[UPDATE]: as a reader has pointed out, NASCO has denied claims of a super highway (yet they freely acknowledge a NASCO corridor). It should be pointed out, however, that NASCO does support the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC). Their own timeline (which can be found here) states that they are almost finished with their environmental studies. What are they waiting for? The last two entries in their “Environmental Study Timeline” are “Prepare final environmental impact statement”, which is labeled as ongoing & “Federal Approval (record of decision)”, which is labeled as anticipated Summer/Fall of 2008.
The Bush administration has decided that there is just too much fact-checking occurring for developers when it comes to their effects on endangered species:
“The Bush administration wants federal agencies to decide for themselves whether highways, dams, mines and other construction projects might harm endangered animals and plants.
New regulations, which don’t require the approval of Congress, would reduce the mandatory, independent reviews government scientists have been performing for 35 years…”
This is not the first time the Bush administration has tried to annihilate our environment.
When I first read this article my hear dropped, but I was not surprised in the least. Why? Because I remembered hearing about a major development project that the current administration has been working towards. The NASCO Corridor. Before Bush and friends are removed from office, they want to be sure the NASCO corridor is going forward with full steam. Why does it seem appropriate to tie this endangered species announcement together with the NASCO corridor?
Well, 2 months ago, the NASCO Conference 2008 was held. There, Mexican Energy Secretary Georgina Kessel, speaking on behalf of the Mexican President:
“…emphasized that Mexico recognizes that growing global trade and rising North American trade flows “have generated challenges in infrastructure, logistics and public policy.” She praised the nonprofit, tri-national NASCO and its efforts to unite public and private sector trade and transport stakeholders to overcome these challenges and “promote a secure, efficient transport system in North America that facilitates cross-border trade.””
In addition:
“Undersecretary of Transport for Mexico Humberto Treviño informed attendees of President Calderón’s aggressive National Infrastructure Plan to invest $45 billion in public/private funds in Mexico’s national transportation infrastructure, including in highways, tollroads, railroad network expansion, modernization and expansion of airports, air cargo terminals, seaports and port terminals as well as in major electricity grid transmission equipment and networks and oil and gas pipelines and electric power plants.”
It would seem, from these quotes, that the conference is focused around the transportation of Mexico. So, it is probably a conference made up of mostly Mexican officials from Mexican companies, right? WRONG:
“Top company executives in attendance included Mike Haverty, CEO of Kansas City Southern Railroad; officials from Mexico’s Ferromex Railroad; Roberto González Barrerra of food/tortilla giant Grupo Maseca and Banorte Bank; senior executives from FedEx; and leaders of small, mid- and large-sized trade, logistics and transportation firms across North America.”
… just to name a few.
Two months after this meeting (where U.S. companies as well as U.S. senators attended), there is suddenly a need to make it easier for developers to develop in the United States? Why would there be this sudden interest in giving less oversight to developers?
Enter the NASCO corridor. A highway; a very, very big highway. That’s right, a 10-lane, limited access highway, that runs directly from Mexico to Canada. The effect that this will have on the U.S. economy will be absolutely staggering:
The video above starts to describe just how much of an impact this is going to have. One example offered of how this will have an effect on America is by looking at the Ford company. They worked to release 30,000 jobs in the U.S. and plan on employing 150,000 in Mexico. In addition, they have invested $9,200,000,000 (9.2 billion) in the country of Mexico to help their plans along. But surely an American company opening plants in Mexico would use American parts for production, right? Nope. Where, then, are the bulk of the parts necessary for production coming from in Mexico? China.
It’s interesting that this major U.S. development plan is not mentioned anywhere in the Associated Press release. But then, that shouldn’t surprise us much anymore now, should it?
