Maverick County Commissioners Court approves Motion for Rehearing of Dos Republicas coal mine
By: Jose G. Landa
Eagle Pass Business Journal©
The Maverick County Commissioners Court unanimously approved to file a Motion for Rehearing with the Railroad Commission of Texas regarding its decision to grant Dos Republicas Coal Partnership’s application to renew, revise, and expand Permit 42-A, Eagle Pass Mine, on January 29, 2013, at a regular meeting held on Monday, February 11, 2013, making it the third local governmental entity to unanimously seek a rehearing of the highly controversial split decision (2-1) by the Texas Railroad Commission and to oppose the opening of a surface coal mine only three miles north of the city limits of Eagle Pass, Texas in Maverick County.
County Commissioner Jose Luis Rosales made the motion and seconded by County Commissioner Cesar Flores and unanimously approved by newly appointed temporary County Commissioners Javier Libson of Precinct One and Daniela Flores-Aleman of Precinct Two together with County Commissioner Jose Luis Rosales of Precinct Three, County Commissioner Cesar Flores of Precinct Four, and County Judge David Saucedo.
Maverick County, City of Eagle Pass, and Maverick County Hospital District are parties to the Texas Railroad Commission proceedings regarding Dos Republicas Coal Partnership’s application to renew, revise, and expand Permit 42-A, Eagle Pass Mine, together with the Maverick County Environmental and Public Health Association, a non-profit organization comprised of Maverick County citizens in opposition to Dos Republicas’ Eagle Pass Mine, and local farmers, ranchers, and landowners.
The filing of a motion for rehearing will request the Texas Railroad Commission to reconsider its controversial split decision on January 29th granting Dos Republicas Coal Partnership, a Texas partnership comprised of two Texas corporations owned by a Mexican corporation who is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mexico’s steel and coal conglomerate, Grupo Acerero del Norte, S.A. and Altos Hornos de Mexico, S.A. (Grupo GAN/AHMSA), of Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico.
In the event the Texas Railroad Commission denies the motions for rehearing, the parties may proceed to appeal the Texas Railroad Commission’s controversial decision to a state district court in Travis County, Texas in Austin, Texas.
