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Permit request spurs comment
As of this writing, SpaceX, whose last heavy booster rocket launch caused the Federal Aviation Administration to look further at its permitting, is now applying to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for a treated wastewater permit to dump up to 200,000 gallons into South Bay nearby, which is the first coastal preserve named in 1984 and is important ecologically to our and other areas. According to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, South Bay is regularly surveyed as part of its Coastal Fisheries Branch standardized monitoring program to “assess relative size and abundance of finfish and shellfish in Texas Bays.”
If TCEQ grants this permit, it would authorize SpaceX to discharge up to 200,000 gallons every day into South Bay. Isn’t treated wastewater actually sewage, grease, industrial and gray water? And would all of SpaceX’s dirty water from multiple types of housing, restaurants, bars, bathrooms, portable potties and anything else go into this mixture?
It’s evident a treatment plant (like in municipalities) will be needed, and SpaceX wants to build this plant about 1,000 feet west of Boca Chica Boulevard (State Highway 4) and Remedios Lane in Cameron County. The discharge route will be from this plant directly onto tidal flats leading into South Bay.
Is it not becoming obvious that Musk’s SpaceX is no more than an aerospace-industrial site that will blast its rocket components over the beaches, wetlands and water, and now dump its waste products into our coastal preserve? Is it now the intent for South Bay Coastal Preserve to become the septic tank for the SpaceX abomination?
Diane Teter
Edinburg
Trump: Bad news
I spent all morning Oct. 20 listening to C-SPAN and other news outlets trying to find some solace in the world of conflict finding none. Our Congress seems to be capable of generating so much chaos with their leaders based in Trumpism that they will never be able to govern!
Our great country has been put through the ringer, so to speak, with Trump and his crooked ways. The senators knew very well when he was elected in 2016 what they were getting, but with their thirst for power and control their better judgment went out the window faster than witch’s brew.
They had a chance to rectify this error in judgment with the first impeachment of Trump. But they had the power they wanted and come hell or high water they could not relinquish their power over the Senate.
Which led to more Trump skullduggery and they still looked the other way when Trump was impeached again. They had a safe way of getting rid of him for the good of our American country.
Trump has cost us taxpayers at least $15 million in court costs!
Billy Williams
Palmview
Outlaw fentanyl
Fentanyl has been known to take many innocent lives under so many circumstances at an alarming rate.
Like DDT and Cuban cigars, fentanyl should be outlawed from the U.S. except only in hospitals and cancer treatment centers kept under lock and key.
Banning the drug will not only save the medical industry millions of dollars, but it will save millions of lives as well.
Roberto Lopez
McAllen
LETTERS — We welcome your letters and commentary. Submissions must include the writer’s full name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters of 200 words or fewer will be given preference. Submissions may be edited for length, grammar and clarity. Letters may be mailed to P.O Box 3267, McAllen, Texas 78502-3267, or emailed to [email protected].
