Dos Republicas Coal Partnership Admits they have no contract to sell Eagle Pass Coal nor sufficient water to operate mine
By: Ricardo E. Calderon©
The Railroad Commission of Texas public hearing on Mexican-owned Dos Republicas Coal Partnership application to renew, revise, and expand permit 42A, Eagle Pass Mine, started Monday, January 30, 2012 in Austin, Texas. On Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Dos Republicas Coal Partnership witness Andres Gonzalez Coss Saravia testified that as of Tuesday, January 31st, Dos Republicas Coal Partnership did not have any contracts to sell the Eagle Pass Mine coal to anybody in Mexico nor the United States. On cross examination, Saravia further testified that Dos Republicas Coal Partnership currently does not have sufficient water rights to satisfy the dust suppressant requirements nor does he know how much water will it take to operate the Eagle Pass Mine. Saravia testified that if Dos Republicas Coal Partnership does not obtain sufficient water rights for the proposed Eagle Pass Mine, they will not be able to operate the mine.
A major problem for Dos Republicas Coal Partnership which surfaced at the public hearing is whether they can obtain sufficient water rights to operate the mine. Saravia testified that Dos Republicas Coal Partnership is attempting to obtain additional water rights from several sources, including purchasing Rio Grande River water rights, the City of Eagle Pass Water Works, nearby property owners, and drilling water wells.
The lack of sufficient water rights by Dos Republicas Coal Partnership to operate the Eagle Pass Mine was a surprise and a bombshell to attendees at the Railroad Commission of Texas public hearing. Attendees could not believe that after 20 years of working on the Eagle Pass Mine permit, Dos Republicas Coal Partnership and its predecessors have not secured sufficient water rights to operate the mine.
Opponents of the Eagle Pass Mine were elated to hear of Dos Republicas Coal Partnership’s water dilemna.
