Comment EI-33944
Received or sent (printed as 5/5/2025)
The overarching concern is the aggressive, strategic approach of Puerto Verde LLC to secure power over Maverick County RESOURCES, infrastructure, and governance; Maverick County was selected, targeted and unfortunately sold by local politicians, without ever properly including citizens and taxpayers in the entire process. All moves were made quietly until it was almost too late for citizens to react. Puerto Verde and owner/director Ruben Garibay operate in the shadows via a network of LLC's difficult to track. Puerto Verde LLC, Garibay, and politicians state that all PV projects are/will be privately funded yet they aggressively pursue grants and make moves that make or will make Maverick County taxpayers responsible for all costs. One critical issue is that PV assures taxpayers its projects will be privately funded -that the presidential permit granted by Biden Administration gives them permission to proceed. Yet if one reads the application, the language makes Maverick County the grantee, responsible for funding, compliance, and managing the bridge. As citizens have expressed overwhelming opposition to PV projects, the next step they have taken is to try to create a Puerto Verde Port Authority with power to govern itself, create a water district, and have eminent domain authority. Specifically regarding WATER, the entire region has been/is under a severe drought. Farmers and cattlemen are losing their farms and livestock; individuals' water wells are drying up. PV projects will have major impact on access to water. Not only is possible flooding an issue; the reverse is also true. Access to water is critical and citizens are concerned regarding the impact PV projects will have. Puerto Verde's and Ruben Garibay's approach to "governing" is more like that of Mexico instead of the American approach of governing for the people rather than profit. Please see the attached chart with citations to some information on media regarding PV actions in last few years.
Submitted by: Diana Gomez · Pasadena, TX
The Board publishes this comment in its environmental-comment table for this proceeding. It is quoted here as printed; nothing is inferred from it, and it states the commenter's own position in their own words, not this record's.
Permanent address docketyard.org/d/FD-36652/comment/EI-33944
File docketyard.org/document/d777f6484347a0f0fd9cd031dbde815ea53d6a44a4297708ea16fd6e2a3eda8c.docx · back to the docket sheet