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Environmental Hazard Ignored by Dr. Magana
Dr. Jorge Magana director of the El Paso City/County Health Department was contacted in July of 2006 indicating that the Borderland Spur Drain had been drained dry due to neglegence on the part of those agencies responsible for mainting the drain and also the community health.
The El Paso County Water Improvement District # 1 now under the helm of another sibling of U.S. Congressman Sylvestre Reyes to gain a position. Jesus Reyes indicated that he didn't know what depth the development of Rany O'Leary had dropped the water table. He indicated that he "would check on it". Reyes has not returned calls.
The City of El Paso and also the EPCCHD did nothing to prevent the impending environmental hazard.
Magana was informed that the drain which used to have minnows in it to keep down the spread of mosquitoes which now carry West Nile Virus. The drain, now due to the rains and infrequent watering by the remaining few farmers in the area... will puddle up and then dry out again.
This has lead to a huge outbreak of mosquitoes and the EPCCHD has done nothing to stem the health hazard in the area.
Recently, Commander Jesus Ortega of the Vector Control had indicated to the UVB that a photo op had been arranged with a local TV station. Minnows were added to a section of the drain that now had water. Presto... everything is fine. Well, not really.
The area that has reeds growing block the passage of minnows to all water borne areas. This allows mosquitoes to spread.
The area has been completly infested with mosquitoes since August and the EPCCHD has been ignoring the problem.
West Nile Virus was confirmed in mosquitoes that were found near Canutillo on August 15th. That would indicate that West Nile Virus has been in the area since possibly July.
We recently documented Dr. Maganan's crack Vector Control crew fogging the area of a subdivision a mile away from the health hazard of the Borderland Drain. This fogging was conducted in a 20 mph wind.
Commander Jesus Ortega indicated to us, since Dr. Magana will not respond to our requests for information, that the Vector Control fogging trucks will not leave paved roads to fog. They were documented fogging the Borderland Spur Drain last year in 2005 while the drain supposedly had plenty of minnows... but the Vector Control under Dr. Magana's guidance has ignored the health hazard.
UVB has been setting traps to document the number of mosquitoes in the area and nearly 100 mosquitoes have been found each morning the tests were conducted. Also, the flooded area of the new section of Randy O'leary's development near the drain have not been sprayed either according to Ortega.
The question posed to Dr. Magana was... "How many deaths due to West Nile Virus or ECC is okay with him?" Dr. Magana has not responded to our request.
(Photos: Brax - Valley Publishing Company)
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Editor, Upper Valley Beacon
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