Just How Temporary Are Those Frac Ponds?

Did Mayor Cluck really tell Charles Davis of Chesapeake to, "go ahead and drill 80 wells if you want to"?  {on the Rocking Horse Pad Site }  Yes, he did ~ as long as they can find a different water source because he wants them to take that frac tank [sic] out.  We can't blame the developer for wanting that frac pond removed because as long as that pond sits there, he cannot develop his property.

These ponds are temporary. 

     Definition of temporary: not permanent; a short period of time.  

So, the question is:  Who gets to define temporary?  It has been two years, and only one well out of a dozen or so have been drilled.  At this rate, the temporary frac pond will need to remain for an additional 22 years!  

(June 5, 2012 Arlington City Council Public Hearing - Rocking Horse Well)

(We wonder what brand of gum XTO's Walter Dueease is chewing?)

Now let's talk about the water.  Last summer ~ during the intense Texas drought when residents were asked to conserve ~ water was being transported via an elaborate pipeline highway which stretched under Interstate 20 from a mega church's pond  and reached its final destination at the I-20 JV Drill Site adjacent to Bowie High School.  Click here to see those photos and story from last summer.  

Whew.  It was a really hot summer!

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

It has come to our attention that  today, June 29th is Charles Davis' last day of employment with Chesapeake.  We would like to share his farewell letter with you:

"It is with great sadness to inform you that my last day with Chesapeake will be this Friday, June 29. Every one of you has played a vital role in my development at Chesapeake Energy and within your community. Thank you for always having an open door.

Even though my last day with Chesapeake is this week, please rest assured that you will continue to have access to information regarding the company's operations. If you or your neighbors have any questions regarding your lease, royalty payments, status of operations at a wellsite, or are just curious about future plans, our Neighbor Relations team remains ready to answer those questions. They can be reached at askchesapeake@chk.com or by calling 817.502.5000.

Truly, I will miss you all, and thankful to our digital world we are only an e-mail.[sic] So as I hang my Chesapeake hat on the door, I would like to say "ciao" for now. I am sure our paths will cross again, and I will forever remain appreciative for our business relationship."

Sincerely,
Charles Davis

"Ross Dress for Less" Explosion

In 1985 the Ross Dress for Less store in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles exploded injuring 23 people.  It is believed that methane gas migrated from a nearby oil field due to improperly abandoned wells.  The gas migrated up a path of least resistance through fractures and well bores until it reached the surface.  Since naturally occurring methane is odorless, the buildup of gas went undetected until it was too late.  Here is video footage of that incident:

For information about the Salt Lake Oil Field which lies beneath the City of Los Angeles, click HERE. 

Should Arlington, TX  be labeled a High Potential Methane Zone?

Protecting our Water?

The gas industry spends a ton of advertising money trying to convince us that they are protecting the water.   Seems like the more they try to convince us, the more we distrust them.  We want to thank Josh Fox who just released his newest documentary, The Sky is Pink.  Watch it and discover truth.   

THE SKY IS PINK from JFOX on Vimeo.

The Cracker Factory Coming Soon!

Will the cracker come to the Buckeye State?

If Pennsylvania's governor gets his way, it will.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett 



What is cracking?  Simply speaking cracking breaks down molecules of carbon and hydrogen into smaller molecular chains.  This process can be used to make gasoline and plastic.  For a more in depth look at cracking, click here.

Working at a cracker factory is not the ideal dream job.  Until our civilization breaks its addiction to dirty fossil fuels, however, this is what we get. 

Arlington, TX: A Damaged Land

 June 2009

Plans proposed to the City of Arlington, TX in June 2009
Corner of South Hwy. 360 and Sublett Road

Fast forward three years to the present, June 2012...

Nine acres of undeveloped commercial property surround the Fulson Drill Site.

In a recent conversation with an Arlington land developer, he told us that Chesapeake misrepresented what they were going to do.  When all the wells got drilled, they were going to be able to develop that piece of property.  Chesapeake's five acres would be reduced down to 1.3, and the Temporary Frac Pond would be gone.  It is three years later and Chesapeake still has not reduced the pad site to 1.3 acres and the surrounding land still lies barren.   Chesapeake was a Big Gorilla.  The City was dreaming about the $$gas revenues$$. 

Unfortunately, they created an Achilles' heel for potential land development for this Arlington location.  Even if someone wanted to develop this once, prime piece of commercial real estate, it is now covered in gas gathering pipelines, and you can't put a structure on top of gas pipelines. 

Gas Gathering Line Marker
We could have had this.

Finally, here is a letter that Chesapeake sent out to the Fish Creek neighbors in July of 2009:

"Chesapeake has recently learned of opposition to the Fulson drillsite from a development company whose property is adjacent to the property owned by Chesapeake.  The development company feels that our drillsite hinders future development potential for their property."

During our conversation with this same Arlington land developer, he agreed with us 2000% [his words] that they [Chesapeake] damaged any future land development for this cornerstone of Arlington, Texas which at one point in time held such potential as an important gateway to our vibrant city.

Broken Promises: Fulson Drill Site

Notice that when the June 23, 2009 public hearing for the Fulson Gas Drill Site begins no one bothers to correct Mayor Cluck's blunder announcing Glory Park as the item being discussed.   No one is paying attention - not even the City Manager.   

Although this proposed drill site on South Highway 360 near Sublett Road is in Robert Rivera's district, notice how he doesn't even ask a single question about turning this prime piece of real estate into heavy industrial use.

Sheri Capehart, however asks good questions.  She asks Chesapeake's Public Affairs Coordinator, Sarah Griffis, how long it will be until residents receive their royalty checks.  Ms. Griffis  indicated  it would be six months to one year.  It's a good thing it's not written in stone!   That Fulson well began production in February 2011 and we still have not received royalty money.   Word has it that some lessors are just now beginning to receive division orders.    Here is a copy of  e-mail correspondence from May 10, 2012 between a Fish Creek Neighbor and Chesapeake:

Nature of Inquiry: Regarding the Fulson Well 1H Lease No. 259101 which has begun producing as of 2/16/11, has this gas been sold at market?... Why have the mineral owners not been paid royalties yet?

Hi:

Thank you for contacting Chesapeake Energy. The title opinions for the Fulson unit are still not yet complete. The division orders were due to be distributed at the end of June 2011. After this date, due to the delay, we will pay interest (2% over prime) on the revenue which will be passed onto the royalty owners on their second royalty check...

Marissa Gibbs

Notice how Chesapeake is not paying the penalty on the first check.  Why not?? 

In addition, this site plan was to include evergreen trees along the east perimeter of the pad site to hide all the horrible things that would be going on in there.  They all died.

We are still waiting for those seven or eight prime tracts of land to be developed as Cliff Mycoskie mentions in his speech, but let's get real.  That's just not going to happen.  Who in their right mind would want to develop land on the back side of a gas pad?  Plus, there are gas gathering lines snaking all over the place.  More about that topic later...

Sarah Griffis states that Chesapeake has an aggressive drilling plan for that site with the first six wells being drilled within the first 15 months.  Thank God that did not happen because it was sheer torture living through three.  Many nearby residents were complaining of health issues during the drilling of the first wells, and we have good reason to believe their symptoms were directly related to Chesapeake's industrial activity taking place in such close proximity to our homes and schools.  In addition to the health effects, we heard that two neighbors downwind from that pad site died in February 2011.   

With one sweeping vote on the night of June 23, 2009 our Arlington City Council turned our community into an industrial zone.  This decision has already had serious repercussions, and  folks, it's not going to get better anytime soon.  If we only knew then what we know now...     

Citizens' Concerns Fall Upon Deaf Ears

Feedback is pouring in from the June 5th Arlington, TX City Council meeting.   We would like to share one citizen's observations:

"Yes. I found out where the meeting was held at City Hall and was enlightened, as well as disappointed, by the conversation and lack of support our elected officials have for our safety. I was only able to sit through the first Chesapeake request for "Rocking Horse Drill Site", because I had to work. I wish I could have stayed for the remaining 3 resolutions for Chesapeake.

I also provided 4 cards opposing their requests until Chesapeake owns up to their existing responsibilities for Arlington. It was only when the rep from Chesapeake could not confirm that he could provide an alternate source of water to the site that affected other investor's property (not the citizens) that deferred their decision to move forward with their action.

I'd like to propose a class-action lawsuit against Chesapeake. The current practice is not working.

 It was nice to see the Arlington citizens come out and support the community against Chesapeake and hope to see you and others at the next meeting."

(e-mail from concerned southeast Arlington resident)

Here is the link from that meeting.   Scroll ahead 44 minutes to the Rocking Horse hearing.  Then scroll ahead to about one hour and 13 minutes where Mayor Cluck tells Charles Davis of Chesapeake, "You go ahead and drill 80 wells if you want to."  Wow, did anybody hear the citizens?

http://arlingtontx.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=1074

Gas Gathering Pipelines Regulated??

If we heard correctly at the Rocking Horse meeting last night (bad acoustics), Charles Davis of Chesapeake informed a room full of people that gas pipelines are regulated.  You can believe that rhetoric, or you can believe what this government report says:

Click  HERE.

Here is the Railroad Commission GIS map for southeast Arlington.  Pipelines are in green:

There's something else going on with Rocking Horse...more about that later.