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"
Monday, February 28, 2011
El Paso Times covers Ex-Asarco-workers and others site visit 2-25-11 after massive fire gutted the IONICS distillation unit
EPA joins in walk-through at Asarco: Past employees want further site tests ...
El Paso Times
"by Chris Roberts \ El Paso Times Patrick Garza, left, who worked for ASARCO as a contractor and employee, left, talks to Michael J. Casbon of Environmental Resources Management, who is overseeing the demolition of the site about a recent fire in the ..."
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Another example of Asarco handling Radioactive Isotopes provided by El Paso Asarco Cleanup Trustee
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm/copper.html
Monday, January 24, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
ASARCO El Paso Redevelopment TVNews Story: Costs of secret liabilities from illegal hazardous waste disposal for years? (PRICELESS!)
"google alert:
Plan El Paso 2010 Includes Asarco Redevelopment Video KVIA El Paso
Plan El Paso 2010 Includes Asarco Redevelopment. ....
www.kvia.com/video/26523619/index.html
"
Asarco asset sales to date: $539,313.70:: Undisclosed liabilities from Secret Hazmat wastes? PRICELESS
"Recasting the Smelter
ASARCO Asset Sales (updated 12/08/10)
Sale No. Item Date Amount
1 Rails/Rail ties 7/12/10 $215,000.00
2 2 horizontal cryogenic liquid oxygen above-ground tanks 3/5/10 $130,500.00
3 Slag Pots 6/10/10 $60,000.00
....[etc etc]
TOTAL TO DATE $539,313.70"
http://www.recastingthesmelter.com/?page_id=395
Asarco El Paso TX Clean-up Trustee and contractors proceeding with demolition while not disclosing what Asarco did
What happened here, in El Paso Texas from the years of Asarco burning illegal hazardous wastes for YEARS and YEARS SECRETLY for (in the EPA's words to the DOJ) to make money --- what happened here that was so so very bad that even today over 12 years later, the powers that be are afraid to tell the public the details of what Asarco had done?
Rep. Reyes, chair of the House Intelligence committee, said that Asarco paid millions on the condition that details of what it had done would never become public.
Despite legal notification, the Federal DOJ Asarco Bankruptcy Trustee allowed the Asarco Bankruptcy court to continue to hide those details.
Despite a NYTimes front page article and a DOJ Attorney releasing the Secret DOJ-EPA Confidential for Settlement purposes only 72 page document detailing what ASARCO had done, over five years later the Paso del Norte community has not been given the details of what contamination remains here from what ASARCO did.
Why hasn't the Trustee allowed sampling of this structure by independent community groups - or even (free!) RADON sampling inside the buildings? What on earth is the Trustee afraid of?The Asarco El Paso site Trustee writes on their website: "Dear Stakeholders, The Trust has been extremely busy working at the Former ASARCO Smelter Site to ensure a safe demolition and thorough investigation/remediation process. Current major activities include: Removing the Contop/Reverb structure to ascertain the presence of valuable matte and concentrate materials,"
The International JAC (La Paz Accord) committee passed a resolution recommending that background contamination data be gathered --- and THIS RESOLUTION WAS THEN IGNORED.
Friday, January 14, 2011
ASARCO "The Department of Justice owes the public an explanation"
And, why has the DOJ not held the DOJ BANKRUPTCY Trustee for the ASARCO case accountable for failing to make the Asarco Bankruptcy court(s) consider the secret-illegal hazardous wastes that the DOJ and EPA discovered were incinerated for nearly ten years by Asarco in at least two smelters?!"However, a powerful Senator did not hesitate to comment on the matter. “The Department of Justice owes the public an explanation for why there have been no criminal prosecutions despite the SEC openly making accusations of a witness being bought off,” Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa told POGO. Grassley is slated to be the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees the DOJ." [12-10 quote regarding " major case involving Pequot Capital Management, once the world’s largest hedge fund, and alleged insider trading in shares of Microsoft"]
http://www.truth-out.org/sec-describes-possible-criminal-activity-unprosecuted-hedge-fund-case66233
How many "Confidential for settlement purposes only" documents are out there between the EPA and DOJ like the 1998 "confidential for settlement purposes only [72 pp] DOJ-EPA Asarco document" ? How much information is being kept "secret" from affected-communities via these "confidential settlements" ? Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Reyes said that Asarco paid MILLIONS on the condition that the details of what it had done would NEVER BECOME PUBLIC.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Now the ASARCO Bankruptcy is over, copper prices increase ...
Copper mining sees new AZ momentum
Arizona Daily Star
As rising copper prices increase mining-company profits, Arizona-based mining giants Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold and Asarco have boosted the work force ..."
To this day, the liabilities from nearly ten years of ASARCO disposing/burning secret hazardous wastes for profit have never been discussed in the Bankruptcy Courts. Rep. Reyes, Chair of the House Intelligence Committee said that Asarco paid millions of dollars on the condition that details of what it had done would never become public. El Paso TX got only about $52 million to clean up whatever undisclosed undeclared unmanifested hazardous wastes remain at the El Paso Asarco site and over 100 years of custom and secondary smelting activity. The Asarco toxic groundwater plume reaches the Rio Grand the width of the entire property - below that point the City still draws irrigation water for over 70 miles of irrigation district (managed by Rep. Reyes' brother) ---- and, draws water for drinking (for central and westside El Paso according to the EPWU Vice President of Operations.)
Friday, December 31, 2010
Asarco El Paso TX ... "such are the places where every man woman and child seeks EQUAL JUSTICE"...
Eleanor Roosevelt
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Seven years ago Carlyle Group created a team to begin investing in Mexico...
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=50334
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
What do ASARCO, Grupo Mexico, NEBRASKA, CLEAN COAL ENERGY and RAILROADS all have in common?
“We’re aware of the filing and are reviewing it,” Justice Department spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle said in a phone interview today. “We will respond appropriately in court.”
In a separate lawsuit in federal court in Nebraska, Union Pacific Railroad Co., which the EPA also blamed for the pollution at the Omaha site, refused to settle and sued the agency seeking the same contamination studies that Asarco had requested."
see:http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Southern_Copper_%28PCU%29/Class_Actions
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2010-12-17/asarco-claims-epa-lied-destroyed-evidence-in-nebraska-lead-pollution-case.html
An interesting aside is that Asarco is owned by Grupo Mexico whom (along with Carlyle Group) controls over 50% of the Freight-rail-right-of-way in Mexico; and, whom wants to merge Ferromex with Ferrosur and deliver Pacific NAFTA goods from a proposed-Mexico-seaport to the USA Eastern Seaboard through Chicago (search for "Punta Colonet" on this blog). Carlyle owns CSX railroad (USA eastern seaboard).
Besides being home for Union Pacific Railroad Co., Nebraska is headquarters to an international-railroad-company that is uniquely situated to deliver NAFTA goods from various points in the central USA to Chicago, RDC. Its management also serve as executives to the Hawthorne Group (apparently the same group mentioned by Wikipedia in connection with the "2009 debate over the [Clean Coal] Waxman/Markey bill"). One of the RDC officers "played a key role in RDC's activities in Peru" (see below), where Asarco has the SPCC (Southern Peru Copper Corp.). RDC operates FCCA in Peru along with connections to neighbor(s); Grupo Mexico has its own railroad in Peru for SPCC.
"Iowa Interstate Railroad, LTD (acquired by RDC in 2004) is a privately held Delaware Corporation and subsidiary of Railroad Development Corporation. It is also one of the few Regional Railroads that connects with the entire Class 1 railroad system (BNSF, UP, CN, CP, KCS, CSXT, and NS) at multiple locations. ...As a result, IAIS customers have the capability to ship and receive their goods to or from anywhere in North America. ...Our service pattern is 7 days per week between the Omaha area and Chicago. We also offer access to the Mississippi and Illinois River terminals....http://www.iaisrr.com/
Mgt. of RDC:
"Henry Posner III ...serves as Chairman of RDC; Chairman of Iowa Interstate Railroad; Chairman of Ferrovias Guatemala; a Director of América Latina Logística-Central & Mesopotámico (Argentina); and as Vice Chairman of The Hawthorne Group." http://www.rrdc.com/mgmt_bio_posner.html"The intention of Grupo Mexico is to maintain and improve the productive plant of SPCC, - that means continuing with the mine and concentrator facility expansion in Toquepala, the construction of an SXEW facility in Cuajone or the expansion of the one located in Toquepala."
Mr. Pietrandrea [President of RDC] also serves as ...Chief Operating Officer of The Hawthorne Group.
http://www.rrdc.com/mgmt_bio_pietrandrea.htmlWilliam J. Duggan [is] Vice President-Operations [of RDC and the ] President, Ferrovias Guatemala...[he] has since played a key role in RDC's activities in Peru and Guatemala....
Since 2003, Mr. Hensler has served as RDC's Chief Financial Officer.....[he] is also a Vice President of The Hawthorne Group, a private investment and management company which invests through affiliates primarily in media and communication companies."
http://www.rrdc.com/mgmt_bio_hensler.html
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Grupo+Mexico,+S.A.+de+C.V.+Strategies+for+Southern+Peru+Copper...-a058295607
"Rail transport in Peru [Home of Grupo Mexico Southern Peru Copper Corp]: ...
Since 1999 it has been operated as the Ferrocarril Central Andino (FCCA)... by the Pittsburgh-registered Railroad Development Corporation. ....The Central is extended by the Ferrocarril Huancayo - Huancavelica ...Also connecting with the Central, at La Oroya, is the Cerro de Pasco railway ...The owning company was nationalised as Centromín in 1974 and operation of the railway was taken over by FCCA...The newest railway in Peru is a standard gauge line opened in 1959 by the Southern Peru Copper Corporation from its opencast mine at Toquepala to the port of Ilo (187 km/116 mi) with a later branch largely in tunnel to its workings at Cuajone. " http://www.thefullwiki.org/Rail_transport_in_Peru
"Controversy: During the 2009 debate over the Waxman/Markey bill, Bonner & Associates, a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm subcontracted by ACCCE ["American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity"] though the Hawthorne Group to drum up "grassroots support" for this effort, sent a number of fraudulent letters to lawmakers on behalf of ACCCE. ..."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Coalition_for_Clean_Coal_Electricity"
Asarco Omaha NE smelter shut down in 1997 - did it also burn the illegal secret hazardous wastes?
"Google Alert - asarco bankruptcy
DJ Grupo Mexico Seeks To Recover $210M In Asarco Lead Damages
Trading Markets
Asarco paid $1.6 billion in environmental liabilities as part of a settlement with the US Justice Department when the company exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy ..."
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Energy Renewal Partners who is cleaning up ASARCO ENCYCLE worked for Carlyle/Riverstone Holdings
- Carlyle/Riverstone Holdings"
More than 3 million dollars slated for asbestos removal at ASARCO site that sent untracked-unmanifested hazardous wastes for disposal for years to E. Helena MT and El Paso TX
"Asbestos removal and demolition of the Encycle/ASARCO plant approved
Corpus Christi, Texas - December 19, 2010
U.S. Bankruptcy Court has approved a $3.6 million contract to demolish 50 buildings, silos and storage tanks and remove asbestos at the Encycle/ASARCO plant in Corpus Christi, Texas....According to the agreement between the bankruptcy trustee and Energy Renewal Partners, the project deadline is May 29, 2013 and seven general use buildings will not be demolished, but rather offered for sale once demolition of the other structures is complete."
Friday, December 17, 2010
"Asarco tries to revive its own EPA records lawsuit" While ASARCO still conceals details of its decade of multi-state illegal hazardous waste handling/incineration...
Asarco tries to revive its own EPA records lawsuit
Washington Examiner
AP Business Writer The Asarco mining company wants to revive its public-records lawsuit over Environmental Protection Agency information about lead ..."
While ASARCO still conceals details of its decade of multi-state illegal hazardous waste handling/incineration...
Monday, December 6, 2010
Grupo Mexico : " FULL OWNERSHIP OF ASARCO WITH NO LEGACY LIABILITIES OR CLAIMS" (now *how* did they do THAT?)
Business Wire
Grupo Mexico successfully emerged from the five-year long Asarco bankruptcy proceedings with full ownership of Asarco with no legacy liabilities or claims ..."
fr: Google Alert - asarco bankruptcy
Sunday, November 14, 2010
TCEQ testing soil next to ENCYCLE ASARCO for unknown metals
CORPUS CHRISTI - Field crews with the Texas Commison on Envioronmental Quality are testing the soil in the Dona Park neighborhood [next to ASARCO ENCYCLE].The testing started Friday after a number of residents expressed concerns that there might still be toxic levels of heavy metals in the area....Despite that some residents are still worried the soil might be contaminated and they blame emissions from the [ASARCO] plant for making them sick."
http://www.kristv.com/news/soil-testing-near-shuttered-asarco-plant/
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
"Nevada Prosecutor has been preparing to file criminal charges" against former ASARCO A.G. Swiss Bank President for gambling debts
"The [Chicago] Tribune in August first outlined [Mikhail] Katamanian's [President of ASARCO A.G. Swiss bank] eight-figure debts and the legal battle brewing over his estate since his death in Switzerland at age 53.
The report also outlined how, at the time of Katamanin's death, a Nevada prosecutor had been preparing to file criminal charges against Katamanin over the millions in total that, according to court and casino records, he owned to various Las Vegas gambling establishments.
[The Judge] also appointed Lake County Public Guardian Keith West to oversee the identification and liquidation of Katamanin's assets...Parties in the case are due back in court Nov. 15..."Investors allege Sham ("spoof") Silver-Futures by HSBC Holdings Plc and JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Laskaris v. JPMorgan Chase & Co., 10-08157
Beatty v. JPMorgan Chase, 10-08146, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan)
"JPMorgan, HSBC Accused of Manipulating Silver Futures
By Joel Rosenblatt and Bob Van Voris - Oct 27, 2010 10:27 PM MT
"HSBC Holdings Plc and JPMorgan Chase & Co. were accused in an investor’s lawsuit of placing “spoof” trading orders to manipulate silver futures and options prices in violation of U.S. antitrust law....The investor...alleges that starting in March 2008, the banks colluded to suppress silver futures so that call options, or the right to buy, would decline, and put options for the right to sell would increase....A separate, similar complaint filed yesterday....and naming the same banks as defendants, claims a whistleblower contacted the CFTC last year and reported the banks’ conspiracy to suppress prices of silver futures to profit from “enormous” short positions in silver futures"