Is it Game Over For Fracking in Arlington, TX?

3-6. That was the final score on June 9th when Arlington City Council denied TEP Barnett’s request to amend a specific use permit to establish a drill zone to sink three additional gas wells near Pioneer Parkway and State Highway 360. For the first time in over a decade the citizens prevailed against an oil and gas giant.  Public opinion about fracking has shifted significantly in recent years, and e-mails of opposition poured in to the city for this case. 

So, what caused council to suddenly do a 180?  Did they experience an epiphany? Were they punch drunk from taking repeated blows from citizens railing against these bad neighbors over the past decade? With the City of Arlington facing budgetary shortfalls during this time of COVID19, would they go out on an economic limb and risk an expensive law suit to openly defy HB40 ~ legislation which stripped municipalities of local control related to oil and gas activity? The short answer is no, and it is unlikely that this bill will be overturned any time soon due to the current political climate in Texas. Fixing the problem of gas drilling inside neighborhoods would require a workaround. Thankfully, Arlington citizens elected a Mayor skilled in the art of the deal. All bets are on that there will be new development coming soon which won’t include any new gas wells. Of course this is purely speculation. 

For now, enjoy a cold drink during this fracking intermission and stay with us until it is game over for the oil and gas industry in Arlington. 

If you missed the public hearing on June 9th, click here for that link. 

Dear Arlington, TX City Council

 

June 9, 2020

         Subject:  SUP09-21R1 (AC360 Drill Site) 2000 South Watson Road

Dear Mayor Williams and City Council Members, Dear Mayor Williams and City Council Members,

The oil and gas industry has had their knee on the necks of citizens and municipalities for too long.

We can’t breathe.

It is evident to all by now that allowing for corporate interests to explore and drill and frack for gas hundreds of feet from the fence lines where people live and children play was not only a terrible mistake but a dangerous one.  

In this particular case TEP Barnett wants a variance to an already insufficient setback of 600 feet. Approval would result in the release of tons of toxic emissions into the air we breath during a worldwide pandemic when COVID19 is attacking the respiratory systems of the weak and frail as well as the strong. Heavy industrial mining is incompatible with residential communities. We all know this, yet time after time again we witness council violating their own consciences due to a corrupted state legislature complicit with an industry that fuels their campaigns.

I implore you to come out from the shade of HB40.  This is not the time to put profits over people.  We need your help in taking the knee of oil and gas off our necks so we may live and breathe and peaceably enjoy our properties in a city which is governed in a manner which causes no harm to the most vulnerable in our community.

I pray you deny TEP Barnett’s request to establish a drill zone at the AC360 Drill Site.

Warmest regards,

 A Concerned Citizen  

xoxo

PS: 1) There was an earthquake in Joshua yesterday. https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000a7ty/executive?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ENS&utm_campaign=realtime

2) There was a gas pipeline fire on April 18th which occurred two exits to the south of proposed drill zone. Note that this happened during the quarantine.  Had it been a normal Saturday, this intersection would have been gridlocked due to Traders Village traffic and there would have been casualties.  https://youtu.be2

Arlington, Texas Government ~ Kremlin Style

2018 ushered in nearly six months of testimony and public hearings for a controversial drill zone and four additional gas wells at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas. Because it was an election season, Arlington City Council strung the citizens along giving them false hope. On June 19th the decision was finalized.  Council gave Total ~ the 4th largest oil and gas company in the world, and based in France where fracking is banned ~ the green light to conduct fracking operations on church property next to and under Cravens Park and inside a residential neighborhood. 

What made this particular case high profile was a playground situated around 300 feet, a stone's throw, from the drill zone.  There was strong opposition to this case, and a high turnout of citizens from the community appeared and re-appeared at city hall during these months citing a myriad of arguments against gas drilling from the adverse health impacts, non-compatibility to residential zoning, to Total being ranked a bad player by industry standards.  

On February 13, 2018 Sharon Wilson from Earthworks brought a poster-sized image to the podium (courtesy Liveable Arlington) juxtaposing the dangerously close proximity of this playground to the drill site along with a gas mask, and when she presented these props to council, it looked as though the blood rushed out of the councilwomen's faces. It appeared as though they had seen a ghost.  Citizens hoped they may have pivoted on this issue.  

On February 27, 2018 Arlington City Council denied Total's request for a drill zone by a vote of 6-2. Total doesn't take no for an answer, so they moved the drill zone 15 or 20 feet and re-applied. Note how the May 5th municipal election had not taken place yet.  

In Mayor Williams absence with Councilwoman Capehart presiding over the meeting, the drill zone was approved the evening of May 22, 2018 with these three amendments:

1)  Sound walls for workover rigs.
2)  Electric Drill (sic)
3)  The playground be moved "expeditiously." (Scroll ahead to 3:37 mark to hear Councilwoman Victoria Farrar Myers ask for this assurance.)

A cacophony accompanied 80 citizens as they filed out of the chamber chanting, "Vote them out!  Vote them out!"

Also in Mayor Williams absence with Councilwoman Capehart presiding over the meeting, four gas wells received city council's blessing on June 19, 2018. It was universally understood by the city, the industry, the church, and the public that the playground was to be moved prior to the commencement of drilling operations.  Nearly one month had passed providing adequate time to move that equipment. Then sometime around the 4th of July holiday, a rig moves in, but the playground remained in the same location.  This display of insolence by Total and the church completely undermined the authority of our municipal government, disrespected citizens, and set a precedent for Total to break any and all rules going forward. Get ready for a fracking free-for-all.

Photograph Courtesy Fish Creek Monitor 

The City of Arlington did not assess any penalties against Total for this willful disregard of the amendment stipulating that the playground had to be moved.  Now if that wasn't egregious enough, click here and scroll ahead approximately 1:12 into the June 19, 2018 public hearing.  Notice how there are 20 seconds or so of silence between Kevin Strawser's rebuttal and the moment when the council votes. Everyone familiar with this case clearly remembers the ongoing discussion about the moving of that playground.  Now, Poof...!

Disappearing Dialogue, Kremlin Style.

During the July 16, 2018 Russia-United States Summit in Helsinki, a Reuters reporter named Jeff Mason asked President Putin, "Did you want President Trump to win the election, and did you direct any of your officials to help him do that?" Putin replied, "Yes, I did.  I did.  Because he talked about bringing the U.S.-Russia relationship back to normal."  

Curiously, the White House transcript dropped the first half of that two-part question, "Did you want President Trump to win the election?" and the Russian transcript skillfully cut out the entire exchange. Those with an interest in world politics may Click Here to watch the full video where Rachel Maddow discusses the Helsinki Summit and the disappearing transcript. 

So, you decide.  Were those moments of silence just prior to the Arlington, Texas City Council vote on June 19th to approve four controversial gas wells the result of a technical glitch in the new chamber's audio equipment, or was this dialogue - most likely discussing specific amendments related to this case - deliberately scrubbed from the record?  

We just pray for the sake of the children that Total moves the playground expeditiously.  Merriam Webster defines the word expeditious as:  marked by or acting with prompt efficiency.

Until next time, stay safe out there. We are living in dangerous political times.  

Gas Wells are Good For You

Gas Wells are good for you.  In fact, if you are not fortunate enough to have gas wells in your backyard, you are missing out on all the positive health benefits this heavy industrial activity has to offer. If you think this is satire, it is not.  This information comes straight from a City of Arlington resolution dated June 19, 2018 recommending that  Total E&P Barnett, USA, LLC  drill four additional gas wells at the Cornerstone drill site in southeast Arlington, Texas. The resolution states, 

"...The City Council has determined that it is in the best interest of the public and in support of the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens that the gas well permits be issued." 

To read the resolution in its entirety, go to this link:

https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/202503/GW18-011_GW18-012_GW18-013_GW18-014._res.pdf

Remember to take your daily dose of fracking! 
It's so good for you!

Oil and Gas Tests the Waters in Arlington, Texas

On January 17, 2018 Arlington's Planning and Zoning Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a new drill zone at the Cornerstone Drill Site 319 feet from a church, homes, and businesses in Southeast Arlington.  The gas drilling ordinance requires a a setback of 600 feet, which is in no way protective of public health and safety. The Oil and Gas operator that wants to drill three additional wells (four, actually, but who's counting?) is TEP Barnett USA, LLC, a subsidiary of Total whose headquarters are located in France, a country that has banned fracking. They have acquired Chesapeake's assets, and are the fourth largest oil and gas company in the world. They have come to finish what Chesapeake started ~ to suck up the remaining gas from beneath our homes and communities and make our lives a living hell once again.

This article and video by the Guardian is by far one of the best:  

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

 
In order to comply with the gas drilling ordinance, the operator is required to obtain waivers from 70% of the property owners who live within a 600 foot radius of the drill zone, which is the location from where multiple wells get drilled.  When P&Z approved this case, they only had 57% of the neighbors agree to a setback reduction.  Cornerstone Baptist Church, located approximately 340 feet from the nearest producing well had more sway on this decision, as they own three tracts on this lease, and they signed a waiver.  We are praying that the church leaders who made this decision will change their minds and rescind these waivers, as there is still time to save our city from the build out of gas wells. Back in 2009 Chesapeake had slated this site for 21 wells. 

It was surprising to learn that this controversial case passed with flying colors through P&Z despite the fact that the operator hadn't even applied for the proper permit with the Railroad Commission of Texas, the regulatory agency that oversees oil and gas. The applicant for this case, Kevin Strawser, must have spent many, many hours working with city staff on this project.  He also indicated that he met with Councilwoman Thalman and also attempted to reach out to neighbors to invite them to a town hall.  Word has it, no one from the neighborhood came to his meeting.

So, why would the City not require the operator to produce a permit prior to this zoning process?  Tougher restrictions are placed on Arlington residents requiring them to obtain a permit to install a new toilet or build a fence.  Soon a permit will be required to hold a garage sale to sell gently used baby clothes and bric-a-brac. None of these activities have the ability to endanger public health or safety, yet gas wells can and do explode. Heavy industrial activity is harmful to human health and disruptive to the overall quality of life. Why is a huge international corporation not held to the same standards as the citizens who live here? 

Arlington is not a city where its citizens are represented by elected officials, but rather, a place which has been taken captive by corporate interests. To brand itself as an American Dream City is nothing but a misnomer.

City Council was scheduled to hear this case on January 30th, but District 3 Councilwoman Roxanne Thalman was sick with the flu.  This case will be continued on February 13th. 

Total is testing the waters.  The oil and gas industry are predators, but what they don't realize is that while sharks may be at the top of the food chain, humans have been known to eat shark. 

The devil is in the details, and there is a wealth of information to be gleaned from this public hearing which begins at the 51 minute mark.  We hope you will watch! Stay tuned for more...  
    

Click here to view this P&Z meeting. 
 

Is Old Ogle Ogling Political Power Again in Arlington District 3?

Arlington District 3 City Council Candidate Roxanne Thalman shown with Former District 3 Arlington, TX City Councilman Wayne Ogle

This controversial photograph of Arlington District 3 City Council Candidate Roxanne Thalman with former District 3 City Councilman (1995-2005) Wayne Ogle has ruffled quite a few feathers with voters in our District. The Fish Creek Neighborhood is situated in District 3 where Ms. Thalman currently seeks political office.  This duo has made appearances out in the community and on social media lately. In fact, she even did a little name dropping at the League of Women Voters Candidate Forum mentioning Wayne Ogle's name as though it would win this Girl Scouts Troop Leader some brownie points if people knew that she was connected to him.  

  But what has she done for District 3?

This young protegee is riding on the coattails of former Councilman Wayne Ogle who ran for office 22 years ago and doesn't even live in the district anymore!  Ogle lives in District 1, on the north side of I-30 ~ the opposite side of town.  In addition, nearly 99% of Ms. Thalman's financial support totaling $31,896 has come from outside the district.  If elected, who will she represent? 

She is an interloper.

Ms. Thalman lives on the fringe of District 3 where she enjoys a nice view of a park outside the front door of her town home.   Chances are she's never mowed a lawn or seen an active drilling rig.  The scenic views from our neighborhood include gas wells and sinkholes!  This woman has not been on the same journey as we have.  Marvin Sutton, on the other hand, lives in the heart of the community and has attended town halls with frustrated neighbors whose quality of life has been seriously diminished because of gas drilling.  Will Roxanne fight for you? We doubt it.  

     

Now, according to voting records, Ms. Thalman voted in the last Republican Primary.  But not to worry ~ word has it that Wayne Ogle was also a Republican who presented himself to voters as Democratic back in 1995 in order to win his seat in District 3.  He was known as a flip-flop candidate, just like Ms. Thalman who was affiliated with the Democratic Party in Utah in 2007.  Wait. Utah!? Seems this Arlington sweetie lived in Utah and not Arlington her entire life as the campaign seems to frame it.         

We hope that the people who are screaming over social media to vote out the incumbents do not  vote for this candidate, because she is an interloper ~ bought and paid for by special interests ~ part of the good ol' boy network. 

PLEASE VOTE!!!

 We recommend Marvin Sutton for a safer, smarter, greener Arlington.  He's built a rapport with the community over the years, and nearly 62% of his total campaign contributions totaling $7,025 have come from inside the district. He will represent constituents, not outside special interests.

ELECTION DAY IS SATURDAY, MAY 6TH  
Polls are open from 7 am - 7 pm.

Click HERE to find your voting location.

Next on Fish Creek Monitor... 

One year ago Arlington, Texas, also known as The American Dream City, became a Film Friendly Community, recognized by the Texas Film Commission. Numerous movies and television shows have been filmed here over the years including Prison Break, Super Nanny, Tin Cup, and JFK to name just a few. We would like to recommend filming another fracking documentary or maybe a new episode of Sister Wives. Wouldn't that be exciting!?  Stay tuned...

158 Inspectors

Gaye McElwain,  spokesperson for the Railroad Commission of Texas, told us last Saturday that the State of Texas has a total of 158 oil and gas well inspectors.  Her statement is on the video from Saturday's Gas Drilling Educational Forum.  (Scroll ahead to approximately 2:25:35.)  She did not tell us how many oil and gas wells there are, so we looked it up ourselves.  


The Railroad Commission's records show that  the State ofTexas has 133,856 gas wells and 291,996 oil wells as of February 2015.  Click Here to view the full report of oil and gas wells in Texas. 

Now that we know how many wells there are in Texas, we can assess whether or not we have enough regulatory oversight to protect our communities.  

133,856 + 291,996 = 425,852 (total oil & gas wells.)  
Divide 425,852 by 158 (number of inspectors) = 2,695 wells per inspector  
Now if each inspector worked 240 days/year assuming a five/day work week including holidays and vacation, he/she would have to inspect 11.23 wells per day to ensure that each well gets inspected once per year. 

One part of the Mission Statement of the Railroad Commission of Texas, our regulatory body over Oil and Gas, states their concern over personal and community safety.  These figures reveal that their mission falls woefully short.  We clearly need more inspectors and oversight.  Our regulatory agencies need to do in the field what they say they do on paper.  Amen.

Link to the Texas RRC website. 

 

Texas Road Base

If you have ever thought about moving off the shale because of the dangers of fracking, think again.  There may not be any safe havens left.  An amended Railroad Commission rule about recycling may explain why.  According to Gaye McElwain of the Railroad Commission of Texas, drilling muds and fluids are being used as a road base in some areas of the State.  This is how industry greenwashes fracking.  They are not really recycling their waste.  They are just finding more creative ways in which to dispose of it.  Have you ever wondered why there is so much road construction happening all around North Texas?   

Here's the clip from the Gas Drilling Forum held at the Arlington, TX Convention Center on August 1, 2015: 

(In the case of a technical glitch, scroll over to 2:22:20 in this video.)

Click on this link for information about this recycling rule. 

Dog and Pony Show Comes to the Arlington, Texas Convention Center! *Update

*UPDATE:
 
Dog and Pony Show comes to the Arlington Convention Center!

Parking is Free

Fracking Fun for the Entire Family

 Date:  Saturday, August 1, 2015

Time:  9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon  11:30 a.m. 

 Where:  1200 Ballpark Way, Arlington, TX

Rooms 5, 6, 7, and 8

Topic:  Gas Well Education Forum
Urban Drilling Educational Forum
 

(Click HERE for the City's press release which came out the day after our announcement.) 

Vantage Energy's blowout on April 11, 2015 at the Lake Arlington Baptist Church Drill Site gushed tens of thousands of gallons of fracking fluid into neighborhood storm drains and creeks.  This industrial accident forced dozens of families to evacuate their homes and the church to move Sunday worship service to a nearby high school auditorium.  What is even worse is that the City ~ upon completion of an investigation finding several violations ($2,000 each) ~ gave Vantage the green light to re-open their gates on June 25th to resume fracking operations.   Shameful.

Now the City, along with the Railroad Commission of Texas, and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), plans to sponsor a Gas Well Educational Forum to teach us about gas drilling and the regulatory roles of local and state government.  A Three Ring Circus.

Citizens asked for equal speaking time.  Our request was denied.  We asked for a microphone so that citizens may comment or ask questions.  Our request was denied.  We asked about the room setup.  The Convention Center would not answer that question stating that all inquires must go through Collin Gregory, Gas Well Coordinator.  We are waiting for Collin to call us back.   

(We appreciate Mr. Gregory's speedy response and are glad to hear about the movable walls that will allow all citizens to be in one room together.) 

The City will announce the rules of decorum.  We are to sit in the audience like a bunch of obedient schoolchildren.  The authorities will teach us.  We get to write a question on an index card.  At the end of the meeting, they will select which questions the emcee will read which, in turn, will be answered by a panelist representing one of these three governmental entities.  And that's all folks.  

We regret to inform you that Railroad Commissioners, Christi Craddick and Ryan Sitton are unable to attend this event.  Gaye McElwain, Director of Communications of the RRC, will speak on their behalf.  She did not respond to our question concerning the LABC blowout.  Perhaps we should ask her the same question in person next Saturday.  

*UPDATE:  Ms. McElwain responded to our question from five weeks ago regarding the LABC blowout the morning following the publication of this blog post.  So now the question becomes why was the Railroad Commission so slow to respond to a citizen's question? 

Refreshments will not be provided.  

 

Spring at Fish Creek

Mother Nature has showered upon us bountiful rains this spring... 

Fish Creek, Southeast Arlington, TX  5-17-2015

Texas was dry.  People across the State had been praying for rain.  Barnhart, a small Texas town, ran out of water,  The oil and gas industry sucked massive quantities of this precious resource for fracking.   In case you missed it:

A Texas Tragedy:  Ample Oil, No Water.

Click Here to see the United States Drought Monitor.

During our epic drought in the summer of 2011, there were many strange water shenanigans happening in Arlington, Texas.  One church made a special deal with Chesapeake to supply them with water for fracking by running water pipelines from their decorative pond across the highway to a drill site.  Our City treated it as a cash cow by selling it to gas operators.  Grand Prairie had a water moratorium in place due to the drought, but that didn't stop Chesapeake.  They hauled Arlington water across the city line, violating the site stipulations for the Fulson Drill Site.  Here are those back stories:

Oh, My. 

What the Quack is Going On? 

  Local Cities Selling Water to Natural Gas Companies

While we've received copious amounts of rain this spring, and Fish Creek is full, the State is not yet out of the woods as far as the drought is concerned.   And citizens have a long battle ahead due to the recent power grab by our State and the industry because Governor Greg Abbott just signed HB40 into law today.   But the lakes and creeks are full, so for now we can enjoy this miraculous gift.  

    

 Spring.  Antonio Vivaldi

You don't know what you've got till it's gone

We will sincerely miss Dr. Bob Cluck, our mayor of 12 years.  The election results are in, and Jeff Williams, civil engineer and businessman, received 58% of the vote.   As Joni Mitchell wrote, "You don't know what you've got till it's gone."  

So now, as Arlington, TX changes regimes, we'd like to dedicate this song to Jeff Williams.  He plans to develop the City, particularly the area around AT&T Stadium.  We also suspect that the Oil & Gas industry will continue to experience a very favorable climate in Arlington since word has it that many industry men helped with his campaign.

This song is also dedicated to our friend, Carol, who supported our efforts and loved walking amongst nature and the wildflowers.  She left this world on May 4th after a battle with cancer. 

Democracy in Texas also died on May 4th when HB40 passed in the Senate.  Denton citizens fought long and hard for their fracking ban, but our State will not have the people deciding what is best for their communities any longer.  How ironic is it that 58% of the people could vote in a new mayor, yet 58% are not allowed to say that zoning heavy industrial mining next to communities is unacceptable. 

Fracking Truck Traffic in the American Dream City

Photo attribution:  Fort Worth Star-Telegram

XTO has occupied the American Dream City again. 

This operator plans to drill four more unconventional gas wells at the Sue Barnett Drill Site located on Southeast Parkway in Arlington, Texas.  This heavy industrial site shares its fence line with a pretty horse and red barn, a lovely country home, and a small mom-and-pop business strip.  It sits catty-corner to a community college, next door to a subdivision of homes, and down the street from a junior high school and an elementary school.  It was quite the unexpected large-scale operation one would expect to see inside any residential community. 

It felt like a war zone this week as convoys of wide loads of Hodges fracking trucks filed in endlessly onto the pad site hauling all sorts of heavy industrial equipment and numerous tanks marked with "Danger" signs.  Even portable office buildings and trailers rolled in.  

Police in black unmarked FBI-looking vehicles ~ except for the flashing lights ~  escorted the massive trucks onto the pad site.   They appeared to be "police" since they had police patches sewn onto the sleeves of their shirts giving the impression that they were law enforcement.  These men were hired by the same trucking outfit they were escorting.  Thus, they did not issue a single citation for the numerous times their drivers violated the designated truck route which is clearly spelled out in the site stipulations for this particular drilling location.  We are waiting to hear back from the City to see what went awry.   

This week may have been Spring Break for many, but not for those of us who are trapped in Gasland...

TONS of #fracking truck traffic in our hood today. #Arlington #FromGasland @TXsharon @gardencatlady @WCGasette pic.twitter.com/z04LK3cHHH
— Fish Creek Monitor (@Fishcreek1269) March 12, 2015

Hodges' drivers violated truck route today on way to Sue Barnett #Fracking Site @ArlingtonRivera @CityOfArlington pic.twitter.com/eiYVlE1mOe
— Fish Creek Monitor (@Fishcreek1269) March 13, 2015

Video: Does Arlington have any walkable or bikeable neighborhoods? 7 months ago me and my 16 year old son... http://t.co/IbFyaUok8M
— Arlington Proud (@ArlingtonProud) March 12, 2015

*We heard back from the City, and here is the UPDATE:

Notice of Violation - XTO Energy - Sue Barnett - Transportation Route

 

Amount of Fine:  $0.00

FLIR on Fish Creek's Fulson

Chesapeake, the Good Neighbor

At least that's what they told us... when the landman talked about a well that we would never know was there...

 Fulson Drill Site located on South Hwy. 360 near Sublett Road in Arlington, TX

Over Thanksgiving weekend Sharon Wilson, Gulf Regional Organizer, came to Arlington with Earthworks' new FLIR GF320 Infrared Camera in tow.  She has received proper certification to operate this specialty camera which carries a hefty price tag of around $80,000.  She travels all around the region detecting and recording gas leaks in real time.  

Our first stop on the itinerary was the Fulson Drill Site.  We saw emissions spewing from the gas lift compressor positioned at the north end of the pad.  The Fish Creek Neighbors have been inhaling these VOC's for several years now.  Because these plumes cannot be seen with the naked eye, it works out quite well for the industry.  Many residents in this area wrestle with health issues, and these pollution plumes which billow and blow in our direction can only contribute to ill health, both physically and emotionally.  It was an extremely windy day, but despite meteorological conditions, the camera did capture a snapshot of what's spewing into our air shed 24/7.

Please know that this camera is NOT merely detecting heat as the industry would have you believe.   It pinpoints GAS LEAKS.  Click HERE for the detailed list of what this FLIR GF320 camera is able to detect.  There is scientific evidence proving that exposure to these gases carries serious health risks to humans.  In addition, the volatile nature of these gases places entire communities at risk for fires and explosions.

We have been asking our City to acquire one of these cameras because we have not felt safe since nearly 60 of these heavy industrial mining sites got permitted in our city.  It's been perplexing trying to understand why our gas well inspectors haven't been utilizing these cameras all along when conducting quarterly inspections of drill sites.  So, we presented this suggestion at a town hall meeting.  Our City Manager, Trey Yelverton, concluded that this was not necessary since our State (TCEQ) handles air complaints, and our City would not want to over-regulate.  Now that this video and others have been released showing definite leaks ~ and they all leak ~ we wonder what Arlington will do now to protect the people who live here or visit the "American Dream City."  
 
So, who benefits from all this clean energy? (sarcasm)  The Fish Creek neighbors do ~ a little.  On rare occasions a royalty check comes in the mail averaging $7 or $8 per month.  This neighborhood owns 50% of their minerals, while Union Life Insurance Company retained the other half.   Also, since there are three leaseholds on the Fulson Drill Site, (Fulson, West Wing, and Forks) neighbors only receive royalties off of ONE lease.  Wells drilled and fracked off the other two leases produce collateral damage to nearby residents while people living elsewhere get to enjoy the monetary benefits.  But, that's a story for another day... 

EnerVest, LLC Requests to Frack in the Arlington Quake Zone

Arlington, Texas is a rockin' and a rollin' this week, and it's not because of the great concerts at the Levitt Pavilion.

There were two earthquakes in Arlington, Texas this week ~ the first one in the downtown area on September 7th with a 2.4 magnitude.  The second one ~ a 2.5 magnitude ~ occurred on September 12th.  The epicenter is in close proximity to the EnerVest, LLC drill site (formerly owned by Carrizo Oil & Gas.)  They plan to drill a bunch of shale gas wells in the quake zone.

Dumb Idea.

EnerVest has scheduled a public meeting this Monday, September 15th to discuss future plans for the Perr Drill Site located at 2825 South Cooper Street, Arlington, TX:

PublicMeeting Notice Perr Gas Drilling Site

After the public meeting EnerVest, LLC gets to present their case before the Planning & Zoning Commission on Wednesday, September 17th to request an amendment to a Special Use Permit (SUP) to establish a drill zone to drill more gas wells - in an earthquake zone. 

Perr Drill Site Public Hearings Notice

Click HERE for the Perr Site Plan

We're pretty sure ALL future plans for fracking in Arlington are over ~ or at least they should be.  Our next mayoral candidate tells us that gas drilling discussion will happen soon, but as one English Composition instructor taught our class ~ "show, don't tell."  As human-induced seismicity continues to shake the ground in Arlington and other towns, we have mountains to move in our State.

It Took an Earthquake *Update*

Citizens have been trying to shake up Arlington City Hall for a long time.  

  It took an earthquake.

Thank you, Westchester Gasette for this RRCTX GIS Map with labels.

On Sunday, September 7, 2014  just before 4 am a 2.4 magnitude frackquake rocked downtown Arlington, TX.

On June 5, 2012 one of southeast Arlington's long-time community leaders spoke out at City Hall about these tremors she had been feeling since gas drilling activity began in her community.
Click Here for that link.  

On January 4, 2011 many citizens came to city hall to speak out in opposition to Chesapeake receiving a gas well permit for the Truman Site located within one-half mile of Cowboys Stadium.  When one citizen expressed legitimate concerns about fracking and protecting the integrity of a stadium with a capacity to hold over 100,000 people, Mayor Cluck replied with a chuckle, "You think it's gonna fall?"  Click Here and scroll to around 54 minutes to witness this exchange for yourself.

Ironic that a frackquake struck downtown.  

Here's what another Arlington resident said on Twitter after the earthquake:

@CityOfArlington 24 years in my central ARL. home, & first time I was near thrown from my bed from an earthquake. Time to take action, plz.
— Matt (@Centerlinegp) September 8, 2014

Now, the energy industry blames injection wells ~ not fracking ~ on the recent quake swarms in Azle, TX and other places.  The problem with this argument is that Arlington's gas drilling ordinance prohibits injection wells.  We only allow fracking, and we allow LOTS of it.  We wonder what explanation they'll come up with next. 

If you feel a tremor or an earthquake, report it immediately to USGS under "Did you feel it?"  If you felt it in Arlington, be sure to call it in to Arlington's Tremor Hotline or e-mail the Fish Creek Neighbor.

 USGS link

 NBCDFW news story

 WFAA news story

Earthquake in Arlington coincides with water main break