The following is an email from Diana Valdez of the El Paso Times to the Site Trustee, Roberto Puga:

Hi:

I’m working up a short story for an update to run this weekend on the Asarco site. Would you or your designated representative please respond to the following questions:

1. What is the status of the work on the El Paso site project?
2. What has been the most difficult part of the work so far?
3. How many people from the community have you all heard from that have provided suggestions and recommendations? How much longer will this process last?
4. How much has been spent so far on the project (approximately)?
5. What’s first on the schedule for January 2011?

Thanks

Response from Roberto Puga:

Hello Ms. Valdez,

Status: We have stabilized the site and right-sized the utility usage. We have completed the drafting of our management plans, and are currently finalizing them. We have completed an inventory of assets at the site, and have been actively marketing them. We have completed a survey of all of the trust properties. We have removed the copper matte and concentrate from the reverb and contop for recycling.

Most Challenging: I think our interaction with the community has been the most interesting and challenging part of our job so far. We are proud of the work we have done in informing the community and integrating community input.

Community Input: We have gotten input from many different stakeholders, including El Paso elected officials at the federal, state and local levels, community activist groups, federal and state environmental agencies and private citizens. The forums for these interactions have been one on one meetings, public meetings, the blog on our website, posting of our management plans for public comment and polls run on Asarco questions by the El Paso Times. We will continue to accept and respond to community input throughout the project.

Expenditures: We have spent about $1.5MM so far. We expect next year’s expenditures to be substantially more (greater than $10MM).

What’s Next: We are beginning the demolition phase in the first quarter 2011. We will also be designing and installing the waste cells in 2011. We hope to be substantially completed with demolition in 2011.

Please don’t hesitate to call me with any questions or comments (714-388-1802).

Regards,
Roberto Puga

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