In a town of nearly 700 residents, fewer than 30 have college degrees, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures. When the 1990 census results appeared, it was surprising to see the town had grown by 95 people in a decade. But closer examination showed the recent arrivals were federal prisoners housed in the newly expanded Hudspeth County Jail. Like many Sierra Blancans, Josefina Navarette's family has lived here since shortly after the turn of the 20th century. She is against the proposed dump.
Some neighbors are for it.
The issue has driven a wedge between them. More than exposure to radiation, she fears the dump will cause people to leave and the town will shrivel to nothing. Sierra Blanca already is home to someone else's waste. The six-year contract with Merco expires this year, but there are plans for Sierra Blanca to continue receiving New York City waste. EPIC wants to spread it on a ranch east of Sierra Blanca, next to the proposed dump, according to current Hudspeth County Judge James Peace .