Groups Against
Smelter Pollution (G.A.S.P.) records
Inclusive Dates:
1984-1987
Physical Description:
8 Linear Feet (about 9,300 items)
Abstract:
Records, 1984-1986. This collection is composed
of the records of Groups Against Smelter Pollution (G.A.S.P.), including:
administrative files; activity files; communication files; correspondence;
newspaper clippings; negatives, photographs, and slides; and one scrapbook.
Also includes research materials compiled by G.A.S.P., regarding the Phelps
Dodge Corporation as well as other topics of interest to this environmental
coalition.
Collection Number:
MS 402
Repository:
University of Arizona Libraries, Special
Collections
University of Arizona
PO Box 210055
Tucson, AZ 85721-0055
Phone: 520-621-6423
Fax: 520-621-9733
URL: http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/
Historical Note
Groups Against Smelter Pollution (G.A.S.P.) was founded in 1984 by a
group of concerned citizens who sought to minimize smelter pollution in
Southeastern Arizona and Northern Sonora for the preservation of human health,
the environment, and the economy. Acting upon their mission, Groups Against
Smelter Pollution organized to educate themselves and others about what they
referred to as the "Grey Triangle," an area formed by three smelters: the
Phelps Dodge Smelter in Douglas, Arizona, the Compania Minera de Cananea
smelter in Cananea, Sonora, and the Mexican de Cobre Smelter in Nacozari,
Sonora. G.A.S.P. focused on education, outreach and direct action: publishing
newsletters, organizing protests, circulating petitions and instigating letter
writing campaigns throughout their three years of operation. With the majority
of G.A.S.P. membership located in the Bisbee/Douglas area, group members
focused their activism on compelling public officials to force Phelps Dodge
Corporation to meet the federal air pollution standards of the Clean Air Act by
July 16, 1986 or shut down the Douglas Reduction Works. G.A.S.P. members were
also active in documenting the health and environmental effects smelter
pollution was having on themselves, their families, and their communities
through photographs and testimonials. In 1986, G.A.S.P. put intense pressure on
the Environmental Protection Agency to deny Phelps Dodge Corporation the
Nonferrous Smelter Order that would allow the smelter to continue operating
with no restrictions. In July of 1986 the Environmental Protection Agency
refused to renew a suspension of the exemption from state smokestack emissions
limits. Phelps Dodge closed the smelter on January 15, 1987. G.A.S.P. disbanded
shortly thereafter.
Scope and Content Note
Records, 1984-1986. This collection is composed of the records of Groups
Against Smelter Pollution (G.A.S.P.), including: administrative files; activity
files (containing records of demonstrations, meetings, and health surveys);
communication files (containing newsletters, press releases, and other G.A.S.P.
writings); correspondence; newspaper clippings; negatives, photographs, and
slides (containing images of smelter pollution and environmental activism); and
one scrapbook. Also included are research materials regarding the Phelps Dodge
Corporation, particularly documents pertaining to the legal debate on the
operation of Douglas Smelter and its eventual closure. Additionally the
collection includes subject files on topics of particular interest to this
environmental coalition, such as health and environmental issues relating to
smelter pollution, and individuals and organizations related to the smelter
debate. Please note that dates listed reflect the subject content of the
material.
Organization
This collection is organized into eight series. Four series contain
subseries: Administrative Files, Activity Files, Phelps Dodge Files, and
Subject Files.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish
from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record,
the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The
user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the
University of Arizona, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all
claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of
copyright.
The Administrative Files Series is divided into four subseries.
Subseries: Organizational History (1985), contains letterhead and business
cards, G.A.S.P. statements of mission and purpose, and promotional materials
such as stickers, buttons, and posters. Subseries: Financial Files (1984-1986),
contains records of public contributions, records of G.A.S.P. expenses
(invoices and receipts), and bank statements. Subseries: Contact Files
(1984-1987), contains business cards, mailing lists (for members and
organizational contacts), and phone lists. Subseries: Petition Files
(1985-1986), contains blank petition forms and records of the three major
petitions circulated by G.A.S.P.
The Activity Files Series is divided into three subseries.
Subseries: Communication Files (1984-1986), contains organizational
newsletters, public action alerts, Mexican publications, general statements
written by G.A.S.P. members, press statements and notes and memoranda.
Subseries: Events Files (1985-1987), contains announcements and minutes from
meetings and hearings, clippings and publicity regarding G.A.S.P. sponsored
demonstrations, and a video of the 1986 "Die-In" smelter protest. Subseries:
Health Survey Files (1985), contains records of a respiratory survey, asthmatic
registry, and air particulate sampling study conducted by G.A.S.P. in
conjunction with Dr. Andrew Slaski.
This bulk of this series contains general correspondence between
G.A.S.P. members and various parties. Additionally there are separate groups of
correspondence between Arizona Department of Health Services, the Environmental
Protection Agency, and other state and federal legislators. There is also a
folder of letters written by Palominas Public School Children to the
Environmental Protection Agency after viewing a G.A.S.P. presentation on
smelter pollution.
box
folder
2
19
Arizona Department of Health Services.
, 1984-1986.
The Phelps Dodge Series is divided into three subseries. Subseries:
General Files (1960-1989), contains general information on the Phelps Dodge
Corporation including financial reports, newspaper clippings, company
publications, and detailed information on Phelps Dodge smelters and smelter
closures. Subseries: Smelter Monitoring Files (1984-1986), contains Arizona
Department of Health Services monitoring, Environmental Protection Agency
notices of violation, as well as citizen complaints to Arizona Department of
Health Services regarding Phelps Dodge smelter pollution. Subseries: Legal
Files (1984-1986), contains records of various legal proceedings pertaining to
Phelps Dodge operating permit applications, including related correspondence
and the deposition of G.A.S.P. member Cathé Fish before the Arizona
State Air Pollution Control Hearing Board.
The Subject Files Series contains a mixture of materials including
publications, government documents, research reports, promotional materials,
clippings, and correspondence, relating to a variety of subject areas of
interest to the G.A.S.P. membership. The files were created by G.A.S.P. members
as an open resource for citizens of Bisbee to educate themselves on air
pollution and smelter operation issues, although some files were added during
the arrangement of the collection. This series is divided into five subseries:
Subseries: Copper Industry Files (1982-1985), Subseries: Environmental Files
(1977-1989), Subseries: Health Files (1974-1990), Subseries: Individuals
(1983-1986), and Subseries: Organizations (1983-1986).
The Newspaper Clippings Series contains clippings regarding G.A.S.P.
activities and demonstrations and more generally the smelter pollution issue in
the Southwest and related environmental issues. There are a small number of
Spanish and German language clippings from Mexican and German publications.
The Negatives, Photographs, and Slides Series contains materials in
these three formats chronicling G.A.S.P. activism and smelter pollution in
Southeastern Arizona and Sonara, Mexico. Also included are three slideshows
used for G.A.S.P. presentations.
The Oversized Materials Series contains one scrapbook containing
photographs, clippings, publications and other items commemorating the
activities of G.A.S.P.