Castner and Pipeline

Just want to catch you up on two stories: Castner Range and the pipeline to, through and under San Elizario.

Something big could be happening with Castner. Franklin Mountains Wilderness sent this plea to save Saturday, November 19th at 10 AM for a public meeting about Castner Range. When sending it, Secretary Judy Ackerman wrote: 

Dear Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition Organizational Members,

We need YOUR help NOW in order to make Castner Range a National Monument!

What:  !! Castner Range Public Meeting !!
Come so President Obama hears our community voice!
Date:  19 November, 2016
Time:  9:15 - noon
Location:  El Paso Community College, Transmountain Campus, 9570 Gateway N. Blvd

PLEASE share this event with your organization’s members and ask them to attend. 

We would dearly like to have an estimate of how many of your members will attend.

Individuals can RSVP via Facebook Event HERE, or directly to Janae' Reneaud Field Janae@fronteralandalliance.org, 915-351-8352.


Since 1978, we have been working to protect Castner Range from development. With the help of Congressman Beto O’Rourke, this is the closest we have ever been to conserving Castner. 

My inside sources tell me that an overflow crowd of 200, 300 or more people is hoped for. A grand poohpah from D.C. will be there and will be guaging support for preserving Castner Range. 

All of this year, Rep. O'Rourke's office has been driving a public relations campaign to convince one of the President's top advisers that Castner should be declared a National Monument. Convince this guy and you convince Obama.

I've also been told that it is a coin toss: a 50-50 chance that it can go either way. Expect an official White House decision before Christmas. So, elpasonaturally will continue to beat the drum between now and the 19th. Let's overflow the meeting hall.

There are two more events coming up:

A community forum in San Elizario tomorrow (Saturday, November 5th) at 2 PM will take on the issue of the pipeline going under and through San Elizario that is being built by the same company that is defiling Native American land in North Dakota. Thanks to activists such as Crystal Arrieta, Eric Stolz and others (some of whom I met at the Water Townhall Meeting on October 26th) more and more local active opposition to the San Elizario pipeline is forming.

The Academic Revival of Indigenous Studies & Education at UTEP is sponsoring another forum about the Comanche Pipeline in San Elizario on November 10th at 11:30 AM in Leech Grove on the campus.

What is encouraging is that there is now a strong grassroots movement by much younger people than you find in FMWC for example. They are far more savvy and activist than the older generations.

Deus ex Machina?

Chuy Reyes our hero? Read the story that begins: "The federal government has intervened in the legal fight over a project to pipe natural gas into Mexico through eastern El Paso County."

http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/local/el-paso/2016/10/17/feds-fight-pipeline-plan-go-under-border-fence/92314930/

Pay Attention: What's Happening in North Dakota is Happening Just South of El Paso

Presidio Chapel of San Elizario erected in 1877 on site of older Mexican mission. Photo by Jsweida

A little more than a 30 minute drive, just over 21 miles south of downtown El Paso is the City of San Elizario, Texas, a part of the historic mission trail. Its web site proudly claims that it was established in 1598 and incorporated in 2013. It was also ground zero of the Salt War of 1877-78 which didn't end up well for the people and common land but resulted in a land grab for "private property" advocates.

Comanche Pipeline Route from Waha to San Elizario

Today it is ground zero of yet another struggle - one that they have already lost. "The knife is halfway through the heart," is Mayor Maya Sanchez's metaphor. Both the pipeline through Big Bend and San Elizario to Mexico are being built by Energy Transfer Partners of Dallas, the exact same company that is building the Dakota Access Pipeline which is currently getting most of the press attention. The Trans-Pecos Pipeline is also getting some press due to the fact that resistance to it is well organized by the Big Bend Conservation Alliance. (See also No Trans-Pecos Pipeline on Facebook.) There have been no organized efforts to oppose the "Comanche" Pipeline through San Elizario.

Photo: El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1

San Elizario has barely received any attention especially from local El Paso activists who have concentrated on solidarity with Native Americans in North Dakota. However, the recent El Paso Times story about a canal collapse caused by pipeline construction has resulted in more calls to Mayor Sanchez. That collapse happened in Fabens, Texas just outside of San Elizario. 

Archeologist David Keller witnesses the destruction of ancient indian site Trap Springs in the Big Bend region of Texas. Photo by Jessica Lutz. From Censored News.

A canal collapse while boring a hole under the canal for the pipeline should be a wakeup call. The fact is that there are numerous gas and oil pipeline leaks, explosions and spills each year. Not only are lives and property endangered but so are water tables and aquifers. And, in the case of North Dakota and Big Bend, sacred Native American burial grounds and spiritual places are being desecrated.

So, if this battle is lost, what next. Mayor Sanchez is looking farther down the road. "My heart is broken," she says, "but we can focus on policy reform and what we can get to benefit the community." She wants Energy Transfer Partners to keep their word and provide more emergency equipment for San Elizario and build new libraries and parks. Beyond that, Sanchez argues for some key policy reforms:

• Change the ways that energy companies are given permits.
• Sunset or reform the Texas Railroad Commission which has never denied a permit to an energy company.
• Do environmental studies. (None were done for the San Elizario or Big Bend projects.
• Make new rules about negotiations with landowners. They will be paid a one-time pittance for right-of-way (ceased by eminent domain). Instead they should be compensated for the lifetime of the pipeline.
• Stop desecrating sacred grounds.

Let's hope that there is a new Salt War - one that turns out better for the people and not the rich and privileged corporations.

Time Running Out to Comment on San Eli Gas Pipeline

Energy Transfer Partners natural gas pipeline explosion on June 14, 2015 in rural DeWitt County, Texas resulting in a massive fire and home evacuations (AP Photo)

[Below is a letter from the Mayor of San Elizario written yesterday asking people to send in comments about the proposed Comanche Trail pipeline. elpasonaturally© posted about this pipeline this past Friday. The deadline for comments is today at 3 PM. As Mayor Sanchez says, commenting will take only five minutes of your time.

Good morning,

There are proposed natural gas pipelines planned for our region in the near future, that pose many concerns which include public health and safety, environmental impacts and threaten our potential for economic development and the first step in intervention carries a deadline of tomorrow, (Monday) July 6th at 3pm MST.

A little background:
Currently 3 or 4 natural gas pipelines currently exist in the area between the City of San Elizario and Fabens. (I'm still verifying the exact number.) OneOK, Inc. will begin laying a pipeline known as the Roadrunner in Sept. 2015 with plans for completion by April 2016.* Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) has recently filed a permit to lay a 42-inch, 192 mile long pipeline called the Comanche Trail Pipeline. Both are slated to export natural gas into Mexico. However, besides a few thousand feet at the connecting points of the border, both are under the jurisdiction of the state of Texas (Railroad Commission)--without Federal regulation--even though these are international private/public partnerships.

We ONLY have until Monday, July 6th at 3pm MST to request the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to intervene and place the entire Comanche Trail Pipeline under their jurisdiction. And the more people we can get to comment, the better our chances of having a voice.

And we have made it extremely easy to comment! It can be done online and I have provided a document that you may copy and paste. (Attached and in the dropbox link below.) Of course, you may write your own comment but it is important to do so before the 3pm MST deadline.

***Link to comment here*** 

Please note, in commenting you MUST reference our docket number CP15-503-000. (Please see sample)

Should you wish to write your own comment, here are a few points to consider:
1. There is no regulation determining how many pipelines are allowed. Should these pipelines proceed, there could potentially be 6 in a very small area with no cap currently in place.

2. There are quite a few people who now live in the vicinity and should an explosion or other incident occur, potentially thousands may be in danger.

3. San Elizario High School is less than a mile away from the proposed lines. The safety of our students is at risk.

4. Recently, two pipelines exploded. ETP had a 42-inch pipeline explode on June 16 and it could be seen from 20-miles away and another 4-inch pipeline exploded on June 25 that injured 4 people, two critically. (See news links at the bottom of this email for more info.)

5. Even if the pipelines are regulated in the US, we have no say as to what happens on the Mexican side and unfortunately, that is also less than a mile away.

6. Due to the number of natural gas pipelines in such a concentrated area, border security is an issue. This small section of our border which is essentially in our community, is extremely vulnerable and these proposed pipelines only increase the risk to national security.

7. These companies claim to help the economy by creating jobs but in reality, they import a team of experienced workers who have done this throughout the state. Once the pipe is laid, the jobs are gone anyway.

8. Most of the landowners oppose these pipelines (via an attorney representing a good deal of them) and are concerned about their farms and land being destroyed. OneOK has already stated they will impose eminent domain which leaves these landowners powerless.

9. The property values in our community will decline and the potential for development is severely stunted.

10. No regulation exists that requires these companies to do environmental or cultural studies. Therefore damage to the environment is a scary variable and our community's rich history is threatened.

More Info
This dropbox link has the following:
   -Videos and photos of the Alpine area that shows how the natural landscape has been destroyed due to staging for Trans-Pecos Pipeline (also an ETP venture.)
   -Proposed Roadrunner and Comanche pipeline routes.
   -Comment sample (Word doc and PDF) that may be used for the FERC submission.
For more info on the Trans-Pecos Pipeline (which mirrors the Comanche Trail and may answer questions) visit here.

News
White Deer Explosion

Trans-Pecos Pipeline

Cuero Explosion

Legislation Introduced Regulating Tax Deduction for Energy Companies

ETP announces pipelines in West Texas

ETP Billion $$$ Merger

*Please note, asking for Federal intervention via comments on the Roadrunner is not possible at this time as we missed the date. A tactic used by energy companies is to fly below the radar for as long as possible and unfortunately, they semi-succeeded on this one. But we're looking into our options and will fight for our City and the protection of both constituents and the environment alike. On that note, this request is also late due to the fact I only recently found out about the deadline for the Comanche Trail Pipeline. Five minutes of your day, that's all I ask!

Thank you for your help.

Maya Sanchez
C 915-205-1876