Railroad Commissioner to Visit Earthquake Alley

The Railroad Commission of Texas doesn't regulate railroads ~ not since the Federal government took over that role in the 1980's.  They do have jurisdiction over the Oil and Gas Industry.  One of their three Commissioners, David Porter, plans to visit residents in Azle, Texas this Thursday where he will host a  Town Hall meeting to discuss the recent quake swarm in that area.   

Scientists have recognized the correlation between hydrocarbon production and earthquakes since the 1960's ~ well, actually as far back as the 1920's.  So, if the injection of huge volumes of fluid at high pressure causes seismicity, why not shut down the operation ~ at least in residential communities?  

It's not that simple.  

First, the Railroad Commission doesn't believe in sound science ~ and even if they did ~  they do not have the jurisdiction to shut them down over seismic activity.   

Also, the balance between profits and public safety is tricky business ~ especially when such strong ties exist between the regulators and the industry they regulate.  David Porter began his CPA practice in Midland three decades ago providing accounting, financial and tax services for the Oil and Gas Industry. 

While we don't expect anything but a dog and pony show,  it is important for citizens to show up and voice their concerns.  Communities and public safety are AT RISK.  We believe the only way to turn this train around is to divest from fossil fuels and move towards a renewable energy future.  

In the meantime, make it your New Years' Resolution to purchase earthquake insurance!

There have been  30 North Texas Earthquakes Since November.

Town Hall Information:

Date:  Thursday, January 2, 2014

Time:   5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Location:  Azle High School Auditorium, 1200 Boyd Road, Azle, TX

                           

HAPPY ROCKIN' NEW YEAR!! 

It's a Ho Ho Sinkhole

 Ho

Ho

Ho

It's a Giant Sinkhole

 In lovely Southwest Arlington, Texas

The red oval near the bottom right depicts the approximate location of this sinkhole: 
Green Oaks Boulevard near Waterview Drive, Arlington, Texas.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

May you enjoy a safe, frack-free holiday season.
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

Ponder, Texas. Ponder This

The Shale Gas Industry is Willing to Risk Your Life in Exchange for Their Profits.  Are you?

 

Video from The Guardian.  Fracking in Ponder, TX

Fracking Hell:  what it's really like to live next to a shale gas well

Don't Mess with Texas Women

Congratulations, Chesapeake!!  It looks like another anti-fracking activist was born when one of your drill sites spewed toxic gas and wastewater near resident's homes during an ice storm.  Fort Worth resident, Janice Colston contacted us early this morning:

"Please pray for me. At 5:30 a.m. my dog woke me up to let him out and I heard another loud sound coming from across the street at the gas well. I looked out and saw the gas escaping. I couldn't leave because of the ice on the street. I called the fire department and the Chesapeake emergency numbers and they managed to shut it down. I am really struggling. It seems that we can't live in this neighborhood."

This is not the first time this sort of event has happened near Janice's home.  It also happened on the evening of November 2nd.  The Fort Worth Star Telegram wrote about that initial gas release, but the article is confusing because it it reports: 

"City officials in Fort Worth, Arlington and Denton say such incidents are not common."  

(Maybe that is a typo.)

The story goes on to read:

"Ed Ireland, who heads the industry-sponsored Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, called the shutdown systems “highly reliable” and simple to use. “Most of these producing sites within cities have what’s called ‘the big red button.’ And that’s the training: You enter the site and push the button,” Ireland said.  

"Those procedures didn’t work as scripted, however, that evening at Chesapeake’s well site at 6990 Ederville Road, at the southeast corner of Interstate 30 and East Loop 820, near Janice Colston’s home."

(We understand the fire department did not have access to the pad site.)

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/12/03/5388994/leaks-at-urban-gas-wells-uncommon.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/12/03/5388994/leaks-at-urban-gas-wells-uncommon.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Click here for the full story.  

Below is a satellite image showing the close proximity of this Fort Worth, Texas gas drill site in relation to homes and a park:

Arial view of Ederville Gas Drill Site, Fort Worth, Texas

Do these operators have no shame?  We feel for all the people in North Texas who are prisoners in their own homes.   It is tragic that so many residents are traumatized by gas drilling activities in their own backyards.  It's time to stop the madness.  Time to end the greed.  Time to stop messing with Texas women!

Fracking Arlington's Rare Gem ~ Blackland Prairie Nature Preserve

Nestled unimpressively in a southeast corner of Arlington, TX amid warehouse buildings, homes, and gas drill sites lies a small remnant of land called Blackland Prairie Nature Preserve.  The Texas Blackland Prairie sprawls from just south of the Red River in North Texas and extends all the way to San Antonio.  It covers a vast area ~ over 19,000 square miles.  Although the Dallas/Fort Worth region of the Blacklands is highly developed today, it once was characterized by its grasslands, savannas, and shrubs.  Now much of it is covered in a sea of homes, businesses, and gas wells. 

Native Americans once settled in the North Texas area.  It wasn't until after the shale gas industry invaded and transformed our communities into heavy industrial mining zones that we were able to fully comprehended what it must have felt like for the Native Americans to be driven off their land and onto reservations.  Now we get it. 

A public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, 2013 from 6:30 - 7:30 at the Arlington Municipal Airport located at 5070 South Collins Street to discuss the preservation and Master Plan of what MyArlingtonTX describes as its "rare Arlington gem."  Next you will see this Master Plan.  Looks good, huh?

Black Land Layout

 

A public meeting will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 6:30 –  7:30 p.m. at the Arlington Municipal Airport Lobby, 5070 S. Collins Street, to discuss options for the preservation and protection of this rare Arlington gem. - See more at: http://myarlingtontx.com/2013/11/18/arlington-home-to-rare-tract-of-blackland-prairie/#sthash.uTyQD93P.dpuf

Wait.  Take a look at this screen shot from a Railroad Commission of Texas GIS map.  Circled in red is Blackland Prairie Nature Preserve.    It looks like two, or at least one  horizontal well has been drilled, perfed,  and fracked under the preserve.  

It seems strange to dress up the surface when down below flows millions of gallons of toxic fluids.  It's too bad our City does not prohibit drilling under parks and nature preserves.  If this drilling frenzy continues with little restraints, we have concerns that Arlington's future  may be the next  Love Canal.  We say future because high-volume unconventional slickwater horizontal drilling is still in its experimental phase.  We have not yet seen the full ramifications of this process, but the harmful effects are already manifesting themselves in many ways from contaminated, flaming water to earthquakes.  

Note:  There may be an issue with this meeting date for some residents.  A City Council meeting is scheduled for the same evening.  Here is that agenda.  We hope this scheduling conflict will not impede citizen participation on a more pressing issue.

Here's a throwback commercial from the early 1970's:

Is it too late to keep Arlington beautiful, or have we gone beyond the point of no return?