Ok, so the County Judge and Commissioners Court, together with GPISD, award $1.1 Billion in tax abatements to Gulf Coast Growth Ventures. Exxon/Mobil will get the benefit of $550 Million in abatements while the other $550 Million will benefit the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia.
Rather than the 11,000 construction jobs originally promised by GCGV, it’s now 6,000. The other 5,000 jobs will be overseas, not on American soil.
The polyethylene pellets manufactured here will travel by rail to the west coast where they will be shipped to Asia, primarily China. There, they will be melted down into plastic products, like six-pack plastic rings and plastic bottles, and sold and shipped to developing third world countries.
All the profits of this chemical plant will be split 50/50 between Exxon/Mobil and the Saudis.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, 7.3 Billion gallons of our water will be consumed annually by the plant.
3 million tons of greenhouse gases, a thousand tons of volatile organic compounds, and 2,500 tons of other pollutants will be emitted annually into the air around Portland and Gregory.
Our mud flats, estuaries and bays will receive industrial effluent at temperatures of 110 degrees, 15 degrees higher than allowed, and millions of pellets will be available for consumption by fish and birds alike.
So, this is just a reminder of why it is important to continue to comment on the air permits sought by Exxon/Mobil and the Saudis. It is also a reminder of more to come if the Port of Corpus Christi has its way and our local leaders don’t cease and desist from giving in to heavy industrial expansion.
Just sayin.