Radioactivity near Tuscon and possibly near Asarco water supply (i.e. end of CAP supply line)

when asked where he stood on building the mine.

Speaking to the Democrats of Oro Valley, community activitist Gayle Hartmann gives an overview of the Rosemont Project, and efforts to curb the proposed mine by the Save the Santa Rita Environmental Group.

Meanwhile, huge crowds have turned out in the permitting process to protest what they saw as an attack on their way of life. These are the people of Elgin, Sonoita, Sahuarita and Green Valley, including Charles Huckelberry, Pima's county manager and Ed Norris, Chairman of the Tohono O'odham people both who represent large parts of southern Arizona. To counter, Rosemont sponsored the Tour of Tucson Bike Race one year and yet another it sponsored the epic 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo Mountain Bike Race all in hopes of raising it's "environmental" image and trying to fit into the Tucson community by spreading cash among many community support groups. Most recently Rosemont complained about the slow process (they hoped to be in construction by now) and complained the Pima County permitting process was biased and intentionally derailing their timeline and progress. They told the Feds they would appeal to Arizona's Dept of Environmental Quality! Given ADEQ's record of assists in Hayden for ASARCO, there is little doubt, their appeal will move forward and eventually be approved.

Augusta came to Arizona because of Rosemont's world class copper deposit, full of molybdenum and silver. This mine promises to be 10 per cent of U.S. Copper output and the corporation was energized by Arizona's "stable mining laws and a clear regulatory regime" Rosemont hopes to harvest a 7.7 billion pound copper source. Each year they hope to produce 221 million pounds of copper, along with another 4.7 million pounds of molybdenum and 2.4 million ounces of silver each year for over 20 years.Rosemont has a reserve of 190 million pounds of molybdenum, and 80 million ounces of silver. The project will require a $900 million capitol expenditure to start. 

Rosemont issued an environmental report that uses the newest technology and the best practices of the industry, it sees no difficulties, clear sailing ahead and they plan to open a environmentally aware mining operation, the best the world has ever seen. Rosemont has no experience as miners, they have never done this before, so mistakes are always possible. One reader of their huge environmental impact study who followed each footnote to outside studies, reports their study is a smoke screen and makes little actual sense. Regardless of the environmental impact study, which the EPA called the worst they have ever reviewed–once you get past the tailing stacked in a scenic zone, the whole things boils down to water. Rosemont has identified groundwater and CAP Water as their principal water source. It is important to note the new mine lies in a drainage that feeds Tucson underground water aquifer. It feeds both the Pantano and Tanque Verde, both seasonal rivers that flow right through Tucson's fashionable East Side, and recharges our water table. Rosemont says their best practices will not allow contamination to Tucson water supply, it's a no brainer, they say. Google any copper mine towns in Arizona, goggle their water supply and they all are compromised. Rosemont promises they will work this mine for 50 years and they just want to be Tucson's best buddy. The mine will employ about the same number of (348) employees they hire for a couple of "big box stores", salaries may be better. History shows a "boom and bust" cycles with mines who have just walked away from environmental disasters or problems beyond their ability to fix. Don't believe an open pit won't contaminate our water, it is just a matter of when.

The first ore taken from the Morenci Mine were 80 per cent pure. The above Morenci photo was taken during a 1980′s Bust Cycle when everyone was fired and equipment idled waiting for the return of favorable copper prices. Rosemont Mine projects it will spend $900 million to build the Rosemont Complex and that is the same $900 million that will be required to clean up Clifton/Morenci after 162 years of toxic hardrock mining. Phelps Dodge was ordered to spend $1Billion to clean up the smelter in El Paso, opponents of the settlement say PD got off with pennies on the dollar and not a penny goes across the border to folks downwind for 100 years.< Does anyone really think Rosemont will be around when cleanup is needed. Historically, a property sells to someone who goes bankrupt and the taxpayer pays for the mess.

No one can anticipate Acts of God, Karma is always a big factor. So in 1979 when an earthen dam breached and spilled 1,100 tons of radioactive mill wastes and 90 million gallons of contaminated water into a tributary of the Little Colorado River or in 1984, when a flash flood washed tons of high grade uranium ore from Hack Canyon Mine into Kanab Creek. The Grand Canyon's Orphan Mine still continues to contaminate creeks, it produced 4.3 million pounds of some of the purest uranium ever found in the U.S. before closing in 1969. The Orphan Mine was declared a Superfund site by the EPA. The National Park Service warns backpackers along the Tonto Trail not to use water from either drainage. Another spill 30 years ago, occurred on July 19, 1979 when an earthen tailing dam near the United Nuclear Church Rock Uranium mine collapsed, spilling 90 million gallons of liquid radioactive waste and 1100 tons of solid mill wastes into the Rio Puerco River. The spill contaminated water, land and air at least 50 miles downstream into New Mexico and Arizona. It is believed more radiation was released in that spill than at the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, making the Church Rock spill a Superfund site and the largest release of radioactive waste ever in the U.S..

Spills happen and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission acknowledges that many toxic tailing have been washed into our region's waterways and collectively, these events have documented risks and offer harm to people's health. Drive through any Arizona copper town which are blighted and personal property values decline dramatically. If no drinking water is found outside grocery stores or water stations good luck selling your house. The Central Arizona Project taps the Colorado River which provides 26 million people throughout the Southwest with drinking water. Last year, Lake Mead water levels stood within 50 feet of water restrictions which will hit Tucson first, hit Las Vegas hardest and be a major inconvenience to California. Rosemont Mine lies at the end of that pipeline. Green Valley groundwater levels already suffering with an annual water deficit withdraw without adding another copper mine which takes the same water that another 25,000 residents need. Population growth will easily fulfill that need, and all water use adds up and it is a finite resource. Rosemont proposes to recharge the aquifer from various sources and the newest estimates are the Rio Colorado could be dry by 2020

"Strong demand for growth out of China, India, Brazil and Russia, with a struggling supply response", was the all the motivation needed for Wildcat Silver Corporation, a Canadian-based mining company, to step up their Patagonia exploration. Wildcat wants to conduct extensive exploratory drilling on Forest land near Patagonia to map out a plan to construct an open-pit mine near Harshaw. Wildcat's Hermosa project, also called the Hardshell project, involves an area six miles east of Patagonia along the Harshaw Road. The Wildcat Silver Corporation could bring in $99 million annually in profits if it gets state and federal approval. Wildcat will spend $337 million to build the project. Each year for 18 years, the mine plans to mine 4.1 million ounces of silver, about 256,000 tons of a manganese compound, about 22,200 tons of zinc and about 1,050 tons of copper from Southern Arizona.

Harshaw was a large community with a large Catholic Church

this was the Harshaw Mill in 1879

Wildcat will dig a 600-foot-deep open pit, and then mine at least 1,800 feet underground to collect minerals too deep for the pit. The mine's water needs will dramatically draw on the aquifer pulling down 720,000 gallons of groundwater daily. Large ore trucks will dramatically change driving up and down the Harshaw Road, a narrow winding mountain road winding through Scrub Oak, Juniper Forest which has access to the old mining towns left behind the last time this good idea went bad. Patagonia folks sound scared. Few say jobs, most say goodbye to their way of life., Patagonia was once called "Arizona's best kept secret", the village's residents believe what they know now, will be no longer……

The Tombstone Exploration Company holds the largest chunk, 11,863 acres, of Tombstone's historical mining District. In March TEC received approval for State Exploration Permits for minerals, including gold, silver and copper in the eastern edge of the Tombstone, the additional permits, approved, doubles their existing holdings. Study of the mineral content of the Tombstone Mining District show a wide assortment of mineralization including silver, gold, copper, lead, and zinc minerals, along with manganese, tellurium, molybdenum, and vanadium. Although Tombstone is famous for bonanza silver deposits it is essentially a precious-metal district. Alan Brown, President of Tombstone, states, "With prices for metals at historic high levels, the time to move aggressively forward is now. We are currently planning exploration and a drill program for the Zebra property."

BISBEE HAD A OPEN PIT IN THE CENTER OF THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER A 100 YEARS. MAYBE WE TAKE GIVE TOURS OF THE OPEN PIT OR FLOOD IT AND WATER SKI ON TUCSON SOUTHEAST SIDE.

Further down the Harshaw Road a large group of mines with over 80 existing claims covering 1,600 acres extends beyond Washington, Az on the north and to about a mile west and southwest of Duquesne, Az on the south. It is owned chiefly by the Duquesne Mining & Reduction Co. of Pittsburgh, PA, with local headquarters at Duquesne, and the reduction plant at Washington. Duquesne and Washington Camp were once thriving mining camps and at one point both were busy places, now they are ghost towns.

The Johnson Camp Mine in Cochise County

The Johnson Camp property is 65 miles east of Tucson in Cochise County. The Johnson Camp mine, is an open pit copper mine and production facility using solvent extraction. Johnson Camp includes two existing open pits, the Burro and Copper Chief bulk mining pits which are expected to produce 25 million pounds of copper cathodes annually over a mine life of 13 years. Recently it idled to build a new leaching facility but hopes to mine in 2012.

Wildcat Silver recently withdrew a contested request for 15 exploratory drill holes, saying they now wish to drill 176 exploratory holes on claims on public land in the Patagonia Mountains.

HARSHAW CREEK DRILL AREA

The corporation needs to map the silver content lying underneath nine square miles of Shrub Oak Woodlands. The corporation has recently doubled it estimates from 123 million ounces to 271 million for the future Hermosa Mine which is expected to be in the top 25% of all silver mines in the world.

At its peak in the 1880s and 1890s, Harshaw's was once considered scenic, it was surrounded by oak forests, lush pastures, and had enough pure mountain water to run the mill and work the ore. Today, Harshaw Creek is lined with sycamores, cottonwoods, and willows which are typical foliage in more arid riparian zones. While Harshaw Creek still flows, they are no longer as pure as a 100 years ago. Recent water studies according to Wikipedia have found high levels of copper and zinc, as well as high acidity in the creek. While many factors contribute to this pollution, mining and milling residue from waste dumps are the most significant source. The abandoned Endless Chain Mine, near the headwaters of Harshaw Creek, is one of the biggest contributing factors to the pollution.

Finally, a letter from the Arizona Game & Fish Department says damage will occur no matter what the federal government and the mine's developer do to compensate for its effects."We believe that the project will render the northern portion of the Santa Rita Mountains virtually worthless as wildlife habitat and as a functioning ecosystem, and thus also worthless for wildlife recreation," said the letter, written by the habitat program manager for the Tucson office. "Furthermore, the project has great potential to impact wildlife and habitat off the forest." The letter was among up to 4,000 public comments the U.S. Forest Service received on the 4,400-acre Rosemont Mine.

Are we heading down a path we might regret in the future?" YES, is the obvious answer! Is there anything we can do about it? NO, once a valid claim is made there is no legal authority to stop it. Mining law elevates mining above all other uses of federal land and contains no environmental protection.

Tucson will have a new open pit, Hwy 83 beloved for its drive in the countryside winding through the mountain pass opening up to the Santa Rita foothills, will be changed forever. This is no small price that Southern Arizona is paying, this is a crown jewel, and it will not stop here. If we don't throw out the carpetbaggers who sell their vote to big corporations allegedly for support, this will never stop, in fact get used to it-this is just the beginning.

This ASARCO Mine lies in the foothills of the Silverbell Mountains and shows by example how a mine in the Santa Rita Foothills would change the land forever.

MORE COPPER COUNTRY PHOTOS SEE SOUTHWEST PHOTOBANK GALLERY … CLICK HERE

El Paso Asarco clean-up Trustee Mr. Puga has absolutely refused to split any of the dirt/etc. samples he tests, so how can we believe any of his test results?! It was especially telling when he, the EPA (Charles Fisher) and TCEQ all absolutely refused to let me have a chain of custody (i.e. official) piece of slag from the Ionics Brine Distillation unit after it melted down --- it had been removing radioactive material from the site's process water since the illegal waste burning began. Slag, like what was left from it melting down, is well known as concentrating the bad stuff so it is easier to find when testing. One of our citizens had done full metals analyses through a CA emissions testing company of his 100 year old homes' attic dusts in 2003. One house was about 2 miles from the smelter and the other 3 miles. He never released the data publicly, and during a 2009 TCEQ, EPA US DOJ community meeting he explained how he'd given this data to Asarco to get compensated before/during the bankruptcy and they ignored him. Email from this person indicated it showed hafnium (found in nuclear control rods) was higher nearer the smelter than further away. He asked me to not release this information. After he allowed the public into the house he'd given me data for and they wanted to convert it into a coffee house, I released that full metals analysis; but, this citizen never shared all the test results with me or the community. Had he done so, many children would have been protected. We know know that Asarco, Dupont and Englehard --- all caught by EPA and the US DOJ as sending illegal wastes to be burned here (the EPA still refused to release the invoices listed by ID numbers in the 1998 73 page US DOJ EPA secret document NYTimes 10/2006) were US DOE HIGH LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL CONTRACTORS. TO THIS DAY none of them have been held responsible through the bankruptcy court for ANY of the illegal waste disposal damage to our community and its water. But, I was non-renewed and regionally blacklisted from working again after disclosing Asarco's impact to our water. Very Sad when the community was afraid to back me up publicly, and I watched this happen to at least two other people. # of the 5 who handled the process and vote to non-renew me were later caught in criminal conduct including stealing. One (a former policeman) was recently put into federal prison for four years. The community needs to know what actually happened so that the bad people who allowed a lot of this to go on do not continue to have the power they have. But many are extremely powerful and people are still afraid. Some pose as model citizens and you do not dare to challenge that. Dr. Davis (part of a team that won the 2007 Nobel Peace prize) thanked me for my courage, in a handwritten preface to her 2nd book; and, Mexican activist Selfa Chew (senior, Mother of Dr. Mariana Chew who worked for Sierra Club several years before abandoning the job for another to run the sewage treatment plant in Anapra NM), who started the first labor union across from Asarco wrote me a card in 2008 saying , " Gracias por compastir con migo tos Ideales" among other kind words for my work researching Asarco. One of my students wrote me years later, " I'm proud and honored that you were my biology teacher." I continue to thank those who stood by me, support me, and say good words not gossip to others.

ASARCO: dead silence

EPA and the Asarco El Paso Trustee have been totally silent after the ASARCO stacks came down, breaking into pieces releasing clouds of black soot containing radioactive materials. To this day they refuse to disclose how much radioactive Lead (Pb) is at the site, or strontium, and these are COMMON to copper smelters. Now Asarco is suing local El Paso quarry owner Jobe, (who served time in federal prison until Pres. Clinton pardoned him), RMC who bought his quarries for awhile, and Cemex. There is little information in the local papers on this lawsuit.

Total absence of any written replies from EPA, TCEQ or the TRUST. It is becoming extremely obvious that EPA and the TRUST are afraid to comment on Asarco and two other of the companies caught (see 10/2006 front page NYTimes story ) sending waste sludges and incinerator ash here throughout the 1990's -- that they were US DOE high level radioactive waste disposal contractors; or to comment that EPA reported just before Asarco El Paso idled that we had the highest beta radiation levels in the USA; and that attic dust metals reports show hafnium levels to be higher closer to the plant (a chemical found mostly in nuclear control rods). Why are they so afraid to write ANYTHING back? Because they carry liabilities, especially since releasing the soot from two stacks into a massive cloud that flowed over children and two countries. Just one good dust wipe of that soot , well documented/confirmed, would contain the physical evidence to win billions for residents of El Paso, possibly. For 8 years our agencies have denied us that sample.

EPA begs the question again on Asarco. No honest services when split samples are denied.

From: heamc 

To: "Sanchez,Carlos" , "aguavida, "kvia@kvia.com" , lorinda.gardner@tceq.texas.gov, "rardovino

Cc: "Gray,David" , "Fisher,Charles" , "Phillips,Pam" , "Meyer,John" , "Anderson,Israel"

Subject: RE: El Paso Demolition

Date: Apr 19, 2013 4:41 PM

Dear Mr. Sanchez, You are begging the question, providing no samples, claiming that "The EPA has released all non-confidential documents associated with past site activities" which is not true ---- the former EPA administrator promised us the open records release of all the invoices listed by number in the 73 page now public EPA U.S. D.O.J. 1998 Asarco confidential for settlement purposes only document.   We never got those invoices listing the illegal radioactive and hazardous wastes.  AND THEY ARE now PUBLIC DOMAIN.  The EPA never told us EVER that Asarco, Engelhard and Dupont were acting as high level radioactive waste disposal contractors. The top of both stacks clearly has been photographed during demolition releasing massive amounts of soot, which would contain at the least those illegal materials; and definitely sulfur, radioactive lead, arsenic, lead, cadmium, and asbestos/silica. Likely Beryllium. Definitely dioxins. The EPA HAS taken samples at Corpus Christi (refused to split samples) and here and it is wrong to assure us that everything is "Safe" without being willing to split samples with us.  Especially when there is precedent -- we already are correctly storing official soil samples.  If TCEQ is in charge of samples and not you, then you needed to include the Regional Director in your "cc" or "to" addresses. We have had wind gusts up to 35 mph all week, low visibility and everyone I have met is complaining about the symptoms.   People with COPD are coughing up very dark dusts, trying to clear their lungs.   Does EPA care?  They never have shown us full cooperation and help EVER here.  The children of Mexico across the smelter are not the only ones affected.   Mexico was smart enough to shut its closest elementary school down one week to thoroughly clean.  THAT DID NOT HAPPEN HERE.  The children still went to school in the dust.  When that happens it is common to see nose bleeds.  Lower Immune systems may occur, given the chemicals common to the illegal hazardous wastes that we know of (nerve agent quench water).  There are entire families with flu this week, now.   coincidence or not We have the map (on epgtlo) that shows the area marked by our EPA where the Asarco Encycle material was stored when it reached Asarco El Paso.   They were that worried about those illegal hazardous chemicals.  But during the demolition no one seemed worried about that same material exiting the tops and breaks in both stacks and flowing over neighborhoods and our water.  Why? The demolition of the stacks was not handled well.   The dust should have stayed on site; or the community and the water utilities notified that they'd be exposed. Mr. Puga claimed he had covered the American canal -- he failed to tell me on the telephone that he had not covered ANY of the open canal running right next to the 80 foot wall of Asarco slag (the cloud of dust flowed over the canal, the river into Mexico) but led me to believe he had covered the american canal.   The demolition could have been delayed until after the spring windy season.  Mr. Puga grew up here.   He knew we had a spring windy season. AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE AT EPA the Trustee/TRUST is NOT required to test for or clean up any of the hazardous wastes that went through ASARCO that ten years (http:epgtlo.blogspot.com).   They test, tell us everything is fine and refuse to give us key samples that would put all questions to rest -- so did Mr. Charles Fisher and the TCEQ rep. and Mr. Puga refuse to give us a two-inch official sample when we wanted a piece of slag from the Ionics brine distillation unit fire that had removed low level radioactive wastes from the plant's process waters. You say that the Governor is responsible for handling the issue of the dust that flowed into Mexico.  You failed to mention that the La Paz Accord EPA "JAC" committee chaired by EPA Bill Luthans since the years that Asarco illegally burned hazmat materials (and an Asarco rep. was on the council then, too) and a similar chair from Mexico usually have dealt with such problems, without avail.   Over 3 years ago I presented a Medical Peer review paper on the critical Radon (radium) problem in El Paso TX to the JAC and JAC/EPA did NOTHING. As I said, my confidence in the EPA is very low given how we have been consistently lied to or omitted key info. from the EPA over eight years.   I have called the White House and the new Admin.' office.  Something has to change.  We in El Paso, our children, deserve better than this.  You know that.  So do all the staff who live here near the Asarco stack; or the EPA staff who work in an office overlooking the site. Mrs. McMurray, m.s. biology certified science teacher 8-12 -----Original Message----- From: "Sanchez, Carlos"  Sent: Apr 17, 2013 2:04 PM To: heamc , "aguavida , "kvia@kvia.com" , "lorinda.gardner"   Cc: "Gray, David" , "Fisher, Charles" , "Phillips, Pam" , "Meyer, John" , "Anderson, Israel"  Subject: RE: El Paso Demolition Ms. McMurray, The EPA is not collecting spilt samples at the ASARCO site and therefore cannot provide samples to you.  EPA works through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality who has the lead for the oversight of cleanup activities at the site.  Please coordinate with them regarding the collection of spilt samples. The EPA believes that the stack testing conducted by the Trustee and information included in my previous e-mail, addresses your concerns regarding other contaminants that may be present at the site. The Trustee has conducted extensive testing during all cleanup activities and will continue testing site materials until the cleanup is completed. The EPA has released all non-confidential documents associated with past site activities.  We are including previous information that was provided to you regarding your concerns on radiation.  We are also including information regarding the Molycorp NORM materials. The EPA believes that the dust suppression methods being used at the site will address dust from the site.  If dust levels are exceeded, additional measures will be taken. Regarding the questions submitted by the children of Anapra, New Mexico to the New Mexico Governor, the EPA believes that the Governor’s office should respond to those questions. Carlos A. Sanchez Chief, Ark/Tx Section (6SF-RA) Superfund Division 214-665-8507 sanchez.carlos@epa.gov From: heamc [mailto:heamc@earthlink.net] Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 11:24 PM To: Sanchez, Carlos; aguavida@valornet.com; kvia@kvia.com; lorinda.gardner,rardovino Cc: Gray, David; Fisher, Charles; Edlund, Carl; Phillips, Pam; Meyer, John; Anderson, Israel Subject: Re: El Paso Demolition Mr. Sanchez, Will your bosses authorize you to give us an official chain of custody split stack sample(s)?  We have other samples in proper storage, and this is not an idle request.  Although the TCEQ has cooperated, the EPA has refused twice to release split samples to us. Otherwise I have no confidence in your test results, given the secrecy and lies our community has had to handle and deal with since this began back in 1987.   Our health, environmental governmental agencies, our courts have all failed to protect public health; and, worse of all given the documents we now have we realize the extent of it.  NO ONE in eight years in any FOIA or PIA request let us know that ASARCO had been acting as a High Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Contractor for the U.S. D.O.E. handling sites like Hanford and Oakridge.  In 1998 when the smelter decided to idle the plant, El Paso had the highest Beta radiation levels in the nation according to the EPA.    When I asked BIll Luthans and his health physicist about it, they played word games with me, saying it was normal background radiation and did not tell us about Molycorp and its high levels of NORM going through our plants.  Luthans has been here through the 1990's, serving as chair of the La Paz "JAC" for the USA along with an Asarco executive for many years.   That JAC has not even responded to the critical Radon problem documented in El Paso TX years ago, and presented to the JAC. Several years ago, Mr. Charles Fisher came here to the Asarco El Paso site and refused (along with the TCEQ rep. and Puga)  to release to me a 2 inch piece of slag from the Ionics Brine Distillation plant' fire that handled all the site's process waters, was installed during the 1990's, and was rated to remove LLRW.  He was not helpful, gave no new information, and maintained the status quo for the EPA.  Meanwhile, Puga was picking other stuff off the ground in buildings and handing it to me to "save". You know that our wind picks up late afternoon and goes full force at night.  Dust suppression "to control dust generated during the movement of stack concrete materials to the onsite landfill." will be of no help to us.  The dust can be tasted in the air and people need dust masks.  Good rated dust masks.  Handed out for free by our Public Health Dept.  Oops.  We do not have a public health dept. as of 3 years ago.  What shall we do -- ask our government for help?  Ask our medical community?  Ask our community leading citizens? (quote: "this site is perfect for infill"  "is a valuable piece of real estate" "do not worry, the smoke stayed in the valley". Thank you for writing but your response is hardly reassuring after the eight years I have put into trying to get actual scientific samples and real data from our government. IF YOU WANT MY CONFIDENCE then release all the invoices listed by invoice number in the 1998 73 page EPA US D.O.J. confidential for settlement purposes only document.  I was promised copies.   I am still waiting, years later.  I wonder why there is such resistance to releasing what is Public Information (once the invoice numbers were released in a public document, they became public information).  Release a full metals analysis like the one on my blog site done by a local citizen on the sludge sent from the Asarco El Paso main circulation pond to the dump in Robstown TX for disposal in 2006.  Answer the questions submitted by the children of Anapra N.M. regarding Asarco El Paso to the N.M. Governor/Ron Curry. You know that this site, even more than East Helena MT should be a Superfund Site, to be protective of public health and drinking water. Sincerely, Heather Mcmurray, m.s. biological sciences, certified science teacher -----Original Message-----  From: "Sanchez, Carlos" Sent: Apr 15, 2013 2:39 PM To: "heamc@earthlink.net" Cc: "Gray, David" , "Fisher, Charles" , "Edlund, Carl" , "Phillips, Pam" , "Meyer, John" , "Anderson, Israel" Subject: El Paso Demolition Ms McMurray, I am sending to you information regarding the testing of the ASARCO stack conducted prior to demolition.  Additional stack testing will be conducted prior to placement of the concrete materials in the onsite cell. Also, dust samples collected during demolition activities will be tested.  As soon as that information is available, we will provide it to you. During the handling of demolition materials, dust suppression methods, in accordance with the site workplan, will be used to control dust generated during the movement of stack concrete materials to the onsite landfill.  CAS Carlos A. Sanchez Chief, Ark/Tx Section (6SF-RA) Superfund Division 214-665-8507 sanchez.carlos@epa.gov

Asarco: Free from accountability for the ten years of illegal hazardous and radioactive wastes ?? Why.

Called Office of Legislative Affairs for the National Science Foundation.  They could not help and referred me to the EPA.   NSF gives grants to University Professors, like at UTEP, and should be holding those people accountable for any work pertaining to the diseases associated with the illegal hazardous Asarco wastes, our water supply's integrity; and, the integrity of the practice of science.

But that is not their initiative.  I was told that they give monies to new students to learn "science"; and, for stem cell research.

The Office couldn't wait to get me off the phone, which is very sad.  NSF was always the bulwark of science when I was growing up; and to see them turn away from the corruption of science, well that was just pathetic.

There is very little independent basic research being funded; and most Universities and it has traveled down to the high school level -- are focused on making monies, and teaching students the tools necessary for Industry.   True science teaching, like the background Rachel Carson got ("Silent Spring") and governmental agencies with the integrity that hers had, in Fish and Wildlife, are becoming rare.

Winds in El Paso TX are 35 mph currently at 2 PM WSW and beginning to gust on westside near asarco

NO ONE has promised to stabilize the asarco site with all its demolition debris and illegal hazardous waste chemicals during the night when winds in the desert can pick up significantly.  

EPA has not yet answered my request for split samples of the chemicals they are testing and sending "results".  It is all about monies.  We have 50 million for the cleanup plus whatever the Trust can sell.   His profit increases accordingly since he is part owner of the cleanup company.  They all just want all of us to forget asarco, and sweep it under the rug.

EPA insists that none of the asarco material is classified, but failed since 1987 to tell us that asarco was a high level radioactive waste disposal contractor;  failed to make the bankruptcy court hold asarco responsible for over ten years of secret hazardous and radioactive waste disposal; and allowed the trust off the hook, too.

I was told that the Trust tested the stack concrete for radioactive materials but did not incinerate any sample, which is how you test for alpha particles.

Now former Mayor rancis and others talk about this valuable real estate.  Land that they would not live or work on themselves.... Former Senator Shapleigh is no where to be seen - impossible to be held accountable for failing to tell his GTLO meeting folks about the planned developments of highways at the site.  At the end he had switched sides so far that he said all the land needed was a good powerwashing and had his UTEP students recommending adding student housing to the site.   Fortunately rumor is that UTEP now won't take the land even if given it.

ASARCO demolition smoke that flowed like water through miles of neighborhoods and the lower valley/Rio Grande

For all concerned, buy or get a library copy of Epidemiologist Dr. Devra Davis book " When smoke ran like water" @2005  or her copy of "A secret history of cancer" (Chptr. 13)

EPA offers information. But not the information we were promised. And, will they agree to split samples?

Cc: "Gray,David" , "Fisher,Charles" , "Edlund,Carl" , "Phillips,Pam" , "Meyer,John" , "Anderson,Israel"

Subject: Re: El Paso Demolition

Date: Apr 16, 2013 10:24 PM

Mr. Sanchez, Will your bosses authorize you to give us an official chain of custody split stack sample(s)?  We have other samples in proper storage, and this is not an idle request.  Although the TCEQ has cooperated, the EPA has refused twice to release split samples to us. Otherwise I have no confidence in your test results, given the secrecy and lies our community has had to handle and deal with since this began back in 1987.   Our health, environmental governmental agencies, our courts have all failed to protect public health; and, worse of all given the documents we now have we realize the extent of it.  NO ONE in eight years in any FOIA or PIA request let us know that ASARCO had been acting as a High Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Contractor for the U.S. D.O.E. handling sites like Hanford and Oakridge.  In 1998 when the smelter decided to idle the plant, El Paso had the highest Beta radiation levels in the nation according to the EPA.    When I asked BIll Luthans and his health physicist about it, they played word games with me, saying it was normal background radiation and did not tell us about Molycorp and its high levels of NORM going through our plants.  Luthans has been here through the 1990's, serving as chair of the La Paz "JAC" for the USA along with an Asarco executive for many years.   That JAC has not even responded to the critical Radon problem documented in El Paso TX years ago, and presented to the JAC. Several years ago, Mr. Charles Fisher came here to the Asarco El Paso site and refused (along with the TCEQ rep. and Puga)  to release to me a 2 inch piece of slag from the Ionics Brine Distillation plant' fire that handled all the site's process waters, was installed during the 1990's, and was rated to remove LLRW.  He was not helpful, gave no new information, and maintained the status quo for the EPA.  Meanwhile, Puga was picking other stuff off the ground in buildings and handing it to me to "save". You know that our wind picks up late afternoon and goes full force at night.  Dust suppression "to control dust generated during the movement of stack concrete materials to the onsite landfill." will be of no help to us.  The dust can be tasted in the air and people need dust masks.  Good rated dust masks.  Handed out for free by our Public Health Dept.  Oops.  We do not have a public health dept. as of 3 years ago.  What shall we do -- ask our government for help?  Ask our medical community?  Ask our community leading citizens? (quote: "this site is perfect for infill"  "is a valuable piece of real estate" "do not worry, the smoke stayed in the valley". Thank you for writing but your response is hardly reassuring after the eight years I have put into trying to get actual scientific samples and real data from our government. IF YOU WANT MY CONFIDENCE then release all the invoices listed by invoice number in the 1998 73 page EPA US D.O.J. confidential for settlement purposes only document.  I was promised copies.   I am still waiting, years later.  I wonder why there is such resistance to releasing what is Public Information (once the invoice numbers were released in a public document, they became public information).  Release a full metals analysis (like the one on my blog site done by a local citizen on his attic dust) on the sludge sent from the Asarco El Paso main circulation pond to the dump in Robstown TX for disposal in 2006.  Answer the questions submitted by the children of Anapra N.M. regarding Asarco El Paso to the N.M. Governor/Ron Curry. You know that this site, even more than East Helena MT should be a Superfund Site, to be protective of public health and drinking water. Sincerely, Heather Mcmurray, m.s. biological sciences, certified science teacher -----Original Message-----  From: "Sanchez, Carlos"  Sent: Apr 15, 2013 2:39 PM To: "heamc@earthlink.net"  Cc: "Gray, David" , "Fisher, Charles" , "Edlund, Carl" , "Phillips, Pam" , "Meyer, John" , "Anderson, Israel"  Subject: El Paso Demolition Ms McMurray, I am sending to you information regarding the testing of the ASARCO stack conducted prior to demolition.  Additional stack testing will be conducted prior to placement of the concrete materials in the onsite cell. Also, dust samples collected during demolition activities will be tested.  As soon as that information is available, we will provide it to you. During the handling of demolition materials, dust suppression methods, in accordance with the site workplan, will be used to control dust generated during the movement of stack concrete materials to the onsite landfill.  CAS Carlos A. Sanchez Chief, Ark/Tx Section (6SF-RA) Superfund Division 214-665-8507 sanchez.carlos@epa.gov

click on following

photo show of 100 stack/smoke asarco demolition pics

asks for a survey in the middle very annoying.  your choice or not to do the survey

Called regional office.  called national office who called regional office, who called back and will try to help during this windy season

The big wigs are drooling over development of this land, and have been since I was told that same thing at the 2005 Asarco Air Permit hearing. They are ignoring the 10/2006 Front Page NY Times story that we got from the EPA US DOJ 1998 confidential for settlement purposes only document (posted on my blog http://epgtlo.blogspot.com/) that tells us how poisonous that place is. Asarco was acting as an US Dept of Energy official high level radioactive waste disposal contractor (and where would a mining/smelting company get rid of HLRW stuff??) and so were two other companies listed in that secret 73 page document. It is appalling that a former mayor, mayor Cook and others were more concerned about salivating over the land (they think that 3 to 5 feet "infill" will make it clean for children or workers -- have they heard about underground arroyos there, and slag off-gassing and are they going to outlaw trees and other very deep rooted landscaping?) than they were about the children being exposed in Sunset Heights and Juarez. SHAME on these people. They have children. Why don't they seem to care about children?? Is MONEY more important to all of them -- the Love of Money -- than public health and safety? And by the way, we don't even have a City Health Dept. now. Gone for 3 years.... appalling just appalling.
-hmcmurray

Talked with County Judge office and then an attorney at the County Attorney's office.   The County does not believe that they had the jurisdiction ("right") to stop the demolition until after the Spring Storm windy season to protect public health, despite UTEP research by prominent scientists showing the dangers of the asarco/industrial re-suspended dusts here to the elderly, children, the ill.
Or the knowledge that after a chemical event like this there is a subtle 4 month die-off by that same demographic group (sick, old, very young) who are susceptible (Dr. D. Davis "when smoke ran like  water".

We can only pray that God will protect us with no winds for months, so that the people of old anapra mexico, anapra sunland Park and this region will be protected until the rebar is removed from all the concrete and the debris is covered.   But it will not protect us from the dusts that will escape and rest on our mountains until the next winds....

enticing children to view ASARCO STACKS demolition from near La Calvera (Trustee had offered to put those folks up in hotels that day)

Is it really true that there are jumping balloons being set up off of the Asarco stacks demolition dignitary viewing site on Executive drive?

Who is doing this --- enticing children to be within the one mile range of the site, near the demolition, when their body size to surface ratio is so great, and arsenic is absorbed (particularly arsenate) into their skin, lungs, their mouths/hands from the playing in the balloon --- and we and the Trustee know as FACT that arsenic exposure is dangerous, and for children it can cause M.S. when they grow up (Messita school study).  They are also claiming to be taking down the lead smelter.

I cannot believe that the demolition teams/contractors/trust would encourage children to view this like that.

Trustee hedging the truth?

Fugitive Dusts at Sunland Park and current Asarco demolition schedule
(email correspondence)

Roberto Puga
8:34 AM (2 hours ago)

Dear Ms. McMurray,

Thank you once again for your interest in the ASARCO project.

As is explained in detail on our website (here: http://www.recastingthesmelter.com/?page_id=86 ) the Trust has implemented an array of dust control measures to minimize the dust from the demolition.  Additionally, we have collected core samples from the stacks that show that the constituents of the stack concrete do not pose a danger.

The demolition plan has been prepared has been reviewed and accepted by both EPA and TCEQ (please see news article quoting TCEQ and EPA here: http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_22999917/prep-work-finished-demolition-at-asarco?IADID=Search-www.elpasotimes.com-www.elpasotimes.com ).

We have assembled a world class team of contractors to perform the demolition, who have decades of experience on high profile projects such as the ASARCO site.  We are confident we have done all we can to perform the demolition in as safe a manner as possible.

Regards,

Roberto Puga, P.G.
T:(714) 388-1802




Dear Mr Puga,
You still did not answer my question about face masks and ratings.

" Additionally, we have collected core samples from the stacks that show that the constituents of the stack concrete do not pose a danger."

That is impossible that the constituents so not pose a danger.   Why do you persist in saying that to the public?

We have enough peer reviewed published research to show that what you are doing --- and in the windy season -- is dangerous to public health; and, possibly up to 4 months after the event.

East Helena MT TV station recently replayed the footage of their stack demolitions ---- done by the same firm (Dykon, hired by you and Brandenburg) and there is a huge amount of dust just from that.

project Navigator will be breaking up the pieces of asbestos containing concrete from our stacks to manually pull out the rebar.

You should not have scheduled this demolition (see KVIA's recent weather interview about our spring storms)  during the time of our spring storms because of fugitive dusts.

Hmcmurray, ms biology

ps. followed up with personal phone call.  Trustee insists that they found no asbestos in the concrete. (there are several ways to test and several kinds of asbestos -- some tests will not show it). Said that workers will be breaking up the concrete, shaking it off the rebar to recover this metal, and that the workers will be wet, since they are working under dust control (water) protocol.  He said that they did not incinerate any samples when testing for radiation.  He would not comment on his incorrect comment to the public stating that slag is safe.  He would not give me an official chain of custody sample of the stack concrete -- absolutely refused.  Would not comment on him, the epa, the tceq absolutely refusing to give us an official chain of custody sample from the water distillation unit's slag (from its fire) that was rated to remove radioactive wastes.  Would not comment on the FACT that Asarco and two other companies caught sending illegal stuff to asarco (MASSIVE quantities) were US Dept. of Energy high level radioactive waste disposal  contractors and we were never told.  ever.  Would not comment on the hafnium data (found in nuclear control rods).
I thanked him for covering the american canal (our drinking water) for the demolition.   I hope that before the road closures citizens go out and get photos.

p.p.s.  Trustee lied by omission and did not explain that they covered only a partial section of the american canal in the IBWC area, and they did not cover (as of thursday) ANY of the drinking water flowing past asarco's stacks between Paisano and Asarco, in an open canal.   By the way, where will all that 500,000 gallons of jet-propelled water drain to?  Can the Asarco contrainment ponds contain this?  Rubber Lakes was never officially repaired after being shored up after the 2006 collapse of the side of it.  All that ran off into our drinking water at the entrance of Asarco.....

http://www.kvia.com/video/StormTRACK-Weather-Spring-Dust-Storms/-/421452/19675106/-/q67g45z/-/index.html


Hello, Mr Puga,
as I notified (by voice) Brandenburg's project manager, demolishing the stacks during the middle of our spring windy season is not protective of Public health.

UTEP has done research on the fugitive dusts (dusts stirred up again and again over time by winds) in the Sunland Park area caused by a single point source, Asarco, and said that these hurt people.

Why on earth are you and these contractors ignoring our public health to take down the stacks, dump the large stack into a hazardous waste arroyo next to it, and then break the asbestos concrete up to pull out the rebar ---- when it is our windy season?!

See KVIA link above.

You have said that the one project mgr will leave the same day and you will leave 2 days later.  Neither of you will be exposed the next four months constantly to these new fugitive dusts.

Delay the demolition or be known as the man who did not care about Public health, the principles as explained in the fugitive dust research paper (UTEP)

Most of the people I have talked with have already stated that the TRUST/Project navigator in continuing this blast-date despite all the UTEP research, show that they do not care about our public health.

What a shame, since it means people will get sick for 4 months after this event (if you need the reference call me), and it could be mitigated by delay until after the windy season.

hmcmurray

On Sat. morning, Mr Puga (project navigator) contracted Brandenburg Industrial services to contract Dykon demolition company to blow up both Asarco stacks.  Yesterday we had 50 MPH winds.  These winds pick up dirt into the air which are called "fugitive dusts".  When these dusts have chemicals in them that are bad for us, it hurts Public health.  Particularly it affects the elderly, ill and young.  Those people with asthma or c.o.p.d. are especially susceptible.

After the largest stack comes down it will fall into an arroyo feeding the Rio Grande, right on top of our aquifers.  This hazardous waste dump will be on top of a forty year old liner that may not last that long.   Workers will be taking the rebar out of the stack pieces.  It will make smaller pieces that despite water sprays can over many months become airborne dusts ---- fugitive dusts.

so why are these companies refusing to delay demolition until after the windy season??

(see KVIA channel 7 el paso tx current online video story about the spring windy season with weather reporter John Fausett, story from april 8 and http://www.kvia.com/video/StormTRACK-Weather-Spring-Dust-Storms/-/421452/19675106/-/q67g45z/-/index.html

"Each year the River Rouge coal plant in Detroit releases enough pollution to cause approximately 44 deaths, 72 heart attacks, and 700 asthma attacks, according to a 2010 study by the Clean Air Task Force" ( page 5 March 2013  "GREEN AMERICA").   Imagine how many potential deaths and illnesses might have resulted from the pollution coming out of the ASARCO facility, including the off-gassing from the slag on site and the ten years of illegal radioactive and other noxious/hazardous waste burning from Asarco El Paso ( NY Times 10/06 and report(s) from local citizen who ran CA emission firm tests on his attic dust -- see the scribe link-- and the Idaho national Laboratory).  

A book on Rocky Flats released today

To be published today June 5, Dr. Kristen Iversen " Full Body Burden: growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow".  

Wal-mart land by Executive-N.Mesa Drive to be developed next to Monticello by Geltmore

"EPT Land Communities, meantime, breaks ground May 12 [2011] on its massive $777-million Westside urban village named Montecillo. It will be located on almost 300 acres along Mesa Street between Castellano Drive and Festival Drive, and extending to Interstate 10. Less is known about a smart growth community[near Montecillo called "Aldea"] being developed by Geltmore, LLC... The property at Executive and I-10, adjacent to the Montecillo community, is owned by retail giant Wal-Mart, according to city economic development officials. ...."

http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/top_story/article_24b835f2-7738-11e0-bb50-0019bb30f31a.html

Geltmore has a history of doing land/retail development and sale to clients such as Wal-Mart (e.g. http://www.geltmore.com/geltmorestory.html ), which included at least one slap-suit (that the developers lost) against local citizen group(s) who did not want that development in their neighborhood.

The Aldea development would be located next to the El Paso west side sewage treatment plant, and the former Asarco facility (that the federal EPA and Dept. of Justice stated burned illegal hazardous wastes from 1991-1998).

Wal Mart installing concrete parking lots (2004)

"So why is the notoriously pennypinching company installing concrete parking lots? Simple – it recognizes that minimizing maintenance maximizes its investment in distribution centers that
serve an ever-growing number of stores. "

http://www.tnconcrete.org/tnconcrete/images/pdf_files/magazine/winter2004.pdf

USA Concrete Block maker in a China joint-venture

"In 1997, US-based SureBlock entered a joint venture with China's Tianjin People's Building Material Products Factory to make concrete masonry units (CMUs). Commonly known as concrete blocks....

"The ongoing challenge is to develop a [China] market for products for which there are no industry standards or construction codes. "This hinders sales until codes can be written," Crowley said....We often reprocess raw materials because of contamination."

http://www.munsonmachinery.com/CaseHistories/article.asp?ArtID=704

Wal-Mart citing green reasons for requiring fly-ash in its concrete flooring

"Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has changed their construction specifications to require all interior steel-troweled concrete floors placed at Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, Sam's Clubs, and Distribution Centers to contain 15% to 20% fly ash by cement substitution."
,
Fly ash is the residue left from incineration of various materials and can contain extremely hazardous chemicals. As methods for disposing of this toxic material at a low cost are few, many industries have looked to road building and building materials as means to dispose of this stuff cheaply. However, it remains controversial how safe these disposal methods are, because the chemicals are not permanently sealed within the concrete forever and ever.

Wal-Mart is the company that originally purchased around 300 acres of land at the N.Mesa-Executive Drive El Paso TX corner in 2005 from a realty-intermediary. Now development has begun on that site (less than one mile from the Asarco epi-center) to cluster high-density ("Smart code" i.e. "walkable" ) neighborhoods on that land, which is subjected to Asarco fugitive dusts and 100 years of chemical-deposition from the Asarco smelter emissions...

http://www.concreteconstruction.net/concrete-construction/adding-fly-ash-to-concrete-mixes-for-floor-constr.aspx

Foxconn Chair says that he wants to find out how the Taipei zoo manages animals because managing over one million human-animals gives him a headache

Foxconn is the main anchor industry at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry along the New Mexico- Mexico border within ten miles of the Asarco "epicenter"...

" 'Hon Hai (i.e. Foxconn) has a workforce of over one million worldwide and as human beings are also animals, to manage one million animals gives me a headache,' said Hon Hai chairman Terry Gou at a recent year-end party, adding that he wants to learn from Chin Shih-chien, director of Taipei Zoo, regarding how animals should be managed..."

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20120119000111&cid=1102

FoxConn V.P. Latin America was heard at Sunland Park Racetrack annual Nafta business meeting several years ago telling the audience that "Foxconn keeps the employees in dorms they are easier to control".... since that date Foxconn/Hon Hai has made international news because its employees were jumping out of the windows in suicidal leaps, requiring that the company install nets below to prevent more deaths. Hon Hai has since raised the salary levels.

Press Release "Santa Fe Gold Announces 2012 Smelter Contracts for Gold and Silver Sales Valued up to $30 Million"

"press release

Jan. 24, 2012, 8:30 a.m. EST

Santa Fe Gold Announces 2012 Smelter Contracts for Gold and Silver Sales Valued up to $30 Million

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Jan 24, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Santa Fe Gold Corporation /quotes/zigman/480818 SFEG +7.14% is pleased to announce it has entered into contracts with three smelters to sell a majority of its anticipated 2012 production of high-value precious metals concentrate and siliceous flux material. The three smelters include Aurubis AG in Germany, and Freeport -- McMoRan Miami Inc. and ASARCO LLC in Arizona. The 2012 contracts are valued in the aggregate up to $30 million at current gold and silver prices. Santa Fe's Lordsburg flotation mill produces gold and silver concentrate from its Summit mine located in southwest New Mexico. The company also produces silica flux material, the sale of which involves direct shipment of ore with only minimal processing required.

"We are pleased to have reached agreements for sales of a majority of our 2012 concentrates and silica flux," said Pierce Carson, President and Chief Executive Officer. "The contract with Aurubis provides for deliveries of up to 360 tons of concentrate, and the contracts with FMI Miami and Asarco provide for a total of up to 48,000 tons of silica flux. These contracts reflect a realization of our marketing strategy of developing multiple customer outlets and multiple revenue streams."

Dr. Carson continued, "Sales of flux to FMI Miami and Asarco are significant to Santa Fe and could account for a substantial portion of ore mined at Summit. Smelter flux sales also add another dimension to our strategy of expanding Santa Fe's production profile by processing other ores from the Lordsburg area, utilizing our excess milling capacity. Among other potential advantages, material sold as smelter flux does not have to be milled and therefore frees even more capacity at our Lordsburg mill."

The Summit mine is expected to reach full, steady production during the first quarter of calendar 2012. Revenues are expected to increase significantly over the course of 2012 reflecting increases in both tonnage and grades. Annual life of mine revenue at full production is estimated to be approximately $40 million at recent gold and silver prices. Ore reserves are estimated to average 0.143 ounces per ton gold and 10.78 ounces per ton silver (0.35 ounces per ton gold equivalent). Direct operating costs are projected to be $364 per ounce of gold equivalent produced over the life of the mine.

About Santa Fe Gold: Santa Fe Gold is a U.S.-based mining and exploration enterprise focused on acquiring and developing gold, silver, copper and industrial mineral properties. Santa Fe controls: (i) the Summit mine and Lordsburg mill in southwestern New Mexico, which began processing operations in 2010; (ii) a substantial land position near the Lordsburg mill, comprising the core of the Lordsburg Mining District; (iii) the Ortiz gold property in north-central New Mexico; (iv) the Black Canyon mica deposit and processing equipment near Phoenix, Arizona; and (v) a deposit of micaceous iron oxide (MIO) in western Arizona. Santa Fe Gold intends to build a portfolio of high-quality, diversified mineral assets with an emphasis on precious metals.

To learn more about Santa Fe Gold, visit www.santafegoldcorp.com ."

also see
" Santa Fe Gold Announces 2012 Smelter Contracts for Gold and Silver ...
MarketWatch
The three smelters include Aurubis AG in Germany, and Freeport -- McMoRan Miami Inc. and ASARCO LLC in Arizona. The 2012 contracts are valued in the ..."

Community Pleads with El Paso Asarco Trust to protect the children; Trust replied with stock answer

"Leave a response - Recasting the Smelter | Former ASARCO ...
I plead with you, to examine your conscience, your faith and values as a human- being: do not let children grow up on the old Asarco site. Tell the community the ...
www.recastingthesmelter.com/?p=2515
"

The Irony of it

Now, in 2012, Sec. Salazar came to El Paso Texas to look at the El Paso Desalination plant -- without any mention that Asarco El Paso has contaminated our surface drinking water supply and all of our irrigation district waters. Will El Paso TX get any of the over 190 million dollars (below) to remediate the old American Canal and clean the Asarco-chemical-plume that reaches the Rio Grand? No. The Asarco Bankruptcy, the Department of the Interior and other Governmental Agencies have acted as if the Asarco burning of illegal secret hazardous wastes from 1991 to 1998 never happened.

"December 10, 2009

Contact:
Georgia Parham 812-334-4261 x 1-203

ASARCO Settlement Provides $194 Million for Federal, State and Tribal Wildlife and Habitat Resource Restoration

Agreement includes Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District and Tri-State Mining District in southwest Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that an environmental damage settlement with ASARCO LLC, a North American mining conglomerate, would provide about $194 million for the recovery of wildlife, habitat and other natural resources managed by Interior, state and tribal governments at more than a dozen sites.

“Through this historic settlement, the American public is compensated for the damage and loss of natural resources resulting from ASARCO’s past mining, smelting and refining operations,” Secretary Salazar said. “Were it not for this agreement, these injured resources would either remain impaired for future generations or require taxpayer expenditures to achieve environmental restoration.”

“This is a milestone not only for the Federal Government but also for Interior and its Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program,” Salazar said. “It exemplifies government working effectively for the American taxpayer to recover damages from polluters and restore and protect significant national landscapes and wildlife resources that have been injured.”

Assistant Secretary for Fish Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland called the settlement the type of environmental enforcement action that ensures that those responsible for polluting the nation’s landscapes and waterways are made to pay for their actions. “I want to commend the extraordinary level and amount of federal, state and tribal cooperation and coordination that accomplished this settlement,” Strickland said.

He also thanked representatives on the case teams that developed the claims, including Interior personnel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, other federal agencies and state and tribal governments for their professionalism and dedication. “The settlement demonstrates the ability of Interior’s bureaus and offices to work cooperatively and productively on behalf of the public – and especially the taxpayers – to achieve major benefits for the environment.”

The Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District spans multiple counties from 40 to 90 miles south southwest of St. Louis, Missouri and is located in the Big River/Meramec River, Black River, and St Francois River watersheds. It is one of the largest lead producing regions of the world. Natural resources affected by mining-related contamination include surface water, groundwater, fish, migratory birds, endangered species of fresh-water mussels and their supporting ecosystems, including sediment and floodplain areas. Lead mining continues in the New Lead Belt, also called the Viburnum Trend, and the region continues to be the nation’s top lead producer.

Heavy-metal mine, mill, and smelter wastes from Asarco’s operations covers thousands of acres of land in St. Francois, Madison, Iron, and Reynolds counties. Two National Priority List Superfund sites and an active mining and processing district are contained within the Southeast Missouri Lead Mining District affected by Asarco. Runoff from these operations has contributed to contamination of sediment in over 100 miles of streams including Flat River Creek, Big River, Adair Creek, Logan Creek, Sweetwater Creek, West Fork of the Black River, Logtown Branch, Little St. Francois River, and Big Creek. Interior and the State of Missouri jointly received $41.2 million for natural resource damages at five sites in the District. Interior received approximately $274,000 to reimburse past assessment costs.

The Tri-State Mining District spans 2,500 square miles, including parts of southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri and northeast Oklahoma. The District is located in the Spring River and Neosho River watersheds, both of which flow generally south, terminating in the headwaters of Grand Lake O’ the Cherokee. Natural resources affected by mining-related contamination include surface water, fish, migratory birds, freshwater mussels and threatened and endangered species and their supporting habitat, such as sediments. Interior, the states of Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma and six American Indian tribes jointly received $62.4 million for natural resource damages in the District. Interior received $2.3 million to reimburse past assessment costs.

Trustees for natural resources affected by mining operations in the Tri-State Mining District include two Interior Department bureaus - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the states of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, and several tribes: Cherokee Nation; Eastern Shawnee Tribe; Ottawa Tribe; Peoria Tribe; Seneca-Cayuga Tribe; and Wyandotte Nation. The Trustees for each site have completed or are now drafting plans to restore injured natural resources.

In Missouri, ASARCO conducted operations in Jasper and Newton counties. Mining and milling operations generated about 150 million short tons of waste scattered over 7,500 acres in Jasper County, affecting waterways such as Center Creek, Turkey Creek, Short Creek and their tributaries. Similar conditions occurred in Newton County, affecting Shoal Creek and its tributaries, and Lost, Sycamore, and upper Center creeks. The Interior Department and the State of Missouri will receive $20.1 million for Jasper and Newton counties. The Trustees for these sites are developing a draft restoration plan and anticipate releasing the draft for public review and comment in spring 2010.

The Tri-State Mining area is a mix of tallgrass prairie and hardwood forests. Commercial mining began in about 1848 in Missouri and moved westward into Kansas and southward into Oklahoma. Commercial smelters occurred in all three states within Tri-State. Historically, lead was the ore of primary interest; however, the ore was rich in zinc deposits, and zinc production became increasingly important over time. The Jasper County site was designated a Superfund site in 1990; the Newton County site was added in 2003.

Funds will be deposited into Interior’s Natural Resource Damage Assessment and
Restoration Fund and will be used to restore, rehabilitate, replace, and/or acquire the
equivalent of the injured natural resources managed by Interior and jointly managed with
state and tribal agencies. The majority of this amount is a joint claim with federal, state,
and tribal co-trustees, depending on the site.

For more information on the ASARCO settlement in Missouri, visit www.fws.gov/midwest/nrda/index.html
"

Sept. 2011 El Paso Mayor border affairs refers to Punto Colonet and Ferromex Santa Teresa Port of Entry Plan

"Calderón's capital projects plan includes the proposed rail bypass that would connect rail service in Juárez from San Jeronimo-Santa Teresa to the Guadalupe-Tornillo border crossings......"Mayors John Cook and Jose Reyes Ferriz of El Paso and Juárez are unhappy with the proposal, which they believe will disrupt vehicular traffic in Juárez during several years of construction, lead to an increase flow of dangerous cargo through heavily populated neighborhoods and undercut efforts to move cross-border rail traffic to a new port of entry at Santa Teresa, New Mexico," a 2008 cable said.....Robert Andrade, Cook's border affairs aide, said Calderón wanted the Santa Teresa rail bypass and rail border crossing because it is part of a plan for a new major seaport at Punto Colonet in Baja California, a project that is still pending."

from: "WikiLeaks cable: El Paso, Juárez mayors didn't like rail project"

By Diana Washington Valdez \ EL PASO TIMES

Posted: 09/08/2011

Foxconn expands to Brazil...proximity to airfields a factor

"Foxconn to manufacture iPads in Brazil

Friday, 14 October 2011 00:00

By Lara Holmes

The Taiwanese firm Foxconn confirmed that it will begin manufacturing iPads in Brazil in December [2011] but is still negotiating a multimillion-dollar expansion plan in the country, said senior executives of the company and Brazilian government officials on Thursday.Rousseff President first announced the intention of Foxconn to build Apple Tablet popular in Brazil for an official visit to China in April [2012] ....Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou, and the Brazilian Minister of Science and Technology, Aloizio Mercadante, told reporters Thursday that the company begin to assemble the iPads locally in December at its plant in Jundiai, in the state of Sao Paulo.....Logistical factors such as proximity to airports, are key issues in this decision, the minister explained."

Santa Teresa N.M. Airport near Port of Entry is adding/changing airport runway(s), and opinion is that these would be capable of accommodating cargo planes.

Ferromex

"Ferromex still has $160.8 million dollars"

Tuesday, 11 October 2011 00:00

Asarco's owner Grupo Mexico owns Ferromex (and Carlyle Group owns more than 20% of Grupo Mexico)

The Asarco El Paso Cleanup TRUST has no feduciary responsibility to remediate or report on the secret materials Asarco incinerated between 1991-1998

What do Asarco's owners Grupo Mexico (Ferromex Railroad), Punta Colonet Pacific Seaport , Santa Teresa N.M. Port of Entry and Foxcon
have in common? They all depend upon development within ten miles of Asarco's secret hazardous waste incinerator (1991-1998) --- the contamination likely stretched out 30 miles (1000 square miles); and, the secret wastes (which included radioactive materials) should have been vetted before any of this port-development, railroad development, and Asarco-site-cleanup/development occurred....

http://puntacolonetmega-port.blogspot.com

"Sunday, December 12, 2010

Punta Colonet Mega-Port to be Bid in Spring 2011, Regardless of Panama Canal Expansion, Says Mexico Secretary of Communications & Transportation; Ferromex/Union Pacific Considering Bidding on Rail Portion"

Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory

Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory

For more information about this company, who is the keystone-company at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry, search this blog for "Foxcon" or google the internet for "Foxcon asarco".

asarco "former General Manager of the Mission Complex in Sahuarita, AZ "will take over duties as Argonaut's COO""

"Argonaut Gold Announces New Chief Operating Officer
Marketwire
Mr. Rhoades is the former General Manager of the Mission Complex in Sahuarita, AZ for Asarco LLC. He will take over duties as Argonaut's COO on January 3, ..."

"About Argonaut Gold

Argonaut is a Canadian gold company engaged in exploration, mine development and production activities. Its primary assets are the production-stage El Castillo Mine in the State of Durango, Mexico, the development stage and past producing La Colorada project, the advanced exploration San Antonio project, and several exploration stage projects, all of which are located in Mexico."

" Google Alert - asarco Arizona Silver Belt ADEQ to renew permit for ASARCO Hayden smelter"

"Arizona Silver Belt ADEQ to renew permit for ASARCO Hayden smelter
Officials of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality say they have reached a preliminary decision and are proposing to issue an Air Quality Renewal ...
www.silverbelt.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0..."

Google Alert - asarco "EPA Region 7 to Host News Conference Dec. 15 to ...."

"EPA Region 7 to Host News Conference Dec. 15 to ....
U.S. EPA.gov
From the early 1870s until it closed in 1997, the ASARCO plant emitted lead and other heavy metals into the atmosphere from smoke stacks and fugitive ...
"

"WHO: EPA Regional Administrator Karl Brooks, Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle, Nebraska State Sen. Brenda Council and Douglas County Health Director Dr. Adi Pour

In 1998, the Omaha City Council solicited assistance from EPA in addressing problems with lead contamination in area soils, prompted by cleanup activities at the former ASARCO lead processing facility along the west bank of the Missouri River in Omaha.  From the early 1870s until it closed in 1997, the ASARCO plant emitted lead and other heavy metals into the atmosphere from smoke stacks and fugitive emissions."  [this site closed after EPA Region 6 and Federal DOJ discovered that Asarco had been running an illegal multi-state hazardous waste incineration operation -- sending wastes from Corpus Christi TX to El Paso TX, E. Helena MT (with some products then shipping to Globe CO) -- did some go to Region 7's Kansas City Asarco?]

Now Houghton and others want to build a highway through the ASARCO site -- still without disclosing the illegal highly poisonous wastes

"Another proposal would align the project's northern section about 150 feet away from I-10 through the Asarco site. Some black slag, a smelting byproduct piled on the site, could provide road bed material, filling in depressions along the highway route, Houghton said. Although some of the slag could leach contamination and will be buried in high-tech landfills, analysis has shown much of it is safe for such highway construction use, officials have said.

An environmental impact study also is under way, Houghton said."  El Paso Times 12-7-11

See google alert:
"Input sought for Loop 375 West
El Paso Times
It will connect the Border Highway with Interstate 10 through the Chihuahuita neighborhood and the former Asarco smelter property. New construction will be ..."

Investigator stated that Asarco confidential settlement in 1998 "a sellout of the public"

"With the government cornered into signing this consent decree you, USA, Texas and the US-EPA lose all
rights upon the acceptance of this decree, which to me is a sell out of the public, since you are
supposed to look out for public interest."...."The TNRCC, has received some of these objections,
faxed to Albert M. Bronson, Asst. Attorney General on 5/26/99."

EPA FOIA document