Accomplishments
The Bowie Model—Los Desaparecidos
Annual Newsletters
Senator Shapleigh keeps you informed with his annual newsletters.
The Asarco Files
Must-read articles and reports on Asarco, a 100-year-old smelter seeking to re-open in El Paso's city center.
Asarco in El Paso -- Updated January 2009
This comprehensive report, compiled by the Office of Senator Eliot Shapleigh, details the history of Asarco in El Paso.
EPA / DOJ / TCEQ public meeting on ASARCO site remediation plan - May 11, 2009
On Monday, May 11, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Justice, with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality held a public meeting on the proposed remediation plan for the ASARCO smelter site in El Paso.
You may watch a video of the full hearing by clicking here.
Below are agency presentations made that evening:
- Department of Justice Presentation
- Environmental Protection Agency Presentation
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Presentation
More information on the ASARCO remediation plan may be found at the TCEQ Web site, here.
ASARCO: Remediation and Reuse Challenges
This presentation, first delivered during the "A Day in the Sun: Adios ASARCO, Hello Future," event at UTEP on Feb. 21, 2009, briefly details the next steps for ASARCO and El Paso: complete remediation of the smelter site that allows for develop-ready land.
Click here to watch a video of Senator Shapleigh explaining is opposition to the ASARCO remediation plan at "A Day in the Sun: Adios ASARCO, Hello Future."
“Their Mines, Our Stories” is a case study of one corporation in a complex relationship with many communities. What makes the ASARCO story significant is the long arc of its history, the wide reach of its operations, its contentious interactions with citizens, workers and public agencies, its attempts to influence science, its impact on public policy, and its precedent setting chapter 11 bankruptcy, the largest and most complex environmental bankruptcy in US history.
ASARCO’s bankruptcy is a disturbing forecast of what corporations can do to escape their responsibilities to the workers and communities they have used and abused. What this case study does is dramatize on a broad canvas how a corporation can occupy a major role in public and community life, and demonstrates the consequences when a company evades responsibility for the communities it has polluted, the workers it has endangered, and the public trust it has violated.
Asarco Open Records
BRAC Enews
Beyond Merida
Building a Vision
The Case for Health Care Reform, Sept 2009
The Crisis in El Paso Health Care Professional Shortages
In light of dramatic expansion at Fort Bliss, Mayor John Cook and the Healthcare Council of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce hosted a legislative discussion focused on health care on Monday, November 17, 2008. The purpose of the discussion was to identify health care issues of importance to the community that could be positively impacted through legislative action, whether that be through an appropriation of additional funding or through a change in statute that would improve a policy.
Documents
Predatory financial services industry contribtues to state politics
Letter to Dewhurst: Texas Tax Swaps
Letter to Dewhurst regarding recent proposals to eliminate the property tax and increase the sales tax.
"El Paso: The Energy Capitol of Texas"
For nearly a century, Texas has led the nation in hydrocarbon energy production. For the next hundred years, Texas is blessed once again to be able to lead in solar energy. All it takes is political will. In Texas, El Paso is literally the "Sun City"—we are best positioned to develop, market and lead the state in encouraging solar energy. We are ready to make El Paso the Energy Capitol of Texas.
The 2010 Solar Task Force Report
This report contains reccomendations for the El Paso region and the state of Texas. It is the foundation document to help make El Paso the "Solar Energy Capitol" of Texas.
U.S.
Pay for the Power, Not the Panels - The New York Times
The Future of Solar-Powered Homes - David Pogue's Blog- The New York Times
Amid Boom, Concerns at Small Solar Firms - The New York Times
Renewables Portfolio Standards: An opportunity for Expanding State Solar Markets - SolarAlliance.org
The Costs and Benefits of State RPS Policies: Cost-Impact Studies, Actual Costs, and Cost Containment - Oregon.gov
Designing PV Incentive Programs to Promote Performance: A Review of Current Practice - eetd.lbl.gov
US Solar Industry: A Year In Review, 2008 - www.seia.org
California
Clean Dreams: California Moves Closer to 33% Renewables Target - The Wall Street Journal
N. California Surging Ahead on Solar Power - The San Diego Union-Tribune
California State University Goes Solar - Environment News Service
Caltech to Have Largest Solar Energy Facility in Pasadena - Caltech News
Big Solar Heats Up in the Southwest - Forbes
Harnessing the Sun, with Help from Cities - The New York Times
City Searching for Means to Finance Solar - The Berkeley Daily Planet
Southern California Edison Completes First of 150 Solar Rooftops Environment News Service
Two Large Solar Plants Planned in California - The New York Times
A Solar Deal to Put Mirrors in the Mojave - The New York Times
National Briefing | West: California: Billions for Solar Energy - The New York Times
School District Explores Possibility of a Solar Future - The Berkeley Daily Planet
Solar Panels Power More than Enough Electricity - Los Angeles Daily News
Despite Apparent Defeat of Measure B, Outlook for Solar Projects is Still Bright - Los Angeles Daily News
Google Shows Alternative Energy Firms the Way - San Francisco Chronicle
A giant leap toward space-based solar power - The Los Angeles Times
California Solar Initiative: July 2008 Staff Progress Report - environmentcalifornia.org
Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency: California - www.dsireusa.org
Other States
An Analysis of Potential Ratepayer Impact of Alternatives for Transitioning the New Jersey Solar Market-Based Incentives - SolarAlliance.org
New York's Solar Roadmap - www.neny.org
Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency - www.dsireusa.org
Texas
2008 Energy Report - Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Texas Renewable Energy Resource Assessment - State Energy Conservation Office
Increasing the Texas Renewable Energy Standard: Economic and Employment Benefits - www.ucsusa.org
Texas Aims for Solar Dominance - The New York Times
Oncor Expands Solar Perks to Water Heaters - The Dallas Morning News
Austin's Solar Array Ventures Plans to Build $210 million Solar Panel Plant -- in New Mexico - Austin American Statesman
Strama Proposes Loan Program for Solar Panels - Austin American Statesman
Gorbachev Pushes for Solar Energy in San Antonio - Dallas Morning News
HelioVolt Raises Another $17.5 Million - Austin American Statesman
Austin proposes Natuion's Largest Solar Array - Austin American Statesman
Austin Signs Up for $250 million Solar Project - Austin American Statesman
All About the Solar Plant - Austin American Statesman
Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency: Texas - www.dsireusa.org
Germany
Fast Solar Facts: German PV Market - Solar Buzz
Soaking Up the Sun: Solar Power in Germany and Japan - Breakthrough
Germany's Solar Innovation - Renting Rooftops - Renewable Energy News
Solar Prices Set in Germany - GreenTech Media
Germany Debates Subsidies for Solar Industry - The New York Times
German City Wonders How Green is Too Green - The New York Times
German Technology to Harness Solar Power in the North African Desert - Young Germany
Europe's Way of Encouraging Solar Arrives in the US - The New York Times
US Could Solar Could Surpass German Market by 2011 - GreenTech Media
Feed-in Tariffs: Practice and Recommendations - SolarAlliance.org
Incentive Design
Photovoltaic Incentive Design Handbook - CleanEnergystates.org
Jobs
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: Economic Drivers for the 21st Century - CleanEnergyCouncil.org
Job Trend Index: Listing of Recent Reports on Labor Forecasts for the Renewable Energies Industry - SolarAlliance.org
El Paso Fact Book
El Paso Veterans Health Care Study
Five Star Agenda
The Great Flood of 2006
West Nile Virus: Vector Control Storm 2006 Final Report
West Nile Virus has become a concern for El Pasoans as standing water breeds mosquitoes. Find out more about West Nile Virus and what is being done to protect El Paso.
Flood and Disaster Relief Information
This guide is a community service of KFOX-TV and the El Paso Bar Association. It includes important information on disaster assistance and recovery.
Immigration
Borderlands: Lifting the Lamp Beside Texas' Door (2007)
Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities of Immigration in Texas for the 2007-2009 Biennium
Major Cities Chiefs: M.C.C. Immigration Committee Recommendations
It is important for M.C.C. as a leader and representative of the local law enforcement community develop consensus on this subject. The purpose of this statement is to address the impact and consequences of local enforcement of federal immigration laws
Hazleton, Pennsylvania Decision (Judge Munley, July 26, 2007)
On July 26, 2007, a federal judge struck down the Hazleton anti-immigrant ordinance. In his 206-page opinion, Judge James Munely said, "Whatever frustrations officials of the City of Hazleton may feel about the current state of federal immigration enforcement, the nature of the political system in the United States prohibits the City from enacting ordinances that disrupt a carefully drawn federal statutory scheme. Even if federal law did not conflict with Hazleton's measures, the City could not enact an ordinance that violates rights the Constitution guarantees to every person in the United States, whether legal resident or not." A copy of the opinion can be found below. (749k PDF).
The U.S.-Mexico Border and Immigration Task Force is comprised of over 50 individuals and organizations spanning 4 states and comprised of local elected officials, law enforcement, faith leaders, business, labor, academics and community advocates. The diversity of the coalition finds its strength in the notion that that people from very different perspectives can agree when assumptions about “enforcement” are challenged. The Border Task Force has repeatedly demonstrated over the course of many years that broad support exists for immigration reform and border security that is smart, accountable, and fiscally responsible.
Invest in the American Dream
Juarez Drug War
President Barack Obama's Health Care Reform
Obama: 'We will provide you with a choice'
Sept. 9: Addressing a joint session of Congress, President Barack Obama calls for action on health care reform. "Our collective failure to meet this challenge ... has led us to a breaking point," said President Obama.
Rail in the Pass
Rail in the Pass PowerPoint presentation
Click here to watch that video
School Finance
Are you a Robin Hood District?
State government is all about education! In this special section, we are covering key school and school finance issues in a 10 part series on "21st Century Educational Excellence Fund."
Our kids are the future. This is the School Finance PowerPoint presentation that Senator Shapleigh travels across the state presenting.
Session In Review
81st Legislative Session in Review
I am proud to share with you this account of the 81st Legislative Session representing the people of El Paso as your Texas State Senator.
80th Legislative Session in Review
I am proud to share with you this account of the 80th Legislative Session representing the people of El Paso as your Texas State Senator. With the El Paso's legislative delegation, we fought to win approval of a $40 million research tower, $3 million for development and planning, and $600,000 for Texas Tech's El Paso Diabetes Research Center.
Subprime and Predatory Lending
Texas Borderlands: Frontier of the Future (2007)
This is an electronic library of the 4th edition of the "Texas Borderlands: Frontier of the Future" report. The report chronicles the opportunities and challenges faced on the Texas-Mexico Border, and covers topics ranging from infrastructure to health and human services, to public and higher education, to homeland security.
Texas Borderlands: Frontier of the Future (2009)
This is an electronic library of the 5th edition of the "Texas Borderlands: Frontier of the Future" report. The report chronicles the opportunities and challenges faced on the Texas-Mexico Border, and covers topics ranging from infrastructure to health and human services, to public and higher education, to homeland security.
Click here to download the full report, or click on the link above to see an index of chapters.
Texas on the Brink: How Texas Ranks Among the 50 States
Without the courage to invest in the minds of our children, and steadfast support for great schools, we face a daunting prospect. Those who value tax cuts over children and budget cuts over college have put Texas at risk in her ability to compete and succeed.
Texas Taxes
Making Texas Competitive: Texas Tax Reform Commission
The Texas tax system needs to change. Our tax system fails the people of Texas in two ways: (1) Texas taxes are not equitable, and (2) The current tax system does not provide enough money to meet Texans' basic needs. Taxes are needed to fund essential public services.
UTEP/IPED Asarco Study (August 2007)
Valuing the Paso Del Norte: Resident and Business Perspectives on the Value of the Environment Relative to Reopening the ASARCO Copper Smelter (IPED Technical Report No. 2007-08).
UTEP Masters in Education Counseling Program
UTEP 2015
Nearly all UT System Border universities present a challenge, but none more so than UTEP. As such, it presents the essential challenge on how to reform higher education, provide essential accountability, produce a quality undergraduate education, and finance a student population with fewer financial resources than almost any in the United States.