A news release from Asarco, LLC, followed by some comments from local officials and community members:
El Paso, February 3, 2009 – Today ASARCO LLC informed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that it does not intend to reopen its El Paso, Texas Copper Plant. The decision is based on the dramatic downturn of the world economy in the last six months.
Thomas L. Aldrich, Vice President of Environmental Affairs commented, “We’ve always believed that an operating copper smelter is the best use of our property in El Paso and we have worked hard toward the goal of reopening the smelter. Unfortunately, due to the extreme economic conditions world wide that have occurred during the last six months, we can no longer financially afford to continue pursuing that goal.”
ASARCO is working with the state of Texas to fund a custodial trust for the demolition of the plant and remediation of the site. Any custodial trust must be approved by the bankruptcy court that is overseeing ASARCO’s reorganization effort. Today’s decision will not affect ASARCO’s operating copper refinery in Amarillo, Texas.
Aldrich added, “We’re deeply saddened by this decision and we’d like to thank all of our many supporters in El Paso and Texas. We also want to assure the community that we’re working to ensure that our property is left in a condition that will be an asset to a great community that we have enjoyed working and living in for more than 110 years.”
Asarco has been a proud part of El Paso since 1887. The El Paso Plant was put on temporary shutdown in February of 1999. ASARCO filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on August 9, 2005. ASARCO is an integrated copper mining, smelting and refining company with approximately 2,600 employees. The Company operates mines, mills and a smelter in Arizona and a refinery in Texas. For more information, visit http://www.asarco.com.
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News release from the office of El Paso state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh:
Today ASARCO LLC informed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that it will not reopen its copper smelter in El Paso, citing the nation's economic downturn. In February 2008, ASARCO was granted permission by the TCEQ to put more than 7,000 tons of pollutants into our air, including 2.59 tons of lead and 6,673 tons of sulfur dioxide. Senator Eliot Shapleigh (D- El Paso) issued the following statement on ASARCO's decision:
“Now, we can move to a new era of better jobs, clean skies and healthier neighborhoods. Winning this battle with ASARCO is as important to our future as creating the medical school. Since the 1880’s, ASARCO has defined our past—now our talent and aspirations will define our future,” Senator Shapleigh said.
ASARCO has left taxpayers from 75 communities in 16 states—from Tacoma, Washington to Corpus Christi, Texas— with billions in environmental remediation and clean-up costs. In El Paso, the smelter has contaminated at least 1,097 homes and businesses with lead and arsenic.
ASARCO was fined $5.5 million and ordered to conduct $15 million in environmental projects by the Environmental Protection Agency for allegedly illegally transporting, storing, and processing hazardous waste in El Paso. Senator Shapleigh said he will work to make sure those cleanup commitments are honored.
For more information on Asarco in El Paso, please click here.
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State Rep. Norma Chavez:
"We have a final decision, it is time to move forward. The global economic downturn helped ASARCO come to this decision. We can now work on PM10 air quality strategies to ensure we maintain our attainment status."
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El Paso Mayor John Cook:
"It definitely fits in with what my vision for the first 21st century is -- an Asarco-less city. I still would like to work with them to see what we do with the site and remediation.
"We may have to ask the government to declare it a Super Fund site to get federal funds for remediation. We can't just leave it like it is."
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City Rep. Steve Ortega:
"That's great news. It makes the El Paso-Juarez community more attractive for investment because Asarco was a vestige of industry that placed environmental concerns at the bottom of the priority list.
"The 21st Century economy places a premium on job creation and promotes the use of technology while respecting our environment."
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Bill Addington, environmental justice chair and border issues chair of the Rio Grande Sierra Club chapter
"The Sierra Club and of course me having worked on it as an affected party in the contested case hearing process ... we're definitely pleased Asarco will not open again.
"However, we're very concerned and always have been about the existing contamination, whether Asarco is closed or not.
"We certainly don't want them to pave over the problem of the existing contamination, which will affect the people of El Paso and Juarez for years to come.
"We don't want them to simply demolish the structures on the property, and we want full disclosure for the people of El Paso of what is there on the property and in the surrounding area."
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Heather McMurray, Sunland Park Grassroots Environmental Group
"We know the Asarco bankruptcy is a fraud, and we saw this coming. If this is about economic conditions, then why isn't it affecting the Amarillo plant?
"There's something going on here, and it's trying to bring down this plant without telling what is here. When they bring down the stacks they're trying to get rid of the evidence -- you won't have the point source information you need to make the link between what's in the stacks and what's in your home. It's a shame to see this go down like this without the Justice Department becoming involved."
"The bankruptcy court refused to hear any of these issues, and the custodial trust will be overseen by the same court."
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News release from New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Environment Secretary Ron Curry:
Governor Bill Richardson Issues Statement on Permanent Closure of Asarco Copper Smelter in El Paso
Decision Means Air Quality in the Region is Protected
(Santa Fe, N.M.) Governor Richardson and New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry issued the following statements today following the announcement that the Asarco Inc. copper smelter in El Paso will not reopen:
Governor Richardson said:
“I am proud of the role New Mexico has played in keeping our region’s air clean and healthy for local residents,” said Governor Richardson. “This decision to shutter the Asarco El Paso smelter once and for all comes on the same day that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared Texas’ permit for the facility invalid and directed environmental regulators in that state to start over.”
Secretary Curry said:
“New Mexico has fought for years to keep this polluting facility closed to protect residents of New Mexico and the surrounding region,” said New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry. “We requested this review from EPA because we knew Texas’ permit cut corners that would have led to worsened air quality along New Mexico’s southern border. We could not be more pleased with the result of this action.”
