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.  

Read More

Mo Money

For the Trinity River Vision.  Check out the Fort Worth City council Agenda for the November 15, 10:00 a.m council meeting, lots of interesting stuff.  Several maps and lots of talk of expediting and increasing costs...

It is recommended that the City Council authorize the execution of Amendment No. 1 in the amount of $1,580,000.00 to City Secretary Contract No. 37013 with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., for water and sanitary sewer main relocations for the Trinity River Vision-Central City Project and the Trinity Uptown City Project and the Trinity Uptown Service Area, Phase 2A on Main Street, Commerce Street, Channel Segment B, White Settlement Road, Beach Street and Gateway Site E, thereby increasing the contract amount to $4,113,113.00.

In order to expedite design and construction of the water and sanitary sewer improvements ahead of the construction of the TRV projects, the proposed water and sanitary sewer relocation project was divided into the following phases,

There is also a partnership for a voluntary clean up at the Police and Fire Training Academy between the TCEQ and the Tarrant Regional Water District.  

That has to be relocated for the Trinity River Vision too.  What's that going to cost? And what will it increase to?  WHO pays?

Read More

When NEWS goes bad...

What happens when the newspaper of record in your town gets its marching orders from the downtown money crowd? They forget WHY they are there in the first place.

This is an exchange between a Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist and a local citizen. Other citizens copied in responded too. This is just one example of many, sit tight, more on the way.

What happens to YOUR city when YOUR news is run by your local "governments" and "the industry"?  What happens when people mistake columnists for reporters?  What happens when there is no difference?

Recently, someone wrote that when a news outlet gets all its "news" from politicians and industry, they make themselves irrelevant.  Poignant, isn't it?

Mitch Schnurman recently wrote a column concerning tax abatements, which prompted a letter from the citizen. Schnurman didn't respond. He then wrote one about the TCC boondoggle on the Trinity River which prompted the citizen to follow up. Below is the exchange.

Act 1 - Citizen to Newspaper
To: "mschnurman@star-telegram.com"
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 9:40 AM
Subject: Thoughts

Mitch,

I had a question concerning your recent tax abatement article - while I finally agree with something you say, I wonder why you are upset with the abatement's but not with the $95 million needed for a new fire/police training facility??  Since the council sold this land to the Tarrant Regional Water District, now the taxpayer has to foot the bill once again.  Would appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks,
X

Act 2 - Citizen to Newspaper.  Again.

On Tue, Sep 6, 2011 at 1:49 PM, X wrote:

Although I didn't expect an answer, I would have appreciated one.

Now I just have more questions...

How is the sunken plaza a boondoggle but the Trinity River Vision is not?  The only good thing about TCC is they should walk away with an education, then maybe the next generation will be smarter than selling/sailing our checkbooks down the river.

Also, TCC is leasing space in Haltom City, for I believe - a $1 a year.  Is there not a way they could look for the same deal for an arts center in a nearby city?  With all the vacant space in Tarrant County, there has to be a more affordable choice.

Again, would appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks,
X

Act 3 - Another citizen to newspaper.

An excellent point. Why would the city council sell the training academy without first having the funding secured for a new facility?

Will they build it with Certificate of Obligations like the Will Rogers parking garage and without public approval?

Another chapter in the TRV folly that should provoke public outrage.

Act 4 - Another citizen responds

How is the TCC a boondoggle and the TRV is not?
GOOD question. Excellent question!

Answer:  Not a dime’s worth of difference.

We made our maiden voyage to the completed TCC boondoggle yesterday.  Pity bad weather and the poor co-ed and 58 steps from Belknap down to her classroom.

Perhaps as a hotel, with a path all the way to the river, it might have been a fine tourist attraction.  But the college as I and others envisioned when we campaigned for its birth circa 1968 was to be a place where people could be trained in local class rooms to enable them to earn a living.

X can’t get over the fact that all the buildings are what on the farm we used to call lean-tos.  An architect friend called me this morning and asked me when they’re going to straighten them up.

In the words of General MacArthur:  I could not answer.

Act 5 - Finally...a response?  (We have to give him credit for the last line, but do YOU buy it?)

I don't know about the police training center, so I didn't have much to contribute to your thoughts on the subject.

I try to weigh in on issues that I have examined. I am not the beat reporter for TCC, so there is much that I do not follow. As for Haltom City having cheap rent, I don't see that as the issue in North Richland Hills.

The money has already been collected for that project; the question is whether TCC will stick to the original budget (or at least close).

I have written many times about the TRV, and I continue to support it. To rehash all that now is a waste of my time and yours.

I expect to revisit it again, in light of the cuts that are coming in federal spending. Perhaps my view will change then.

Thank you for writing,
Mitchell Schnurman
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Business columnist

Act 6 - Citizen responds to news paper.

Mitch,

I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

My point on TCC may not have been clear, my thoughts were we could use the money and look at other options that would provide what is needed while staying within the budget.  The Haltom City campus was just an example of that.

Concerning TRV, while I realize I am just an average citizen, I am somewhat confused by your response.  If you aren't aware of the police/fire training center, which was another known ripple of the TRV, how can you be in full support of the project?

I realize your employer is a large advocate of the project, however the taxpayers and your customers need advocates too.

Thanks,
X

Read More

Waxahachie can't catch a break

Is Fort Worth next?

First, they have their failed boondoggle.  Recently, they had an earthquake that was felt in Fort Worth.  Now, they have a major chemical fire.  WHAT kind of chemicals? Fracing chemicals.

Read Brett Shipp's report on WFAA.com.


Up until late Tuesday, about all Scott Pendery, the owner of Magnablend Inc., was telling the public was this particular facility produced was agriculture and oil and gas products. The only specific chemicals being mentioned were mostly harmless or marginally volatile.

But when pressed, the owner began telling another story.

Most of what the plant was producing was a dangerous cocktail of chemicals blended specifically to be used in hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") fluids.

As rivers of flammable product flushed out of the Magnablend plant on Monday, all that mattered was that the workers and firefighters escaped with their lives.

A day later, local, state and federal officials began investigating what started the fire — and what all was burning.

"And so some of those products that we make in that plant do get used in that application," the Magnablend owner conceded. "Company-wide, we're probably in the 80 percentile with the oil and gas industry, and then the balance is the agriculture industry."

Later, when we tried to ask Pendery about specific chemicals parked in the tanker cars next to his facility, he ignored our questions and got back into his car without comment.

Waxahachie Fire-Rescue Chief David Hudgins told News 8 he was not aware that 80 percent of what Magnablend produces is fracking chemicals.

EPA officials said they had no idea what Magnablend was producing at the plant.

While it's legal to blend fracking chemicals, federal law states if enough dangerous chemicals are being stored on site, then the company must file a risk management plan.

No such plan has been filed for this facility.

Local, state and federal authorities continue their investigation.

Read More

Money Pit

Fort Worth Fire Training Center

Two years ago, Clyde Picht asked WHO was going to pay to move the Fort Worth Police and Fire Training Academy that needs to be moved because of Trinity Uptown and the Trinity River Vision.

Think he knew the answer?

YOU do.

Read More

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."

Read More

How much more?

It's only the beginning.

The "City Council Brief" article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram could have been called "TRV wants more". 

Remember when our new mayor was on the campaign trail, one of the promises was Fort Worth would not spend a dime over the double digit millions (of OUR money) they already promised.  So, WHO will pay the $95 million for new facilities? WHY do we need new facilities?  Because the current ones are in the way of the Trinity River Vision.  WHO owns the land?  The Tarrant Regional Water District.  WHY?  YOU know the answer.  WHO wrote the Brief?  Bill Hanna, WHO else.

Kathleen Hicks says she is "worried" how the city will pay for it.  Isn't she on the TRV board?  And NOW she's worried?

Critics have long said the cost of the Trinity River Vision will be more than the $909 million dollars (of tax payer money) the project "leaders" have claimed.  The project pushers have called the critics "crazy".  Critics have asked the question about the fire and police training academy before.  Not so crazy now, is it? 

The current site was sold to the Tarrant Regional Water District as part of the Trinity River Project for $4.2 million, and the city bought four 250,000-square-foot warehouses at the Federal Depot in south Fort Worth for $6.4 million.

The city has an eight-year lease on the current site but doesn't have a way to pay for a new facility and could exercise options to stay a year or two longer, said Mark Rauscher of the planning and development department. But Rauscher noted that a new shooting range must be in place by the end of 2013. "At this point we have not identified a full funding plan for the police and fire training center," Rauscher said.

Read More