Las Brisas Preliminary Hearing
February 18, 2009
KIIITV News
It was a chaotic scene here in this meeting room up on the 6th floor of City Hall. A noisy overflow crowd had security guards, police and the fire marshall all trying to keep the peace.
Judge tommy broyles, "Are you the fire marshall? Yes, what's the? There's too many people if you had an incident you can't get the people out. "
Tommy Broyles is the Austin based judge who's in charge of the Las Brisas permit hearing case.
Broyles says, "The main issue here is naming parties. The main issue here is naming parties!"
This preliminary meeting was supposed to be a mere formality. All people had to do was to state their name, address and how they would be affected by Las Brisas. If the judge agreed that the plant could have an impact on them, then they would be allowed to testify in the case, but with protest signs everywhere and too many people crowded into this place, thing's got testy.
Broyles Says, "If I can't get your cooperation here at the preliminary hearing then for the contested case the formal process to this will be in Austin. I've told you okay, that's what I'm talking about, I will need to ask you to leave and not participate if you're going to yell and I will have security come and have the DPS come and bar you from this proceeding."
Eventually the tension in the room was broken by some unintended humor.
Resident Salon Rascon says, "Are you talking about party status? Party status? I'm a democrat."
The crowd calmed and Jean Salone was one of the residents who would live near Las Brisas and said she wanted to testify at the plants permit hearing.
Salone says, "I don't want this plant because I already live by six large refineries and I've been affected by the air pollution."
Las Brisas officials believe their permit to build the plant will be okay'ed.John Upchruch, Managing Partner Chase Power, says, "Once we have closing we feel very confident that the populace will see that the TCEQ has done an excellent job in reviewing this permit."
Eventually the meeting ended at City Hall at noon and picked back up inside the Del Mar Annex at Staples and Kostoryz. There it was decided that the permit hearing will be held from August 3rd through the 14th, it will take place in Corpus Christi.