Fort Worth Firebomb

It's being reported that Wendy Davis' office was firebombed this afternoon. 

Luckily, Wendy wasn't present and no one was hurt. 

WHO would do such a thing? 

What's the ETA on karma?

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Do no harm

Isn't that the oath doctor's take?

Seems the industry does not share the sentiment. 

What if something was making your child sick and your doctor was forbidden to tell you about it?  WHAT would you do?

Truth-out has a three part gas drilling series YOU must see.  YOUR life may depend on it.

Fracking: Pennsylvania gags Physicians

Fluids used in fracking include those that are “potentially hazardous,” including volatile organic compounds, according to Christopher Portier, director of the National Center for Environmental Health, a part of the federal Centers for Disease Control. In an email to the Associated Press in January 2012, Portier noted that waste water, in addition to bring up several elements, may be radioactive. Fracking is also believed to have been the cause of hundreds of small earthquakes in Ohio and other states.

The law, an amendment to Title 52 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, requires that companies provide to a state-maintained registry the names of chemicals and gases used in fracking. Physicians and others who work with citizen health issues may request specific information, but the company doesn’t have to provide that information if it claims it is a trade secret or proprietary information, nor does it have to reveal how the chemicals and gases used in fracking interact with natural compounds. If a company does release information about what is used, health care professionals are bound by a non-disclosure agreement that not only forbids them from warning the community of water and air pollution that may be caused by fracking, but which also forbids them from telling their own patients what the physician believes may have led to their health problems. A strict interpretation of the law would also forbid general practitioners and family practice physicians who sign the non-disclosure agreement and learn the contents of the “trade secrets” from notifying a specialist about the chemicals or compounds, thus delaying medical treatment.

The clauses are buried on pages 98 and 99 of the 174-page bill, which was initiated and passed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and signed into law in February by Republican Gov. Tom Corbett.

“I have never seen anything like this in my 37 years of practice,” says Dr. Helen Podgainy, a pediatrician from Coraopolis, Pa.

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In the long run

Is it worth it?

It's rhetorical.

It's Fort Worth.

Shepherd knows drilling accidents happen, but the nature center needs the money. So, he hopes gas companies can find the value in the wildlife not just the gas reserves below.

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"BS responses"

Coming from Fort Worth.  How fitting. 

The subject today?  Injection wells.  Seems we aren't the only ones who noticed the "citizen input" meetings are similiar to those supposed "citizen input" meetings for other Fort Worth projects.  You remember, the ones where when the citizens started giving their input, the city shut the meeting down? 

Read the latest in the Fort Worth Weekly.  YOU can't afford to miss it.  Take note of the players, YOU need to know WHO they are.  

It sounds if the city is most concerned about "truck traffic".  Really?  That's your biggest concern?  And WHY would earthquakes need to be discussed on a national level when they are being felt in Fort Worth?

“You can tell the Planning Department has instructions to make this [lifting of the current disposal well moratorium] happen,” the longtime statehouse Democrat said. He’s clearly angry over how the disposal well issue has been presented. City staffers, he said, are giving “bullshit responses” to what he believes are very real concerns.

The league is not opposed to “safe drilling that respects the environment,” Wood said. “We are, however, opposed to the destruction of our most valuable and increasingly threatened natural resource — water — by its contamination and injection into disposal wells.”

Hogan said the weakness of the setback requirement is evident in the frequency with which the council has waived similar requirements for gas wells. In a substantial percentage of cases, he said, the council has allowed the standard 600-foot setback for gas wells to be  reduced even when drillers produced waivers from less than half the affected property owners.

The city staff presentation notes that having disposal wells in the city, served by pipelines, would cut down on the traffic of heavy trucks that damages city roadways and results in surface spills, including accidents involving tanker trucks.

Trice acknowledged that allowing injection wells within the city won’t stop operators from drilling other wells in the surrounding county. And it’s correct, he said, that having disposal wells in the city would reduce truck traffic only if the wells are served by pipelines.

Asked about the city staff’s views on seismic dangers, Trice said, “I’m not sure we have a take [on that issue].” The staff is concerned, he said, but “that dialogue is more appropriate at a state or national level.”

“We would hope if there is a dire safety question,” the Texas Railroad Commission or Environmental Protection Agency would address it, he said.

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Texas Eminent Domain Superheroes Unite

For the benefit of THE PEOPLE.  Monday, across the state of Texas, many will come together to save Texans property rights.

There are 80 properties in the way in Texas with the Canadian pipeline, up 90 in Tarrant County with the Trinity River Vision, how many due to the freeway projects taking place across the state, what about local pipelines?  WHO's next?

WHO's standing up for YOU?  Your "leaders"?  Of course not.  THE PEOPLE. 

MEDIA ADVISORY

In Texas Private Property a Growing Issue for Keystone Pipeline

A new statewide coalition of groups and advocates for private property rights is announcing its support for landowners along the path of the Keystone XL pipeline in Texas. The group charges that TransCanada, the company proposing to build the pipeline, has used eminent domain to bully landowners and condemn private property.

“Texas politicians talk tough on eminent domain, but with Keystone we have a pipeline acting as a ‘common carrier’ and bludgeoning private property owners with eminent domain when there’s a real question whether it meets the legal requirements to do so,” said Debra Medina, former Republican gubernatorial candidate and director of We Texans.

WHAT: Press conference on private property and eminent domain issues facing Keystone XL

WHEN: Monday, February 13th (various times, see below)

WHERE: Dallas – Turley Law Center, 6440 N. Central Expressway, 10:30am
       Houston – Location & Time TBA
       Austin – Texas Railroad Commission, 1701 Congress Ave., 3:30pm
       San Antonio – Location TBA, 3:45pm

WHY: Landowners and prominent private property advocates uniting on Keystone XL

The coalition boasts a diverse group of advocates who are hosting press conferences around the state on February 13th. Press conferences will feature private property owners from East Texas who’ve had property condemned or been bullied into negotiated settlements and who say their story has not been told. The press conferences will be as follows:

• Dallas – Calvin Tillman, former mayor of DISH, TX will present landowners Julia Trigg Crawford and Eleanor Fairchild
• Houston – Debra Medina,executive director of We Texans and  former Republican candidate for governor, will present landowner Mike Hathorn
• Austin – Linda Curtis, director of Independent Texans, and Jessica Ellison of Texans for Accountable Government will present landowner Julia Trigg Crawford
• San Antonio – Terri Hall, director of Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, will present landowner Eleanor Fairchild

The coalition of advocates points to more than 80 cases in Texas where TransCanada, a foreign pipeline company, condemned private property belonging to Texans. The group also points out that the company misled landowners, telling them the pipeline had all necessary permits and repeatedly telling individual landowners that they were the last holdouts, making the pipeline seem inevitable and securing more favorable terms for the company.

The groups advocates draw parallels between the Keystone XL pipeline and the Trans-Texas Corridor, a proposed highway that many of them were active in defeating.

Debra Medina –  979.253.0220
Calvin Tillman – 940.453.3640
Linda Curtis – 512.535.7208
Terri Hall – 210.2750640
Jessica Ellison – 512.653.9179

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Putting the Cat Back in the Bag

When you cannot depend on those who are paid to protect you, you must protect yourself and your family.

A letter from former DISH Mayor, Calvin Tillman. Protector of THE PEOPLE.

YOU can't afford to miss it. Unless of course you have no skin in the game....

For those really smart people who think that everything is fine in Gasland, please let me know...I bet I could find you a great deal on a house with a compressor station in your back yard, because it is very easy to say things are fine, when you don't have any skin in the game.

Since the town of DISH released the results of the ambient air study in 2009, the oil and gas industry has worked overtime to put that cat back into the bag. They first attacked the consultant that conducted our study, and then came after me personally with numerous threats and frivolous public information requests. They also spent a tremendous amount of resources to find any angle to put a cloud of doubt around the study, although the lab results clearly showed a problem, and subsequent studies show similar results including those studies perform by the oil and gas industry themselves. This rhetoric did not stop at the industry public relations departments, but also went to the highest levels of government in the State of Texas. Our state wide elected Railroad Commissioners can be heard on public record regurgitating the same vile comments that the industry groups were spewing, all working in collusion to make this little problem go away.

Once the Town of DISH started to get attention worldwide from this air study, the industry worked even harder to cloud the truth. Through my research it is apparent that the oil and gas industry will dispute any and all actions that cost the industry money, even likely spending more money to dispute the facts than accept responsibility and correcting the problem. Although, if they would show even one ounce of responsibility, it would pay huge dividends to their public image. One example of this propaganda is the AskChesapeake (CHK) website. Before the town of DISH air study was made public, there was a section of this website that admitted to the release of many of the chemicals found in DISH, and other areas, including the carcinogen benzene. The site indicated that these chemicals were tightly regulated by numerous state and federal agencies. When the DISH study was released, it became apparent that these sites weren't quite as regulated as Chesapeake (CHK) had indicated. Therefore, shortly after the release of the DISH air study, which had Chesapeake's (CHK) name all over it, that section of their website disappeared, and was replaced with a page that basically said " a little benzene exposure is ok".

The industry also likes to deflect blame from themselves by pointing out other industries that pollute. They act as though bad behavior by others makes it alright for them to do it. I have heard that there have been idle threats aimed at municipalities from Chesapeake, stating that if air testing was accomplished at any of their facilities, they would hire a firm to test the air around some of the area's largest employers. Hmmm, didn't see that advertised on AskChesapeake.

Now when traveling to make presentations around the country, I carry a library of air studies, and numerous photos from around the country. I explain these studies and photos during my presentation, because I know by now that someone will accuse me of dramatizing these issues. The industry would much rather show a photo of a little deer running in front of a drilling rig, than an aerial view of DISH, or better yet, the satellite images that show thousands of large well pad sites. That makes it a little difficult for them to say that there will only be a few wells here and there, and the land will be returned to its original condition. Therefore, the group of paid liars, show up and video my presentation, trying to find something to take out of context and use against me. They then write some hack piece on their websites that are only read by those looking to get paid by the industry, and that makes the band of thugs applaud.

Another issue that follows the same pattern is the small community of Dimock, PA. A private water well actually exploded and yet now the claim is that everything is fine, again trying to put the cat back in the bag. Anyone who has visited the affected people in Dimock, know that everything is not fine, but rather still quite a mess. But the state agency designed to protect the people of Pennsylvania are also working in collusion with the oil and gas industry. This agency has allowed the industry to stop delivering fresh water to those whose water wells are tainted by the irresponsible activities of others. With these sort of actions, does anyone wonder why people are moving out of Gasland? When you cannot depend on those who are paid to protect you, you must protect yourself and your family. None of us are in this position because of our own doing, or because we want to be.

There have been numerous university studies that have attempted to validate the industry's stories. Whether it deals with health impacts, or economic impacts, if they are funded by the industry, they always paint a rosy picture. While typically those who perform studies that are not funded by the industry, typically tell a different story, and if the story is not rosy, it is attacked. In the industries eyes only the studies they fund are valid, and not too many studies show a rosy picture if they are not industry funded. There have been numerous air studies accomplished throughout the Barnett Shale. First there was the DISH Study, that was followed up by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality testing, then the industry performed a study, and lastly the City of Fort Worth perform a study. If looking at only the lab results, all of the studies have very similar findings. There were the same chemicals detected and at levels above the Effects Screening Levels, including benzene that was detected in all of the studies. Frankly, some of the benzene levels found in the other areas were much worse than those found in DISH. However, the study in DISH indicated that there might be a problem with being exposed to benzene, while the other studies indicated that being exposed to a little benzene was ok, and when the levels were very high, they stated that they were being corrected. Although the lab results showed problem, the press release said everything was rosy. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality actually lied to the public about their test results, and had a subsequent internal ethics investigation that showed how this organization intentionally misled the public when they stated that they had not detected benzene in eight air samples, when results showed that half of the samples had elevated benzene levels. No one was ever held accountable for this intentional misleading of the public.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) even came to DISH to take blood and urine samples. This showed several elevated chemicals in the blood and urine of over half of the households, and most of those chemicals had been found to be produced by the compressor station; however, the TDSHS said things like household chemicals and smoking caused the elevated levels, when only four of the twenty seven people tested actually smoked. I was one of the ones who gave samples for the test, and along with 2/3 of those tested, I had toluene in my system. The TDSHS blamed this exposure on my commute, which I had not accomplished in 72 hours, and the half life for toluene is said to be 4 hours. During the meeting where they presented this information, there were several questions posed that the TDSHS could not answer, such as what the number of men vs women that were tested, were there different results in men vs women, how far did each person live from a well or compressor site, did those who lived closer to wells or compressors have higher exposure than those living further away. After it became apparent that the person responsible did not do an effective study, she admitted that this was not a scientific study, and that it should not be looked at as such (you can find the presentation on youtube). However, it has been treated and touted as the smoking gun that things are fine...nothing to see here . There have even been those in academia who have supported this study after it was admittedly flawed, while both the university professors, and the TDSHS are both paid by the State of Texas, where negative talk about the oil and gas industry is not tolerated. Consequently, the governor, who has never had a real job, made a run for President of the United States due to his support from the oil and gas industry, although that is not working out to well for him.

I do not have PhD that follows my name, nor am any kind of scientist, doctor,or lawyer. I admittedly do not understand things like climate change or global warming, but I do believe that I have a little common sense, and I have a lot of smart people that consult me. Therefore, when the benzene level goes up, so does the risk of someone getting cancer, and my children waking up to massive nosebleeds is not normal. Since moving from DISH 9 months ago my children have not suffered one nosebleed in the middle of the night. So although I am not a scientist, and can't explain why my children were getting nosebleeds, or why the noxious odors gave me a headache and a sore throat, I know I feel better now, have a lot more energy, and that moving out of Gasland was a smart move for me and my family. For those really smart people who think that everything is fine in Gasland, please let me know...I bet I could find you a great deal on a house with a compressor station in your back yard, because it is very easy to say things are fine, when you don't have any skin in the game.

Calvin Tillman
Former Mayor, DISH, TX

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To whom it may concern -

A letter and a video from a Fort Worth citizen.

Mayor and City Council

Gas wells are being drilled on regular basis in the City of Fort Worth. The Fort Worth Gas Drilling Ordinance requires the gas drilling companies to provide an emergency response plan with each well permit request.  In reviewing the information provided by Chesapeake Energy for the Rutherford 1H Gas Well, their emergency response was a Xerox copy of the area with a line drawn from the fire station to the well site location and nothing else.  There was nothing provided about what their plans were or what procedures were in place to inform the nearby apartment residences or businesses in case of an emergency.  There was nothing provided that would protect the public or what actions they should take to protect themselves or even if there was anything in place about who should call the fire department.

I find this rather frightening considering many of the apartments nearby (less than 600 feet) house elderly and children as well as the adult human beings that rely on the City offering some sort of protection.  I know I do.  As we know, or you should know, the City Fire Department is not equipped to respond and take action in the event of any sort of gas well site emergency.  There sole responsibility is to cordon off the area and keep spectators at a safe distance.  They do not fight the fire or even go on the gas property.

Fires and other tragedies occur as a result of gas drilling, it is a high risk industrial operation.  A few days ago there was such a fire at a gas drilling rig in Oklahoma and was expected to burn for several days.  I assume they had some sort of plan in place for a gas fire or emergency.  What ever plan that was in place did not work and they were apparently not prepared.

In watching this fire burn, several things were apparent, the crews were off to the side doing nothing and there was a great deal of smoke, heat and toxic fumes being sent into the air.  The crews were obviously more than 200 or 300 feet from the site and probably more than a 1000 feet.  I assume the crews were trained about what to do in the event of an emergency.  Local citizens and children, like in Fort worth are not trained and this could lead to disastrous results.  

The Gas Well Ordinance requires there to a setback of 300 feet, except in the case of grandfathering which is 200 feet, which the Council seems to still improperly allow.  The setback is to the protected use or the house.  Most houses in my neighborhood have trees or bushes in their yard and in that event, the distance now becomes much closer, in the event there are no trees, dried grass will do.  The fire and the heat from the well fire would catch the trees or grass on fire and eventually lead to the nearby houses being destroyed also.  This possibility is more likely than not at some time and will happen in Fort Worth.  I think this is irresponsible on the City's part.  The citizens have a right to reasonable safety in their own home or where they work.  The citizens currently do not have that.

Please note the safety provided by the drilling company, Chesapeake Energy, for the well fire.  It consists of ONE rather small stream of water in the lower left hand side of the video. lol  That is their safety procedure.

These gas well fires are not unique.  There were two in Oklahoma within a matter of a few months.  I have included a video link to the well fire on January 6, 2012.

Another gas well caught fire in Oklahoma on September 20, 2011.  

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THE Women want to know

Y'all better answer them.  Don't they publish a voter's guide every election?  You go, girls.

Read the letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Ordinance revisions

The League of Women Voters of Tarrant County applauds the Fort Worth City Council for commissioning a comprehensive, independent study of air quality in the Fort Worth area, and for charging city staff to make recommendations for additions to the gas drilling ordinance in response to the study findings.

However, we are disappointed that the City Council chose not to adopt any of the proposed revisions.

The health issues raised by the study remain, so we ask: When will changes be made to the ordinance to address these vital issues?

-- Judy Wood, president, LWV
 Tarrant County, Fort Worth

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WHO thought that was a good idea?

WHO is the genius that thought drilling next to the Comanche Power Plant was a good idea? Read about it in the Fort Worth Weekly.

All the same players and issues.  Texas is starting to sound like a broken record.  Gas drilling, water, dams, fracing, earthquakes...the list goes on.

Too bad you can only believe half of what the Corp says...which half do you believe?

“All of our infrastructure is aging,” he said. “It’s a nationwide issue. We have concerns [about] hydrofracking. We don’t have the data on it, and that’s what we need to get. We don’t want to do anything to put an undue strain on a public infrastructure. Public safety comes first.”

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They forgot to buy the doctors

More than 250 pediatricians, family practitioners, otolaryngologists, endocrinologists, oncologists and other doctors, along with the Medical Societies of at least seven upstate counties and the regional office of the American Academy of Pediatricians, wrote to Governor Cuomo today, warning that the state has failed to analyze public health impacts of hydraulic fracturing in its rush to approve permits for drilling.

“We are greatly concerned about the omission of a critical issue related to the development of natural gas using high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or fracking: human health impacts,” the doctors and medical authorities wrote.

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Mallard Cove Update

The compressor stations on Randol Mill have been generating a lot of noise and they aren't even there yet.  People are waking up.  What happens when sheep get pissed?

The Fort Worth Weekly and the citizens that comment, give you the update.  YOU can't afford to miss it.

The Fort Worth League of Neighborhoods is urging the Fort Worth Zoning Commission to deny a rezoning request that would pave the way for an industrial site with up to 15 compressor stations near Randol Mill Road and East Loop 820. Mallard Cove residents have already been battling an adjacent sand mining operation (“Dust-Up,” July 28, 2011) and now they’re facing the prospect of living in a nightmare situation a la DISH, the little town north of Fort Worth that got so littered with compressor stations that residents began getting sick from fumes.

“I have looked at the zoning of the immediate area, and what I see is all residential [zoning] or neighborhood-friendly business [zoning] and no heavy industrial,” said homeowner Jim Ashford, adding that the zoning change “is not in the interest of the health and well-being of the neighborhood either financially or from a health and safety stand point for the citizens.”

UPDATE - Mallard Cove Zoning vote here.  

UPDATE - Mallard Cove Council Meeting December 6, 2011 here.  

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Arlington Hero

Fire Chief Crowson is wanting security cameras at all gas drilling sites.  What a concept, someone concerned with the safety of the citizens and the emergency responders instead of the industry and a dollar.

We salute Chief Crowson.  Read about him in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

WHO is Mel looking out for?

Though some drillers already monitor their sites, an ordinance amendment proposed to council members Tuesday could make security cameras mandatory for natural gas facilities within 1,000 feet of homes or other protected areas.

Fire Chief Don Crowson said the security equipment could help deter vandalism and more serious crime, as well as help identify whether a mechanical failure, operator error or storm was behind a gas release.

"The industry is going to be here for a long time, and we want to take the necessary, proactive precautions that help keep the sites safe," Crowson said. "Having something that watches those sites is a good thing. People who live near those sites would believe it's a good thing, too."

"The more security we can provide, the better," Cluck said. "We do something very dangerous. As long as we respect that and treat it appropriately, that's OK."

This year, Arlington firefighters have responded to natural gas releases at two sites caused by weather or equipment issues.

Though Councilman Mel LeBlanc is concerned about how much surveillance cameras might cost drillers, he said, he applauds the city for working to maintain a balance between "underregulating and overregulating" the industry while protecting residents' health, wealth and safety.

"There is a median path we should be taking here to make sure we don't strangle or retard the efforts of the natural gas industry or make the environment difficult for them to operate in," LeBlanc said. "At the same time, we want to protect citizens."

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Does that say FORT WORTH??

The City council wants to look at the gas drilling ordinance?  OUR city council?

Somebody pinch us, we must be dreaming.

Read it in the Fort Worth Business Press.

At the Pre-council session of Tuesday’s regular City Council meeting, some council members raised objections to issues related to multiple-well site permitting, grandfathering and other factors related to gas well drilling.

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Being Railroaded?

Read the letter concerning the Railroad Commission from former DISH, TX Mayor Tillman.

Worth your tax dollars?

I recently spoke at an event with a representative from the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), which regulates and promotes the Oil and Gas Industry in Texas. After dealing with the organization for several years, I have little respect for them as a tax payer funded organization, as do most of the people that have been forced to deal with them. When I was mayor of DISH, I tried for years to get the RRC involved in our situation, and they did nothing. They would not respond to our complaints, and if they did return calls, they certainly would not show up on site. When you call after hours or on weekends, the person who responds will likely not be from your area, because they only have one person on call for the entire state. I bring this up, because the RRC representative stated that they respond to every complaint, and that is simply inaccurate. I am not saying the RRC representative was lying, but he was inaccurate. It is possible that the suits in Austin are quoting some general written procedure that no one follows, or perhaps they really could be lying about the situation.

It is further disappointing that the Texas State Legislator failed to take action to help improve this situation during the 2011 legislative session. Texas has a wonderful idea, and that is the Sunset Advisory Commission, which was created to eliminate waste and inefficiency in government agencies. The Sunset Advisory Commission agreed with me and most of the people who know anything about the RRC. You can read the entire report at: http://www.sunset.state.tx.us/82ndreports/rct/rct_dec.pdf. The RRC is led by three elected commissioners, which are kindly referred to by some as the Moe, Larry, and Curly. The only type of oil and gas experience required for the commissioners is to pay close attention to what the industry lobbyist tell them, and properly accept the envelope of cash slid across the table to them. The Texas Legislature failed to do their job and get rid of this sacred cow.

I suspect the organization has been given a reprieve to the next legislative session to clean up their act. However, it is clear that they are not going to clean up their act, but rather send their PR folks out to tell lies and mislead the public. One thing that shocked is that the RRC employees are paid very well to do very little, and in the case of the employee who was on the speaking panel, he is paid almost $100,000.00 per year. Now remember that the Texas education budget was cut by four billion dollars but the RRC was fully funded.

I am ashamed that our conservative legislature who is sent to Austin to get rid of wasteful spending, are still wasting tax dollars on this organization, but can not invest in our children's future. If the RRC simply went away, the average Texan would not know the difference, and certainly would not miss the organization. For the most part the average Texan does not even realize that the "Railroad Commission" has anything to do with the oil and gas industry, not completely convinced that the "Railroad Commission" is aware that they have anything to do with the oil and gas industry.

Another disturbing fact about this organization is that they have voted on thousands of occasions to take private property that belongs to a taxpayers in Texas and transfer this to a corporation without compensation. In Texas there are spacing rules that prevents an operator from drilling up against an unleased property line; however, the operator can request an exception to that rule and therefore put the drill bore against the property line. When the hydraulic fracturing takes place, the minerals from the unleased property are collected without compensating the mineral owner. This has been accomplished thousands of times in the Barnett Shale. The commissioners will attempt to state that this rule is need to prevent one person from stopping others from benefiting from their minerals. However, that is not how it is being used, but rather the operators no longer negotiate in good faith. They will simply make a low offer and if it is not accepted in a timely manner, they will simply move toward the exception. This was outlined in a recent local article which can be found at: http://www.fwweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4950:free-gas-for-drillers&catid=76:metropolis&Itemid=377

Once this trick had been sniffed out, the people in the Barnett Shale began protesting the exceptions, and therefore holding up the drilling process. Therefore, they have proposed to alter the current rule to notify the property owner only after the exception had been approved, which would prevent those annoying people complaining about their minerals being stolen. We have several instances in Texas where the surface owner have been pushed around by these companies, now they are doing it to the mineral owners also. This action completely destroys the theory of a free market system, and also destroys private property rights. The free market system in Texas, is directly related to the amount of money that is donated to a particular campaign, and you can own and peacefully enjoy your property as long as someone with more money does not want it. Not sure that is exactly how the founding fathers of this great nation planned it.

In today's economic climate it is imperative that we cut ineffective organizations. Every tax dollar counts, and we the taxpayers should influence what that money is spent on. So many of these organizations that are paid to protect our health safety and welfare, simply go through the motions and collect a pay check. That is exactly what the state officials want...the masses to think they are being protected, and that is simply not the case. In many of these organizations, the low level boots on the ground want to do the right thing, but are prevented from doing that by a political appointee. However, that is not the case with the RRC; their way of doing business has been going on for so long, that it is ingrained in their culture. Therefore, some ineffective organizations could change with new leadership, but with the RRC, we need to abolish the entire organization.

Those of you in other states, may not have this exact problem, but I would bet that your "regulatory agency", has the same problems that exist here. The organization is there only to give the perception that the state is trying to protect health, safety and private property rights, but are really in existence only to protect the industry. It is time that these organizations fulfill what the taxpayers are paying them to do, or get funded by a source other than taxpayers.

In Texas, the RRC is the entry level political office, for the above stated qualification requirements, however, many of these officials go on to further political careers. One current commissioner has announced a run for US Senate, while a recent former commissioner is running for a US Representative seat. I am betting that they will be rewarded for the thousands of occassions that they allowed the legal theivery of private property by corporations. We simply can not let this cycle continue. It makes no sense for us to spend millions or billions on organizations that simply make no effort to perform their intended functions.

"Those who say it can not be done, should get out of the way of those that are doing it"

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Trinity River Safety

Another idea from THE PEOPLE.  These people should be involved in planning the Trinity River Vision.  Sounds like they need some help.

Read the letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

River safety

The next dime spent toward developing the Trinity River must include safety equipment to assist the rescue of people drawn to the river. State law requires a public pool to have a life preserver, rescue pole and phone; all inexpensive safety equipment, compared to a human life.

"Trinity Guardians" can be anyone who can throw a life preserver or extend a pole to save a drowning person. Reach out to fraternities, sororities, scouts, environmentalists and rescue groups. Install several small but strategically placed safety stations, sponsored by local businesses that donate the needed equipment. Float purple frogs in the water; just do something besides studying the issue.

I am ready to donate so that no other child will lose a parent and no other parent will lose a child.

-- Gail K. Tidwell, Fort Worth

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Calling Fort Worth back

We told you we'd post the response from the City of Fort Worth.  However, there wasn't one.

So we're posting the citizen follow up letter instead.  Below the follow up letter is the letter sent after the permit was issued without any of the questions asked being answered.  Scroll down to AND THEN to read that.

As a follow up on the Rutherford 1H Natural Gas Well site, I would like to provide the following information to support my request for not permitting this site and will add the following information.

The application site plan provided by Chesapeake (in violation of Ordinance) shows the gathering line as being less than 35 feet from an apartment which is a protected use. How can that be reasonable, it is a potential disaster waiting to happen with many lives at stake. Should the City want to be in a position for such an irresponsible act? It is an obvious hazard for which the city would have no defense.

There is supposed to be a Disaster Plan submitted (after all waivers are properly secured). The Disaster Plan Chesapeake submitted shows a line drawn from a fire station to the gas drilling site. Do you really consider that an acceptable disaster plan? I don't.

Even if the Fire Department is notified, their responsibility ends at the pad site boundaries or farther out. The Fire Department has stated they are not trained to deal with emergencies on a gas well pad site. Therefore the Fire Department is not an acceptable disaster plan for gas well sites and disasters. The City's acceptance of such a plan is a fraud on the Fort worth Citizens. It is no plan at all. A satisfactory plan is one whereby the citizens have an ability to secure a copy of the plan and could prepare for an emergency. The City does not have a plan.

The City is in violation of state law to permit this facility.

TEX LG. CODE ANN. § 253.005 : Texas Statutes - Section 253.005: LEASE OF OIL, GAS, OR MINERAL LAND

"(c) A well may not be drilled in the thickly settled part of the municipality."

This immediate area can not be a more thickly settled area as a community and with the placement of a well site literally in the middle of that community is contrary to Sec 253.005 of state law .

I will say again, this well site violates nearly every common sense approach and it also violates numerous legal regulations. The Rutherford 1H does not belong at the proposed location.

I must ask if this is the typical Natural Gas Well approval process for the City of Fort Worth? Is there any over site on the process?

How did this application go through the Gas Drilling Review Committee and no one caught any irregularities, particularly the one regarding no application is to be accepted without all of the waivers? I look forward to an explanation to all of my questions.

AND THEN -

FORT WORTH CITY COUNCIL

The permit was recently issued for the Rutherford 1H gas well site despite my questions below questioning its inappropriate location.

The City ignores the fact this location is inside a TIF which has a stated purpose to enhance the area and a natural gas well is an obvious detractor for this or any area. The City also ignores that with a TIF, there are partners such as Tarrant County and others that are required to be consulted in a certain manner and was not done.

The City acknowledges there is a resident that lives in the apartment within the main office building of the Woodhaven Self Storage, or about 75 feet from the pad site. The city acknowledges the need to have a resident manager located there for adequate security, yet nothing was done to protect the Woodhaven Self Storage business that has been in operation several years and a benefit to local residents or the Resident Manager. Chesapeake's waiver states there is not a permanent resident. None the less, there is a resident and that is not in doubt.

The Texas State law (Sec. 253.005) forbids a well being drilled in a thickly settled part of the municipality. If every square inch of an area is developed with residential or residential friendly shops, eating establishments or a grocery store, with one exception and that is one piece of property where the well is to be located in the very middle, how can that not be considered thickly settled? This is contrary to the intent of the State Legislature and wrong.

For all intensive purposes, the City is Spot Zoning for the gas drilling industry and that violates common sense and Texas Law.

The following is an excerpt from: An Overview of Zoning in Texas, THE ZONING ENABLING ACT ZONING AND LAND USE IN TEXAS by David M. Berman, Nichols, Jackson, Dillard, Hager & Smith, L.L.P.

Spot zoning.

Spot Zoning generally refers to a singling out of a specific tract of land for a zoning use classification that is different and inconsistent with that of the surrounding area for the benefit of the owner of the property and to the detriment of the rights of other property owners. "Spot zoning" was described in Pharr v. Tippett as connoting "an unacceptable amendatory [zoning] ordinance that singles out a small tract for treatment that differs from that accorded similar surrounding land without proof of changes in conditions. . . . Spot zoning is regarded as preferential treatment which defeats a pre-established comprehensive plan. . . . It is piecemeal zoning, the antithesis of planned zoning."

From PHARR V. TIPPITT: A common element present in all cases which have condemned spot zoning is that in each case a small area (in relation to all of the area affected by rezoning) was singled out for treatment which was different from that of surrounding land. See McWhorter v. City of Winnsboro, 525 S.W.2d 701 (Tex.Civ.App. Tyler 1975, writ ref'd n. r. e.). Spot zoning is legal only if justified by a change in conditions which affect the area in question, or where there is evidence of definite community need because of changed conditions which bear a substantial relation to the public health, safety, morals or general welfare which cannot reasonably be met otherwise. Thompson v. City of Palestine, supra; Weaver v. Ham, supra.

The City of Fort Worth appears to be playing outside of the bounds of Texas Law and common sense.

I am suggesting the City Council start requesting copies of the State Law be provided to them when the City legal department says you may act in a certain way when it doesn't make sense. Under State Law, it is presumed YOU know the law.

I requested information recently from the City about how it can justify questionable actions taking place within the city, like the ability of the City attorney to provide a definition of grandfathering that is different than what is stated in the Ordinance. It was refused. The State law says the words are to be used as they are written, if they are unambiguous. There is nothing in state law that says that the City Attorney can in effect, rewrite the ordinance behind closed doors in a manner different than what is clearly stated because she believes the intent was different.

Is there a reason I should not have access to how my City is being regulated? When I request what Ordinance or what State Statute authorizes the City to conduct itself in a certain manner, do I not have a right to know? I am not seeing open government; what I see is a City Government trying to hide something.

I would appreciate your comments or concerns.

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Cooks Lane Pipeline

Lots of information sharing in Fort Worth these days.  A couple of incoming emails.  WHO has the scoop?  WHO's land will be next?  YOURS?

Just wanted to touch base with you and wanted to let you know that Texas Midstream, a division of Chesapeake, just served us papers for our land on Cooks Lane where the Best Western project is supposed to go and they want to take over the land for a period of two years to develop an underground pipeline. They are currently going through the process of eminent domain to obtain the easement rights to take over our land, can you pass this message along to our east Ft. Worth community so everyone can see how a big bully is now pushing us around to get us to do what they want.

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The land mentioned in this email is at the NW corner of I-30 and Cooks Lane, close to where I used to live. There was going to be a new Best Western hotel there, but now Chespeake is taking it to put a pipeline through there. Think anyone would want to stay in a hotel built over a gas pipeline?

I don't know which direction the pipeline will go in - north and south, crossing under I-30 or east and west. If it's east and west, then they will probably go through the Morrison Ranch which is just behind the houses in Cobblestone. This might be a good time for people living there to get out before the pipeline goes through.

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