Passing Through . . . .

But Baxter may be gearing up for his toughest battle yet, as he and a coalition of residents in his adopted town of Eagle Pass — across the border from the Mexican city of Piedras Negras — fight a coal partnership they say is intent on destroying their peaceful way of life.

The Dos Republicas Coal Partnership, which is owned by Mexican mining companies, has applied to renew a permit that would let its American partners mine about 6,300 acres of land in the border town. A current permit already allows for mining, but officials said that work has not started because of several attempts to modify the permit to meet specifications, as well as supply and demand issues affecting potential customers.

Residents worry that the mining will harm the environment and they will lose land due to property damage. They are also concerned about having a Mexican company that is held to lower standards operate in Texas. Adding salt to their wounds is the fact that the coal, considered too low quality to burn in the U.S., will be shipped to Mexico.

A spokesman for Dos Republicas, which partners with North American Coal Corporation and subsidiary Camino Real Fuels, both based in Plano, said criticism of the partnership is unwarranted and the result of a misunderstanding.

The permit application has set up the latest chapter in what the residents call a David-versus-Goliath battle against a corporation with deep pockets — deep enough to hire lawyers who could persuade the Texas Railroad Commission’s three members to grant the permit. That would pave the way for the company to mine as many as 2.8 million tons of coal annually.

Rodriguez said that the onus to comply with state and federal regulations, which he said are vastly different from Mexican policies, is on the American companies, which would manage the daily mining operations.

The Railroad Commission will ultimately decide whether to renew the company’s permit. At a recent hearing in Austin, both sides began the painstaking process of pleading their cases to the hearing examiner, Marcy Spraggins, who will forward her recommendation to the commissioners.

“What everybody’s fear or suspicion is, is that once the permit’s granted, that the management of Camino Real fuels will be taken over by the direct management from Mexico,” George Baxter said. He added that he thinks it includes bringing in workers from Mexico instead of hiring local residents.

But for E.K. Taylor, 83, who has lived in Eagle Pass all his life, including serving 38 years as a U.S. Customs agent, all of the fighting is too much to take. He is selling the house he lived in with his wife for 38 years.

“If it wasn’t for that coal company, I would have stayed here,” he said. “But there’s no way I would do business with them.” (End of excerpts from the Texas Tribune)

It seems that residents on both sides of the border can’t catch a break.  I am guessing the State of Texas gets to charge a severance tax, so it makes sense for our local spenders.   They are giving up property values in the future for severance taxes today.  But bureaucrats and congressmen would make that trade any day.