Inspectors With Guns

Our last blog post, 158 Inspectors, brought to light that our State has failed us in the area of Oil & Gas regulatory oversight.  

And now here's where things get really crazy.  It just might be hard to tell the difference between a gas well inspector and a border patrol agent if you are down in the Eagle Ford Shale.  The reason ~  it appears that David Porter, Railroad Commission Chairman, thinks that the Federal government is not doing a good job of protecting our border.  Sergio Chapa, journalist with the San Antonio Biz Journal, writes:
 

"Calling the federal government "ineffective" on preventing the smuggling of drugs and illegal immigrants along the border, Texas Railroad Commission Chairman David Porter implemented several policy changes to keep inspectors safe in pipeline areas in deep South Texas where armed smugglers may potentially come into contact with energy company employees, regulators and landowners."

Apparently, the need to clear land and build dirt roads to accommodate pipelines has created another type of conduit ~ an easy pathway to the United States for drug smugglers and illegal immigrants.  The list of negative impacts from oil & gas extraction keeps growing. 

The Railroad Commission needs a name change!  

It is puzzling to understand what they do as a regulatory body, and we have concerns about their commissioners and spokespeople. 

It would seem more plausible that the Railroad Commission is becoming increasingly fearful of angry citizens who have been screwed by Oil & Gas and let down by their own government's willingness to protect them than they are of illegal immigrants or drug cartels.  Using the border issue as an excuse to arm inspectors with deadly weapons helps with their agenda.  It certainly appears to further empower our government that keeps getting bigger and bigger.  Property owners who have been harmed by oil and gas or activists trying to make this State a better place to live may  perceive this new rule as intimidating.  It's all very scary.  And bizarre.   

There seems to be no end to the downside of fossil fuels. God help us.  And God help Texas.
 

Railroad Commission:  Smugglers Using Pipeline Routes as Trafficking Corridors   

Drilling, Drones and Guns ~ Arlington, TX Week in Review

This morning somewhere between that dreaming and waking state ~  moments prior to putting my boots on the ground ~  three headlines of this week's current events filled my head:   

Arlington, Texas Week in Review:

Drilling:

Click  Here, Here, Here, Here,  and Here

to read this week's top stories about the Rocking Horse Gas Drill site situated 359 feet from a daycare facility.  City council approves this controversial gas well permit despite strong opposition from the community.

Here is the February 5, 2013 Rocking Horse Public Hearing:

Drones:

 Click Here  

to read how Arlington, TX spends $202,259 of taxpayer money for two drones.

   

“It will help with significant applications across the community, from potential hostage situations to anything that will keep an officer out of harm's way,” Rivera said. 

and,

Guns:

Click Here  

  for the update on the conceal carry demand in Arlington.  Applicants come like clockwork every ten minutes over fears of stricter federal gun laws.

What does this say about our current state of affairs in Arlington, Texas?    

"As The Huffington Post reported in February, a study published in the journal "Psychological Science" showed that children who score low on intelligence tests gravitate toward socially conservative political views in adulthood--perhaps because conservative ideologies stress "structure and order" that make it easier to understand a complicated world."

The article  goes on to say,   "And now there's the new study linking conservative ideologies to "low-effort" thinking." 

For that full story, click here. 

It's been three giant steps backwards for Arlington.  

Over and Out.