso ASARCO smelter will discuss buying ASARCO toxic-land next to their campus -- all the while conveniently allowed to "forget" and "ignore" the poisons left on that land from the activities disclosed to the NYTIMES 10/2006 -- and still "forgotten" and "ignored" by those left in charge of our health and safety. These officials should be some of the first to tell the community what toxins are left on that land from the near-decade that Asarco burned unmanifested and also known illegal and secret toxic wastes for profit -- but so far this has not happened.
We don't even know what chemicals have been left there from the years of illegal and secret Toxic-waste burning that the EPA and Federal DOJ kept under wraps from 1998 through to 2006, when an honest DOJ attorney and the NYTimes broke the story. We don't know what has been left in our soils, air and water from what the EPA and DOJ secretly-admitted had been secret-burnings of military and industrial wastes by Asarco for profit for YEARS.
The entire ASARCO bankruptcy was based on the fraudulent concealment of this toxic-waste and its liabilities in El Paso TX and E. Helena MT. The DOJ Trustee would not require the courts to consider the DOJ/EPA document (a 1998 formerly confidential-for-settlement-purposes-only document and its d*mning evidence of what ASARCO had done for nearly ten years). The contract for the custodial-trustee does not mandate that the trustee look for or clean-up anything other than what the Bankruptcy court discussed -- and the secret wastes/poisons were never discussed.
Why? And why did the organizers of this UTEP event conveniently forget to mention that the lands around this El Paso ASARCO site --- 1000 square miles of it --- are likely extremely toxic from only god-knows-what Asarco burned all those years. 60% of the El Paso drinking water supply passes within a hundred feet of the smelter through an open over-70-year-old cracked and leaking concrete ditch. A little known fact in the area is that waters from the Rio Grande to Mexico and the USA are officially separated at the IBWC "American Dam" and that this dam sits at the foot of the smelter.
Why isn't our government protecting us? And why is our community so beaten-down that they have given up trying to make their government act? It is appalling that our governmental officials - both in the EPA, the TCEQ, the NMED and others refuse to disclose any details about what happened here. During the winter of 1998 just before the smelter shut down, the EPA said that the Beta Radiation level around the smelter was the HIGHEST IN THE NATION. Official(s) assure us that this was normal background radiation and nothing to worry about -- but, they fail to produce any reports or studies to substantiate their claim that this radiation level was "safe".
Next week the University next to the El Paso ASARCO smelter will discuss buying ASARCO toxic-land next to their campus -- all the while conveniently allowed to "forget" and "ignore" the poisons left on that land from the activities disclosed to the NYTIMES 10/2006 -- and still "forgotten" and "ignored" by those left in charge of our health and safety. These officials should be some of the first to tell the community what toxins are left on that land from the near-decade that Asarco burned unmanifested and also known illegal and secret toxic wastes for profit -- but so far this has not happened.
Asarco TCEQ announcement of El Paso Clean up Trustee Appointment -- but not about the Bankruptcy Fraud
The Bankruptcy for ASARCO never discussed the EPA DOJ formerly confidential for settlement purposes only evidence used by the EPA and DOJ (and signed off by Asarco) that ASARCO had illegally and for profit burned unknown hazardous wastes for nearly ten years in El Paso TX and E. Helena MT.
Why? Why has this evidence been ignored by the DOJ Federal Bankruptcy Trustee and courts?
Someone in the Federal DOJ DID make the facts of what ASARCO had done public (NYTimes 10/2006) - and the community wants the details. The government owes the community the truth of what is now in its soils, air and water from the nearly ten years of illicit military and industrial waste burning.
Why? Why has this evidence been ignored by the DOJ Federal Bankruptcy Trustee and courts?
Someone in the Federal DOJ DID make the facts of what ASARCO had done public (NYTimes 10/2006) - and the community wants the details. The government owes the community the truth of what is now in its soils, air and water from the nearly ten years of illicit military and industrial waste burning.
Google Web Alert for: asarco bankruptcy
| Custodial Trustee of the ASARCO Site, El Paso, Texas - Texas ... Under the settlement agreement approved by the bankruptcy court, ASARCO's El Paso smelter property was placed in an environmental custodial trust and is ... |
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