City wants Asarco permit revised

The city of El Paso on Wednesday requested that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality reopen Asarco's air quality renewal case in an effort city officials say is to correct previous decisions that ...

[Steve -El Paso Rockport]

Having taken ASARCO to court before, I know one can never trust them. Any long time resident should know this.
ITs great Mayor Cook is going after them!

[Wake Up El Paso]

Steve -El Paso Rockport wrote:

Having taken ASARCO to court before, I know one can never trust them. Any long time resident should know this.
ITs great Mayor Cook is going after them!

And we can trust lawyers and politicians more? Especially El Paso lawyers and politicians? The rules should be applied across the board evenly for every business and if a business is able to meet the requirements then they should be allowed to operate. If they cannot meet the requirements then do not allow them to operate or shut them down as needed. It's that simple. Get the emotion and politics out of this issue and be fair about it.

[Jaime Herrera]

City leaders have turned ASARCO into a Frankenstein monster. Unfortunately, the people who need the jobs which ASARCO will create have no voice. When ASARCO reopens, it can actually serve as a laboratory for those people wishing to study ways to reduce pollution. If the ASARCO adversaries were really sincere environmentalists, they would all be riding bicycles.

[Wake Up El Paso failed]

This is not about work for El Paso, ASARCO has no intention of ever opening again, how can they during bankruptcy? Now with their air permit they can avoid clean up and comfortably continue with their bankruptcy proceedings leaving their creditors unpaid and possibly leaving El Paso holding the bag for land remediation. This is the same company that left this city high and dry years ago and now they have that audacity to say that questioning their motives is wrong. Maybe a generation ago the city would have responded with the obligatory “si mi capitan” but not this time. The money spent on this resistance is chump change compared to the cleanup cost the city may be liable for after credit restructuring. It seems the pro-ASARCO side is suffering from a strong emotional link, but in the end they will be the ones feeling most betrayed, because of they’re willingness to bet away the city on a bankrupt horse.

[Jason]

STOP ASARCO and keep El Paso from getting more polluted. It is never worth exchanging jobs for polluting industries. It only invites more polluting industry.

[Wake Up El Paso]

Wake Up El Paso failed wrote:

This is not about work for El Paso, ASARCO has no intention of ever opening again, how can they during bankruptcy? Now with their air permit they can avoid clean up and comfortably continue with their bankruptcy proceedings leaving their creditors unpaid and possibly leaving El Paso holding the bag for land remediation. This is the same company that left this city high and dry years ago and now they have that audacity to say that questioning their motives is wrong. Maybe a generation ago the city would have responded with the obligatory “si mi capitan” but not this time. The money spent on this resistance is chump change compared to the cleanup cost the city may be liable for after credit restructuring. It seems the pro-ASARCO side is suffering from a strong emotional link, but in the end they will be the ones feeling most betrayed, because of they’re willingness to bet away the city on a bankrupt horse.

I personally don't care one way or the other whether ASARCO ever opens again since I will not be working there. My point is that the rules are waht should be followed, not emotional or political arguments. All of the arguments against ASARCO could just as easily be used against the businesses allied with the politicians and lawyers fighting ASARCO (Western Refining?) Apply the same rules across the board for ALL and stop the tear-jerk arguments and backroom political deals.6937

[Wasted taxpayer money]

More wasted tax dollars. more Attorneys fees, makes you wonder who's getting paid this time.

Go ahead raise our taxes again!

[LINDY PATTERSON]

How about this, when the City stops polluting our air with all thier buses, autos and trucks, and they get all the roads in Mexico paved, and of course shutr down all of the Armys tranports, then tell ASARCO to stay shut down. Sense ASARCO shut down the pollution has gotten much worst,it has moved far along the mountains then it was when ASARCO was operating.

[Bikerknight]

Wake Up El Paso Faile, located in Austin:

You seem very acquainted with the intentions of the ASARCO board of directors. If, as you say, they intend only to seek protection from creditors, the air quality permit is only a delaying tactice. Certain chapters of bankruptcy allow for protection from creditors during a period of reorganization. In order to get a reorganization approved, a reorganization and business plan must be generated. This is the only way an air quality permit would help them. When they fail to reorganize and resume operations, they would again be vulnerable to those claims from which the reorganization protected them. In other words, I don't believe you, and you have done nothing to convince me that this is all part of some conspiracy worthy of an hour or two per night with Art Bell.
If ASARCO resumes operations, it will be better for El Paso air quality than any new facility that might otherwise be built south of everyone's favorite border.

[Rube]

Asarco had their ducks in a row and John Crook didn't.

[El Paso Plan]

1. Shut down Businesses that aren't in our hip pocket.(i.e. ASARCO)

2. Promote polluting businesses in our hip pocket.
(i.e. Western Refinery)

3. Fight the State of Texas.

4. Fight the United States of America,
Especially the Department of Homeland Security.

5. Raise property taxes.

6. Raise property valuations to further raise property taxes.

7. Raise water, electric & sewer rates.

8. Start new storm water run off tax.

9. Reduce city services.

10. Raise pay for mayor, city council, city manager.
Also raise pay for department heads and other administrative personnel who need more staff to calculate the next tax increases.

Well Done C(r)ook, this is an excellent plan to put ordinary El Pasoans into bankruptcy.

[Harry J]

The citizens and local government of El Paso have an opportunity to join the 21st century and demand clean air and a move toward a more progressive future for the City. This is not 1970 anymore where begging for a job meant giving away the health and image of the community. Arasco is a trial case whereas El Paso will be seen as a growing and progressive community or just the same old City where prople only stop for gasoline, on their way some place else. Support the fight against Asarco opening, because it is the right thing to do for yourself, family and the City.

[Wake Up El Paso]

El Paso Plan wrote:

1. Shut down Businesses that aren't in our hip pocket.(i.e. ASARCO)
2. Promote polluting businesses in our hip pocket.
(i.e. Western Refinery)
3. Fight the State of Texas.
4. Fight the United States of America,
Especially the Department of Homeland Security.
5. Raise property taxes.
6. Raise property valuations to further raise property taxes.
7. Raise water, electric & sewer rates.
8. Start new storm water run off tax.
9. Reduce city services.
10. Raise pay for mayor, city council, city manager.
Also raise pay for department heads and other administrative personnel who need more staff to calculate the next tax increases.
Well Done C(r)ook, this is an excellent plan to put ordinary El Pasoans into bankruptcy.

You left off a side issue for #7: Allow garbage collectors to cite people for trash can infractions further increasing our water/sewer bill.

[Tony]

Harry J wrote:

Support the fight against Asarco opening, because it is the right thing to do for yourself, family and the City.

blah...blah...blah....

Get a life.

[Cynthia]

LINDY PATTERSON wrote:

How about this, when the City stops polluting our air with all their buses, autos and trucks, and they get all the roads in Mexico paved, and of course shut down all of the Army's tranports, then tell ASARCO to stay shut down. Since ASARCO shut down the pollution has gotten much worst,it has moved far more along the mountains then it was when ASARCO was operating.

Exactly!
Not to mention the pollution in Jaurez has incresed by about a million percent since ASARCO was closed, but the mayor didn't dare open his fat mouth about that.

[s mcgranthis]

Asarco must stay shut for good! In my view, Asarco's management sought the permit in order to increase the value of Asarco's asset, which are now for sale to the highest bidder. What the new management will do is anyone's guess.

As far as personal complaints about the mayor, they should stay personal. He is doing an excellent job on this issue and some of you who are complaining should get a better education so you do not have to beg for jobs where you sell yourself short and your fellow citizens. Just because you do not care about your or your family's health does not mean another does not care about theirs.
SHUT DOWN ASARCO AND KEEP IT SHUT. If you need a job at a place like Asarco, get an education, as I have said, and then get a job for the 21st century.
Stop personal attacks on the mayor because in spite of what you say he is doing an excellent job!!!!!!!!

Regarding pariality against facilities such as Asarco, read the respective submitted documents for both sides of the issue. They are public information and you can inform yourself easily of the validity of each side's claims. Stop shooting from the hip uninformed. And don't delude yourselves as though you know what you are talking about when you don't. Bottom line: EPA would not have raised the questions they did in their recent letter if the Texas commission had followed the rules and regulations as specified.

Others, take a course in argumentation or informal logic. Your conclusions do not follow from your premises; that is where you have considered such. Implying that Asarco should open because the air is so polluted from other sources, like the city buses, is ignorance at best.

[LINDY PATTERSON]

s mcgranthis wrote:

Asarco must stay shut for good! In my view, Asarco's management sought the permit in order to increase the value of Asarco's asset, which are now for sale to the highest bidder. What the new management will do is anyone's guess.
As far as personal complaints about the mayor, they should stay personal. He is doing an excellent job on this issue and some of you who are complaining should get a better education so you do not have to beg for jobs where you sell yourself short and your fellow citizens. Just because you do not care about your or your family's health does not mean another does not care about theirs.
SHUT DOWN ASARCO AND KEEP IT SHUT. If you need a job at a place like Asarco, get an education, as I have said, and then get a job for the 21st century.
Stop personal attacks on the mayor because in spite of what you say he is doing an excellent job!!!!!!!!
Regarding pariality against facilities such as Asarco, read the respective submitted documents for both sides of the issue. They are public information and you can inform yourself easily of the validity of each side's claims. Stop shooting from the hip uninformed. And don't delude yourselves as though you know what you are talking about when you don't. Bottom line: EPA would not have raised the questions they did in their recent letter if the Texas commission had followed the rules and regulations as specified.
Others, take a course in argumentation or informal logic. Your conclusions do not follow from your premises; that is where you have considered such. Implying that Asarco should open because the air is so polluted from other sources, like the city buses, is ignorance at best.

I am surer that someoned that lives in BIG SPRINGS knows all about El Paso. I am a retired engineer and have lived in El Paso sense 1978. hat about you,do you live in El Paso ? Do you have any idea what is going on here? Talk about ignorance !

[ASARCO Failed]

Bikerknight wrote:

Wake Up El Paso Faile, located in Austin:
Certain chapters of bankruptcy allow for protection from creditors during a period of reorganization. In order to get a reorganization approved, a reorganization and business plan must be generated. This is the only way an air quality permit would help them. When they fail to reorganize and resume operations, they would again be vulnerable to those claims from which the reorganization protected them. In other words, I don't believe you, and you have done nothing to convince me that this is all part of some conspiracy worthy of an hour or two per night with Art Bell.
If ASARCO resumes operations, it will be better for El Paso air quality than any new facility that might otherwise be built south of everyone's favorite border.

By "certain chapters of bankrupcy" you mean to say I don't know but I guess. And explain what might a buisness plan state, now the site will be a amusment park? What is your point? Credit restructuring is set by a judge, you never know what will be decided Your claim is that the permit may not offer a form of protection, but I ask how can it not? Clearly you and I can not perdict what a bankrupcy judge will decide but the issuse are not so kingdom of nigh as you suggest. Also, describing bankrupcy from the seat of your pants may work in El Paso but not here.