Attention: All Texans. If you think you have a "representative government," or even a government that cares about your safety, THINK AGAIN. Waste Control Specialists, a "company" that is owned by Valhi, Inc., has been busy while you and I were distracted by all the things going on around the nation. Back in February, Waste Control Specialists, through various bribe-makers, I mean, lobbyists and liaisons has bought and paid for a large portion of the government of Texas for years to come. On top of that, the UNELECTED members of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) are also very close allies of Waste Control Specialists. And guess what? The TCEQ voted unanimously last week to approve amendments to the WCS license for its Andrews County facility. Not only that, the TCEQ last week denied a Texas state representative's request for a hearing to contest these amendments.
Here is one article covering this situation: http://www.texastribune.org/2014/08/20/texas-nuclear-waste-dump-poised-get-wiggle-room/
So what do the amendments to the WCS license offer this company? Well, for one thing, the amendments allow WCS to begin bringing HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE nuclear waste from all over the nation into Texas. You may recall that WCS wooed the people of Andrews (city AND county) with the promise of LOTS of MONEY but very little danger, because the proposed nuclear waste "dump" would only accept LOW LEVEL radioactive waste such as contaminated medical gloves and garments, and spent isotopes from X-ray machines. In return for allowing WCS to open a waste disposal sight AND bring in this low-level radioactive waste, both the City of Andrews and the County of Andrews were promised five percent of WCS revenue. The State of Texas ("represented" by Threepeat Rick) was also promised its share of the bounty as well. NOW WCS is poised to bring in HIGHLY DANGEROUS nuclear waste...and the good people of Andrews and surrounding area are awaiting this toxic muck with open arms, for the most part. Once a few million bucks got spread around Waste...er, West Texas, it seems that many people forgot about the threat posed to themselves and their families, AND to ALL the people in West Texas. "Bringin' in the SLUDGE" is now the hymn of choice, it would appear.
But the amendments to the original WCS license does something else. Wait for it....Yes, the new amendments LOWER the size of the WCS Emergency Cleanup Fund from $136 million to only $50 million, leaving the state responsible for any costs beyond that. So let me get this straight. WCS brings in more waste and MORE DANGEROUS waste, which we might reasonably assume would both increase company profits AND increase the danger to area should an accident occur, AND WCS is allowed to REDUCE the cleanup funds it must guarantee the State of Texas? This is a win-win situation, for WCS! But you and I, as Texans, will be responsible for much of the cleanup cost associated with an accident at the WCS facility. But that's not all....
You may remember that the original license gives WCS the option to "give" the nuclear waste facility BACK to Texas and walk away. More likely, RUN AS FAST AS THEIR CORPORATE FEET CAN CARRY THEM out of Texas...all the way back to Delaware, where the parent corporation is based. I am afraid that Texas ( that is YOU AND I) have been handed a dead, contaminated skunk in a bag, and we will be left holding that bag when WCS eventually bails. Notice I said "when," not if.
The battle to stop WCS from building their facility near Andrews was lost before it even started. WCS had spent millions of dollars, if not billions, to build their facility BEFORE they applied for a nuclear waste disposal permit. Once the facility was built, the "late' Harold Simmons and his minions set out to make sure they would get their license. To that end, they bribed...I mean, DONATED, millions, if not billions, of dollars to every local, state, and even national politician they thought they would need to ram this facility down the throat of Texas. AND the late Mr. Simmons also made sure "friends" were placed on the TCEQ, that UNELECTED commission that has so far shamelessly rubber-stamped EVERY proposal the WCS has proposed come up with since the original license was granted nearly a decade ago.
So, while the people of Texas were distracted by many things, including Jade Helm, the coming oil bust, and now the murder of police officers around the nation but in particular in Texas, WCS bought and paid for amendments to their original license that will bring them BILLIONS more dollars in profits while making the State of Texas (you and me) responsible for a bigger share of cleanup costs should there ever be an accidental spill or release of radiation at the WCS Andrews Facility. Once again, I would like to say a BIG "thank you" to all those involved in the WCS saga, including the people of Andrews and the right honorable local, state, and national politicians, and especially Threepeat Rick and his good ol' boys in Texas and in Washington D. C.
It may be years, even decades, but sooner or later - long after Waste Control Specialists have made their BILLIONS and absconded - the people of Texas will be left a mess to clean, and the cost of cleaning this mess may well bankrupt the state government. Maybe I sound alarmist, but I challenge you to print this post and squirrel it away somewhere. When the headlines finally hit the press, I am convinced my words will seem chillingly prophetic, in retrospect.
May God bless America and God help West Texas.
Here is one article covering this situation: http://www.texastribune.org/2014/08/20/texas-nuclear-waste-dump-poised-get-wiggle-room/
So what do the amendments to the WCS license offer this company? Well, for one thing, the amendments allow WCS to begin bringing HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE nuclear waste from all over the nation into Texas. You may recall that WCS wooed the people of Andrews (city AND county) with the promise of LOTS of MONEY but very little danger, because the proposed nuclear waste "dump" would only accept LOW LEVEL radioactive waste such as contaminated medical gloves and garments, and spent isotopes from X-ray machines. In return for allowing WCS to open a waste disposal sight AND bring in this low-level radioactive waste, both the City of Andrews and the County of Andrews were promised five percent of WCS revenue. The State of Texas ("represented" by Threepeat Rick) was also promised its share of the bounty as well. NOW WCS is poised to bring in HIGHLY DANGEROUS nuclear waste...and the good people of Andrews and surrounding area are awaiting this toxic muck with open arms, for the most part. Once a few million bucks got spread around Waste...er, West Texas, it seems that many people forgot about the threat posed to themselves and their families, AND to ALL the people in West Texas. "Bringin' in the SLUDGE" is now the hymn of choice, it would appear.
But the amendments to the original WCS license does something else. Wait for it....Yes, the new amendments LOWER the size of the WCS Emergency Cleanup Fund from $136 million to only $50 million, leaving the state responsible for any costs beyond that. So let me get this straight. WCS brings in more waste and MORE DANGEROUS waste, which we might reasonably assume would both increase company profits AND increase the danger to area should an accident occur, AND WCS is allowed to REDUCE the cleanup funds it must guarantee the State of Texas? This is a win-win situation, for WCS! But you and I, as Texans, will be responsible for much of the cleanup cost associated with an accident at the WCS facility. But that's not all....
You may remember that the original license gives WCS the option to "give" the nuclear waste facility BACK to Texas and walk away. More likely, RUN AS FAST AS THEIR CORPORATE FEET CAN CARRY THEM out of Texas...all the way back to Delaware, where the parent corporation is based. I am afraid that Texas ( that is YOU AND I) have been handed a dead, contaminated skunk in a bag, and we will be left holding that bag when WCS eventually bails. Notice I said "when," not if.
The battle to stop WCS from building their facility near Andrews was lost before it even started. WCS had spent millions of dollars, if not billions, to build their facility BEFORE they applied for a nuclear waste disposal permit. Once the facility was built, the "late' Harold Simmons and his minions set out to make sure they would get their license. To that end, they bribed...I mean, DONATED, millions, if not billions, of dollars to every local, state, and even national politician they thought they would need to ram this facility down the throat of Texas. AND the late Mr. Simmons also made sure "friends" were placed on the TCEQ, that UNELECTED commission that has so far shamelessly rubber-stamped EVERY proposal the WCS has proposed come up with since the original license was granted nearly a decade ago.
So, while the people of Texas were distracted by many things, including Jade Helm, the coming oil bust, and now the murder of police officers around the nation but in particular in Texas, WCS bought and paid for amendments to their original license that will bring them BILLIONS more dollars in profits while making the State of Texas (you and me) responsible for a bigger share of cleanup costs should there ever be an accidental spill or release of radiation at the WCS Andrews Facility. Once again, I would like to say a BIG "thank you" to all those involved in the WCS saga, including the people of Andrews and the right honorable local, state, and national politicians, and especially Threepeat Rick and his good ol' boys in Texas and in Washington D. C.
It may be years, even decades, but sooner or later - long after Waste Control Specialists have made their BILLIONS and absconded - the people of Texas will be left a mess to clean, and the cost of cleaning this mess may well bankrupt the state government. Maybe I sound alarmist, but I challenge you to print this post and squirrel it away somewhere. When the headlines finally hit the press, I am convinced my words will seem chillingly prophetic, in retrospect.
May God bless America and God help West Texas.
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