Students fight Asarco
Adriana Gomez Licon
Issue date: 2/12/08 Section: News
|
"If the permit is denied, it will be the first time in the history of our state that the government has denied an air-permit renewal application," said Dave Cortez, environmental justice organizer for El Paso Associations of Community Organizations for Reform Now. "If they approve the permit, it will mark a day in history that our city immediately became home to the seventh-largest emitter of lead in the United States and second in Texas behind Asarco's Amarillo plant."
TCEQ denied a request by the city to postpone the hearing last Friday.
The city of El Paso requested a delay to the hearing pending the announcement of new measures by the Environmental Protection Agency set to be released in September of this year.
"Asarco is asking for a permit to put 7,000 tons of contaminants in our air, while in Washington D.C., EPA is restricting air pollution," said state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso. "We ought to wait for these new rules to come to Texas."
TCEQ also denied a request to change the venue to accommodate about 300 community members who wanted to be present during the public hearing. Community groups remain hopeful they will be able to voice their concerns about the smelter.
Students from different organizations, such as the Student Government Association, Students for Reform and Environmental Advocates, rallied yesterday morning at UTEP's Memorial Triangle to let people know they were planning to attend tomorrow's hearing at 1 p.m.
Daniel Arellano, a former Asarco employee of 24 years who now suffers from blood disorders, claims his illness came from the company's emission of hazardous chemicals. He also said the TCEQ commissioners don't seem to care about the smelter's potential health impacts.
Be the first to comment on this story