Scroll to end: click web view. Mrs. Mcmurray 's obtained proof Asarco smelter poisoned El Paso TX through what the EPA & US DOJ said was illegal burning of illegal hazardous/radioactive wastes 1991-98. (see 73 page 1998 conf. for settlement purposes only DOJ EPA Asarco doc,10/06 nytimes) We have never been told what actinides, forever chemicals, dioxins etc are present from illegal Asarco actions see "Asarco secret document"
Please donate (see sidebar) to help recoup costs of the work to uncover and blog the information contained here"THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING"
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Comments to EPA re: Ozone - Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0172
2007 Proposed Revisions to Ground-Level Ozone Standards
http://earth1.epa.gov/air/ozonepollution/naaqsrev2007.html
http://earth1.epa.gov/air/ozonepollution/naaqsrev2007.html#howto
How to Comment
* EPA will accept public comments until October 9, 2007.
* Comments should be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0172
and submitted by one of the following methods:
o Federal eRulemaking Portal (http://www.regulations.gov); o
e-mail <a-and-r-docket@epa.gov>
o Mail (EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail
code 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460);
or
o Hand delivery (EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection
Agency, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,
DC).
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Civics
—Benjamin Franklin, 1759
great words
- Martin Luther King
Friday, August 24, 2007
Lord Voldemort Lives.... shhh!!!!
Wow, 2001 UTEP Professor.... looking for Lead (Pb) in pottery and candy wrappers....
Science News reports that Bones regulate Blood Sugar -- new hormone discovered in bone building cells (osteoplasts)
The hormone is called Osteocalcin and good levels of it are needed to help produce the beta cells in the pancreas that produce extra insulin.
This is an amazing discovery because we have a tremendous amount of diabetes here in this region around Asarco. My own question is whether or not the heavy metals, chemicals and radioactive particles from the smelting could damage bones and affect blood sugar levels. We may never know because Industry has such a dampening effect on finding things like this -- kind of like how the chemical industry helped back the IEUBK lead exposure model that says your exposure to chemicals is less because you spend time inside -- but it never took into account swamp coolers (swamp coolers equalize dust inside and outside the house). Or how everyone talks about how Lead (Pb) around here comes from cars and lead-glazed mexican pottery and candy wrappers, but ignores the largest custom smelter in the world sitting right next to the University.
Exposure to alpha radiation linked to high levels of myelodysplastic syndrome (leukemia), cancers, and liver cancer
"We studied the alpha-radiation risks in patients who received injections of Thorotrast, an X-ray contrast medium used in Europe, Japan, and the United States from 1930 to 1955. Thorotrast was composed of thorium dioxide (ThO2) and Th-232, a naturally occurring radionuclide. Because the physical half-life of ThO2 is 14 billion years and Thorotrast is hardly eliminated from the body, tissues in which it was deposited are irradiated by alpha-radiation for the entire lifetime of the subject. ....Among blood neoplasms with a higher incidence of increase than the general population, erythroleukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome were remarkable. ...
- J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol.2001;20(4):311-5.
Alpha-particle carcinogenesis in Thorotrast patients: epidemiology, dosimetry, pathology, and molecular analysis.
Ishikawa Y, Wada I, Fukumoto M. Department of Pathology, The Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo.
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11797840&dopt=Citation
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and Asarco
Asarco worker, Danny Arellano, a young father who worked at the Acid Plant during the Toxic Waste burning in the 1990's, suffers from myelodysplastic syndrome. Wikipedia describes this as "preleukemia" that has a varying risk of transformation to acute myelogenous leukemia."
(click on the image to enlarge it on a new screen!)
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Grupo Mexico and Carlyle Group
http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/article.cfm?archiveDate=08-11-06&storyID=24842
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Justice is always in Jeopardy... Walt Whitman
from the words of the poet, Walt Whitman, written in 1888 -- the decade that Asarco first started smelting here on the Rio Grande pass where two nations and several states meet -- when the river ran clean, fish swam in the waters, orchards grew downriver and people built TB sanatoriums here to recover in the clean air.
Monday, August 20, 2007
2003 EPA Handbook recommended removing at least a foot of dirt... in Anapra they are removing 2 to 6 inches
Twenty-four (24) inches of clean soil cover is generally considered to be adequate for gardening areas; however, site specific conditions that may require more soil cover (e.g., presence of burrowing animals) should be considered. A 24-inch barrier normally is necessary to prevent contact of contaminated soil at depth with plant roots, root vegetables, and clean soil that is mixed via deep rototilling. Raised garden beds may be built to obtain 24 inches of clean soil, and may be more cost effective than excavating to 24 inches in depth, e.g., excavate 12 inches of contaminated soil, then add 24 inches of soil to create a 12" raised bed."
from: "Superfund Lead-Contaminated Residential Sites Handbook Final: August 2003 Prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency Lead Sites Workgroup (LSW) "
Soil removal in Colorado (soil removal is generally deeper in desert climates, since root zone is deeper)
18 inches in vegetable garden soils, where metals concentrations exceed 73 parts per million
(ppm) cadmium, 500 ppm lead or 70 ppm arsenic. ...."
from:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division
Five-Year Review Asarco Globe Site Denver, Colorado
Where's Waldo?
looking for Waldo in the "Where's Waldo?" books....
How they cleaned up Lead (Pb) in Utah....
of the high lead contamination areas. This was known as Phase I. Between November 1992 and March 1993,
Phase II required the collection of soil samples, in addition to dust, tap water, and paint samples from the interior
of residences. Removal in 1994 occurred for all properties with surface soil lead concentrations greater than 4000
ppm. Contaminated soil was removed and taken to an industrial landfill or other acceptable disposal facilities.
Cleanup levels for this action consisted of excavating soil to a depth of eighteen inches or to depths where lead
contamination levels were less than 800 ppm. Some excavation included the demolition of small structures and
the removal of trees and shrubbery, which were then tested for residual lead contamination. The debris was then,
if applicable, disposed of in a construction or municipal landfill. Dust control and hazardous materials release
controls were established for stockpiles of contaminated materials during the removal, including air monitoring for
releases of hazardous substances during removal operations. Clean soil was brought in to replace the removed
soil, and the site was returned to its original grade. All areas which were excavated or regraded were contoured to
assist in drainage, which was directed away from the foundations of houses and buildings. Irrigation ditches were
replaced in the same configuration as they were originally found and constructed of compacted clay to prevent
erosion. Residential sprinkler systems were also replaced."
from: CERCLA IMMINENT HAZARD MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING FACILITIES Office of Solid Waste U.S. Environmental Protection Agency February 1997
Another telling of the Tale: The Emperor's new Clothes
08.17.07
ASARCO cleaning up in Anapra
|
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Amarillo article about ASARCO refinery
Process begins at city's Asarco plant
By Jim McBride
The copper inside probably came from Asarco's Amarillo copper refinery.
The refining process begins with anodes - 2-inch-thick slabs of nearly pure copper about 3 feet wide and 3½ feet tall - that are shipped from an Asarco smelter in Arizona. [suddenly there is plenty of copper and plenty of smelters to keep Amarillo at good-production. What happened to the reasons to close Asarco El Paso down? El Paso's closure was supposed to have meant that Amarillo couldn't get enough copper. Now, eight years after Amarillo, El Paso, Helena, TN and Corpus Christi were hit with the multi-media consent decree for their deliberate profit-making burning of untracked toxic wastes... suddenly Amarillo is back in full production. El Paso was supposed to only be closed 3 years. The streets in El Paso were supposed to be paved for six years. What happened here? WHY SHUT DOWN A SMELTER AFTER TOXIC WASTE WAS BURNED?
What have they not told us??!?]
Friday, August 17, 2007
TCEQ General Counsel for Commission moves deadline back for decision on Motion to overturn Asarco Stormwater Permit
decision on Motion to Overturn (MTO) Asarco Stormwater Permit to the end
of September (90 days from when the permit was mailed). Legally the
Commission does not have to act on the MTO.
UTAH Miners - three rescuers die in attempt to reach the trapped miners
HUNTINGTON, Utah — The search for six miners missing deep underground was abruptly halted after a second cave-in killed three rescue workers and injured at least six others who were trying to tunnel through rubble to reach them.
It was a devastating turn for the families of the six men trapped in the Aug. 6 collapse at the Crandall Canyon mine and for the relatives of those trying to rescue them. It's not known if the trapped miners are alive...."
http://www.lcsun-news.com/latest/ci_6648396
THE ASARCO COVER-UP CONTINUES.....
Thursday, August 16, 2007
new Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility at Alamogordo
from the Office of Senator Pete V. Domenici
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Pete Domenici today announced that he will join Bureau of Reclamation officials in hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony and tour of the new Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility at Alamogordo later this week......
http://domenici.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=280823
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Rep. Reyes to speak Saturday Morning Aug. 18 (will take questions)
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
City of El Paso moves environmental monitoring to Dept. managing Dumps
Cities who have MD's/Health Dept. covering environmental monitoring (instead of the SOLID WASTE managers handling it):
Dallas
New York City
LA (a whole separate environmental monitoring division) solid waste reports TO the EMD in L.A...
Houston
Norfolk VA
Albuquerque
Friday, August 10, 2007
Flushing away our future: wastewater putting frogs on endangered list
Asarco Creditors File Suit Execs
Asarco Creditors File Suit Execs
Associated Press 08.09.07, 6:09 PM ET
WASHINGTON -
Creditors of mining company Asarco LLC have sued 13 insiders of parent Grupo Mexico, including its chief executive....
The creditors are seeking at least $100 million in damages plus additional punitive damages. They're accusing the executives of breach of fiduciary duty, corporate waste and unjust enrichment, among other charges.
The lawsuit names 13 officials - 12 Mexicans and one Arizona resident - who led Asarco after its acquisition by Grupo Mexico in 1999 [Asarco burned the illegal toxic waste in El Paso until at least 1998]. The group consists of several top Grupo Mexico officials, including the mining company's chief executive, German Larrea Mota-Velasco, who was also Asarco's chief executive....."
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/08/09/ap4006174.html
Utah Miners
miners may be alive. The rescuers don't know yet, as there hasn't been
sound from the trapped miners. Many prayers for the miners and their
families. It is good news that they have tried so hard to reach them.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Asarco Bankruptcy decision delayed until November 12, 2007
Asarco extension to file reorganization plan
Published on Friday, August 03, 2007
Bankrupt copper miner Asarco has been given an extension until Nov. 12 to finish resolving environmental issues dating back to 1983 and file a reorganization plan.
"The extension of exclusivity will allow Asarco time to complete its remaining restructuring efforts and continue what has thus far been constructive discussions with its constituent groups about various alternatives for emergence from Chapter 11," Joseph Lapinsky, CEO of Asarco, said in a statement.
Asarco is headquartered at 1150 N. Seventh Ave. It filed for bankruptcy protection in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 2005.
http://www.azbiz.com/articles/2007/08/03/news/breaking_news/doc46b38bfad3a7a676122560.txt
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Pearson Forum morning of Aug-4: Superintent Garcia, EPISD
The Ray Pearson Forum
7th Annual El Paso Pride Environmental Summit
7th Annual
Ysleta Cultural Center
[Grace is with the TCEQ....h.m.]
Asarco investors appeal judge's ruling
Arizona Daily Star
Saying they hold two-thirds of unsecured bonds and debentures issued by Asarco, Harbinger Capital Partners Master Fund I and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. also are appealing rulings by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Richard Schmidt preventing them from conducting financial research without signing a confidentiality agreement they said was too restrictive.
A trial is set for September to estimate the amount of asbestos claims that pushed Asarco into bankruptcy.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/194583
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
El Paso ASARCO: a Model for how Industry can shed environmental liabilities
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
Monday, July 30, 2007
ROBSTOWN US ECOLOGY --- WHERE ASARCO EL PASO SENT ITS POND DIRT LAST YEAR !!!!
http://www.americanecology.com/downloads/robstown_forms/USET_Audit_Handbook.pdf
Ask what NORM WASTE is!!!!!
(hint: google "NORM WASTE")
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Downtown Bridge Blues by Sito Negron// link to the EPgtlo blog
If these are the east-west rail lines that are serviced by the crossings (mentioned by Rep. Reyes below) then this issue has something in common with ASARCO.
The rail lines run right through the ASARCO site and over the toxic land. ASARCO is owned by Grupo Mexico (an investor is CARLYLE GROUP), who owns 1/2 the freight right-of-way in Mexico. ASARCO sits in Railroad district 8, whose headquarters is in MIDLAND TEXAS, home of the Bush Family who are principle investors in the CARLYLE group. All the nuclear dump sites proposed in the last 16 years here, were sited in Railroad District 8..... the sludge dumps -- here.... the toxic burning at ASARCO... here. Everyone made money on burning and dumping waste here. Now we have the Andrews County (railroad district 8) nuclear dump; they are reopening the MERCO sludge dump; they want to restart the toxic-waste-burning ASARCO ConTop furnaces. And, the federal government is putting money into making our downtown rail crossing safer. DO YOU FEEL SAFER YET?????
DO YOU THINK THAT REP.REYES REALLY WILL PUSH THE GAO TO INVESTIGATE THE TOXIC WASTE AT THE ASARCO SITE WHEN THIS ALSO IMPACTS RAILROAD DISTRICT 8 rail lines?
Downtown Bridge Blues by Sito Negron
"The merchants who already were upset about the work being done at the city’s international bridges are fairly apoplectic about a proposal to raise bridge fees. And the upcoming move to shift pedestrians from the current El Paso Street entrance to temporary inspection that will empty to Oregon isn’'t helping the mood. The International Bridge Commission will discuss the issue next week. ....
Posted on July 13, 2007
The federal project is overseen by the General Services Administration, and involves the Department of Homeland Security because of the inspection issues involved at the international border.
“The construction will be inconvenient and I understand the frustration of business owners in the
area,” said Congressman Silvestre Reyes. “I encourage
customers to continue visiting the affected businesses
during the construction period. The safety of our railroad crossings, though, is extremely important, and the long-term public safety benefits of this construction will serve our entire community.”"
Friday, July 27, 2007
The Onslaught of Pro-Asarco News begins ...
July 26:
Reclaman en El Paso gasto por campaña vs Asarco
July 21:
Asarco: ‘¿El texto como pretexto?’
July 20:
Generaría Asarco 21 mdd en impuestos: informe
July 19:
Emitió el incendio en basurero 44 ton de contaminantes
Apertura bajaría impuestos a la propiedad: regidor paseño
July 18:
Calculan impacto de reapertura en 1,000 mdd al año
Amenazan con tomar las instalaciones de la planta
Acuerda Cabildo de EP contratar empresa para aclarar desinformación
July 17:
Cartas: opina sobre Asarco
Sin pruebas, impacto ambiental
Protección al ambiente, el argumento
July 16:
Asarco... lucha de intereses
Quién es el Grupo México
Sepulta modernización a una vieja planta
Crece el frente opositor
Historia de Asarco
Proceso de la compañía por obtener el permiso de emisiones número 20345 ante la TCEQ
Eximen estudios a la fundidora
Verdad sin prejuicios
see http://www.diario.com.mx/search.php
(for online translation, to get the gist of the articles for English-only-readers, please go to:
http://world.altavista.com/
Number of environmental cops decreasing
http://www.onelocalnews.com/duntonsprings/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=137607
Staff and agencies
26 July, 2007
By RITA BEAMISH, Associated Press Writer 14 minutes ago
Fewer U.S. environmental cops are tracking criminal polluters these days, their numbers steadily dropping below levels ordered by Congress. They are pursuing fewer environmental crimes in a strategy by the Bush administration to target bigger polluters.
An internal memorandum from one of the agency‘s top lawyers, obtained by The Associated Press, said the EPA is violating the U.S. Pollution Prosecution Act of 1990, which requires the agency to employ at least 200 criminal investigators.
In the legal memo, criminal office counsel Michael Fisher said Congress intended to increase criminal prosecutions under pollution laws by setting minimum staffing levels. Fisher wrote the memo to Assistant Administrator Granta Nakayama. Fisher did not return telephone calls and e-mails from The Associated Press over two days.
Schaeffer heads an advocacy group, Environmental Integrity Project, that compared five-year averages of the Bush and Clinton administrations and found a significant decrease in the numbers of criminal pollution investigations and civil lawsuits and the amounts of fines assessed under President Bush.
Ant Bait (a Parable about toxic waste)
Once upon a time there were many tiny ants that were hungry and looking for food. They were very busy and were looking in so many places that the housewife put out peanut butter, with sugar in it, and boric acid. The ants didn't know that the poison was there: it kept the ants busy, working hard.
The ants were so excited that they swarmed the peanut butter. More and more ants came, and slowly took the food away.
And the hidden poison in the peanut butter and sugars that the ants couldn't taste, eventually killed them.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
WHAT ABOUT THE TOXIC WASTES (NO ONE HAS TESTED FOR THE TOXIC WASTES)
(web page translated by Babelfish)
It restrains to Asarco the interests | |
| |
Gabriela Minjares | |
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Just a Little Rain
by Malvina Reynolds
Just a little rain falling all around
The grass lifts its head to the heavenly sound
Just a little rain, just a little rain
What have they done to the rain?
Just a little boy standing in the rain
The gentle rain that falls for years
And the grass is gone and the boy disappears
And the rain keeps falling like helpless tears
And what have they done to the rain?
Just a little breeze out of the sky
The leaves nod their heads as the breeze blows by
Just a little breeze with some smoke in its eye
And what have they done to the rain?
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Mr. Edmund Archuleta El Paso Water Utilities -- on water reuse, including stormwater [which means treating that stormwater to remove bad things so that it can be reused]
"My utility in
" WaterReuse members use advanced treatment processes and monitoring to produce water of sufficient quality for the intended purpose from treated municipal and industrial effluent, storm water, agricultural drainage, and sources with high salinity such as seawater and brackish water. "
http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Testimony&Hearing_ID=1508&Witness_ID=2828
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Annual Report;City of El Paso and TxDOT El Paso District -- TPDES Permit No. WQ0004527000 March 26, 2007
"BMP A4-5: Use Retention Basins for Storm Water Treatment-- Currently, 271 storm water retention basins are in place throughout the City to accept and retain storm water run-off for flood control. Twelve small retention basins were incorporated into the City through new development during the 2006 reporting period." (these become mini-toxic-waste-dumps with wind and run-off deposition accumulating among other things, Asarco's ENCYCLE wastes)
http://www.elpasotexas.gov/environmental_services/_stormwater/2006%20Annual%20Report.pdf
"...the City immediately re-prioritized capital projects and was able to utilize the general operating fund to initiate the redesign and reconstruction. Additionally, the City Manager has recommended to Council the creation of a Stormwater Management & Utility District, under the possible auspices of the El Paso Water Utilities to fund such future infrastructure needs."
https://www.elpasotexas.gov/omb/_documents/fy2007_budget/BUDGET_BOOK_2007.pdf
The following notices were issued during the period of January 24,
2006 through January 27, 2006.
"CITY OF EL PASO AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,
which operate the City of El Paso Municipal Separate
Storm Sewer System (MS4), have applied for a renewal of NPDES Permit No. TXS000801 which authorizes storm water point source discharges to surface water in the state from the City of El Paso Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). This permit will be renewed as TPDES Permit No. WQ0004527000. The MS4 is located within the corporate boundary of the City of El Paso, in El Paso County, Texas."
31 TexReg 908 February 10, 2006 Texas Register
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Asarco water contamination costs are picked up by you, the Taxpayer....
What then happened is that state and federal representatives went to their legislative bodies and got funding passed for City storm water system this past winter, because of the big 500-yr flood of AUG-2006.
Then, the City/County in spring this year in an un-televised 10'th floor City Council special meeting [City Council member Ms. Byrd told me that this meeting was audio-recorded] voted to authorize a Storm Water district, funded by the taxpayers. Taxpayers will not vote on this during elections.
No one has told the taxpayers that the unsampled/undisclosed toxic waste that runs off into the storm system will transfer liability now from Asarco to the taxpayers.
The Federal/TX general sector storm water permit was automatically renewed and authorized by TCEQ on June-25-2007 from the NOI (notice of intent) filed end of Aug-2006 by Asarco. Any Motions to Overturn must be submitted by 5 pm Austin time, tomorrow 7-23-07.
Just like the City-contracted Attorney, Erich Birch [whom I respect, but also respectfully disagree with], ignored the Federal Title V permit renewal last summer, not notifying local groups to send in comments/filing nothing; the renewal of the water permits have been ignored. The only permit being fought is the air emissions permit - and those emissions are worth cash-money on the commodities trading market as "emission credits" internationally to whomever owns them [I confirmed this with an International Sierra Club expert on such credits, sending them the list of Asarco allowable emissions]. We cannot find out who those credits go to if Asarco loses its permit.
In front of our own eyes, unknown sometimes to us, Asarco's environmental liabilities/costs are being "shed" and the company is emerging as a renewed-entity, with no liability for the toxic waste left unreported in the Paso del Norte region.
[thank you, Susie - I updated it per your email 7/24]