The following is an email sent from Heather McMurray to the Site Trustee, Roberto Puga:
Hello,
Has an engineer studied the effect of the proposed-demolition-charges for the Asarco stack(s) on the concrete-panels of the old american canal right next to those stacks?
The panels are warping and very old – one panel failed in 2006-7 and many others along that stretch have problems. The canal is over 80 years old.
This canal carries 60% of our drinking water and all the irrigation water for over 70 miles of irrigation system. Any cracks or failures of the canal next to the demolition (or the vibration from the stacks falling on the ground) would allow the toxins just beneath those panels to enter the canal.
If a study has been done, I would like to be allowed to view a copy. If not, then the IBWC should be allowed to comment on the demolition’s possible effects to their water system (including the American Dam) before the demolition begins in 2012.
thank you,
Heather
Response from Roberto Puga:
Dear Ms. McMurray,
Thank you for your question. We have begun the planning and engineering for the stack demolition. We envision that the stack demolition will occur in the first quarter 2012.
One of the first engineering tasks is a ground vibration study that will look at resultant ground motions from the stack implosion and their potential effects
to exisitng structures on and adjacent to the ASARCO site, including on-site buildings, rail tracks and of course the All-American canal. The study’s findings will be discussed face to face with representatives of the IBWC. The study will also be posted to the Trust’s website. We anticipate that the study will be availble to the IBWC and the website in about 4 to 5 weeks.
Regards,
Roberto Puga