Soon after Texas LNG was spurned by the Point Isabel school district not giving them a tax abatement, the company placed numerous full-page ads in local news pronouncing themselves to be of huge benefit with minimal impact.
TxLNG’s first assertion is it is good for the region and provides millions for schools. Is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to access millions in unrestricted funds for local schools a reference to Texas Chapter 313, the state’s largest corporate welfare program, which is to expire at the end of 2022?
The Texas Observer stated in May 2021 that “the program offers steep discounts on property taxes to attract industrial projects which are to pay off over the long run, but by the time the projects return to the tax rolls, much of the value has disappeared.” Consider the Port Arthur ISD and Motiva’s deal ($240 million tax liability forgiven); just as these tax breaks retired, Motiva announced its devaluation of the plant by less than half of its original value, causing lawsuits and school deficits.
Who doesn’t think this would be a likely eventuality when it comes to tax realization time for TxLNG?
TxLNG is safe for the environment and great for our economy. Safe like the recent Freeport LNG explosion and shut-down this past June that caused apprehension in that community?
Is TxLNG delaying when it comes to environmental and evacuation concerns of our local surrounding communities? The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requested more information this August on evacuation for the various categories of the population located within each LNG marine vessel zone and each LNG terminal hazard zone. So now the local towns will be in both a hurricane and LNG evacuation zone?
Safe like some of the following emissions that will blow across the landscape and population? 1) Nitrous oxides that cause smog that worsens asthma symptoms and cause brown clouds near LNG plants.
2) Sulfur dioxide that forms acids that harm marine life and kill plants. Located nearby are Laguna Madre and Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.
3) Tiny particulate matter that can be inhaled and cause respiratory damage.
4) Volatile organic compounds that can be carcinogens and neurotoxins, and there’s no safe level.
As there are no other LNG plants at the Brownsville Navigation District at this time, there will be a 100% increase in pollution as soon as TxLNG starts operations in earnest.
“Paid for” full-page advertising doesn’t always tell the whole story, does it?
Diane Teter
Edinburg
Letters
praised
Ernest Gorena (“Biden untruths,” Sept. 21) and Raymond Yates (“Writer seconded,” Sept. 14) are 100% right, stating solid truths and facts about Joe Biden’s Democrats and their anti-American, lying ways. Everything Gorena and Yates wrote about can easily be verified true.
It seems everything the Democrats have done in the last two years has been disastrous to the U.S. and its citizens. With Biden and the Democrats, it’s America last!
It has been said that any liberal/Democrat will become a conservative after just a few hours of research on these topics.
Joel Ramirez
Edinburg
