How many animals have to die before Gas Companies act responsibly and put up fences?

"17 head of cattle died in late April after drinking "frac" water that entered their pasture."

http://www.fwweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1994:the-big-takeover&catid=76:metropolis&Itemid=377

Interesting conversation about Industrial Uses on Cemetary Property in Ft. Worth

Ft. Worth City Council unanimously voted FOR Natural Gas Drilling Operations on Dedicated Cemetary Property. http://westandclear.com/2009/03/03/greenwood-waiver-goes-to-council-again/. I would not have voted in favor of that case until all sides were in agreement on either ditching the site or moving gravesites to allow for the Industrial Road through the Cemetary. To me, that is a vote of conscience.

Is Chesapeake getting Free Water from the Trinity River? Are the taxpayers subsidizing it? Who is really footing the bill?

Chesapeake is pumping river water to their rig for fracing. Fracing process uses about 2 million gallons of water. Who is paying for that water? Is it coming out of a reservoir that supplies Ft. Worth taxpayers with water? If so, what is the price that Chesapeake is paying? Who is collecting the money and how? Here in Ft. Worth we hear our City Government telling us to conserve water, don't water during certain times of day, etc. We also hear that water is becoming a commodity that is harder to come by and in years to come we will need to pipeline it from Toledo Bend which is about 300 miles away from Cowtown. That says to me that our water rates will continue to rise.

Around Ft. Worth we see Chesapeake advertising board that read, "Together we all win." Well, if water is going to cost the taxpayers more because it is harder to come by locally, then shouldn't someone be charging Chesapeake Energy for using water out of the Trinity River? Perhaps they are -- I'd like to know how much? I did not see one meter along the pipeline from this pump site to the well head; that's not to say there isn't one at the site. I'm not sure who controls the water from the Trinity but I believe Tarrant Regional Water District has much to do with it. Here's what TRWD website says:

"a mere fraction of the water TRWD sells each year to its customer cities and industrial users. In fact, the amount of water sold to gas drilling operations in fiscal year 2006 only accounted for 0.25% of the total water TRWD sold that year."

"The North Texas area is growing very rapidly, and will outgrow its water supply. Additional reservoirs, along with increased conservation measures, will be needed to meet those additional demands in the future."

http://www.trwd.com/prod/FAQs.asp

Don't get me wrong, I am not anti-drilling. However, as with anything else that our elected officials are involved in, ie. City Government, I believe everything should be on the up & up and that if you say we are all winning with gas drilling, prove it! I appears to me that Ft. Worth's City Council is allowing the tax payer's dollars to subsidize much of the cost and expenses for the gas drilling industry. Just my opinion from what I hear and see here in Cowtown.

Flow Back vs. Produced water from Fracing

At the disposal stations, they charge a lot more $$ for disposal of flow back water due to the hazardous chemicals and such. When our municipalities speak of "salt water," they don't distinguish between "flow back" and "produced" water from the well. What are we doing here in our local governments? Who is paying attention? Who is making the money and to who's expense? Get involved in your local governments and watch your back!

Lewisville outsmarts Ft. Worth

"Drilling for natural gas hasn't started in Lewisville yet, but the city is taking action to protect itself. Inside city hall Monday night, council members voted 3 to 2 in favor of a resolution similar to one passed in Dish, Texas. The Mayor of Dish said he drafted it after pipeline companies "tore up his city."
"There's so many unknowns about this gas drilling. People are still very very concerned about it," said Lewisville Mayor Gene Carey.

http://cbs11tv.com/local/Pipeline.Placement.Control.2.877664.html

Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Ft. Worth on the map because of oil & gas? Why wouldn't Ft. Worth "do the right thing" from the beginning and protect this beautiful, charming City and it's taxpayers? Some say it's because we the people signed leases, some say our City Council has indeed protected us by bringing $$ to some, some say it's because our Mayor has most, if not all, of our City Council members under his powerful thumb and they are scared to speak up for fear of losing their political careers. Good for Lewisville's City Council, they are doing the right thing and thinking ahead......planning, analyzing...you know those sorts of things that a City normally does for big ticket items that affect their taxpayers.

3 years in the ground and the pipeline is leaking?

"The area has been partially excavated, and the operator is still searching for the "perimeters and depth" of the pollution
according to the report.
An attorney representing the Cole family, Jim Eggleston, questioned why the pipeline corroded after being underground for about three years."

http://www.star-telegram.com/health/story/1040455.html

When Government doesn't listen to the people this is what happens

it ends up taking much longer for things to improve, much longer for businesses to thrive, much longer before the tax revenue is increased to its potential, many more lives lost and on and on and on. I know for the past 3 years I, along with Mike Phipps, Flora Brewer and others, have been pleading with my City Council representative, Kathleen Hicks and Mayor Moncrief to do something about the drug business and criminal activity along E. Lancaster by the homeless shelters and on down into the neighborhoods of East Ft. Worth. Asking that they provide more treatment beds, accountability and stop the revolving door in the jails. Finally, as their re-election season is slowly coming around and they are hearing the same words from people in the influential political circles to do something about it, seems that may be taking some action.

On another note, yesterday at the joint meeting with the Gas Drilling Task Force and City Council, we heard several times, experts tell the members, and members admit, that time is not on their side with cleaning up the environmental damage that they have, and are, allowing the gas drilling operators to do to our air quality. Perhaps if our local government, including Neighborhood Associations, would have listened to the concerned citizens about environmental issues with drilling that were raised years ago, studied the issue like they study other things such as Modern Street cars, our air quality would be much better and we could wholeheartedly believe Mayor Moncrief when he so emphatically says that "Quality of Life has always been a top priority here in this City and will continue to be."

http://westandclear.com/2008/10/01/joel-burns-streetcar-blogging/
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/974464.html
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/968503.html

Where is the plastic protective sheet for this toxic dump in Rural America?

The big energy companies want us to believe they really "care" about the environment. They don't. If they did, they would spend the money to do their jobs with respect to the people, animals and our environment. They do as little as they have to do, if that! So when I see their billboards trying to pull a fast one on us and make us believe that they are all good by showing pictures of deer, pretty little birds, trees, smiling children, etc., it doesn't work and makes me want to vomit because they are telling a lie. Sure, we need oil & gas....duh; but not at this cost and not at their profit margins.

Kathleen Hicks complains of the lack of Transparency in Government at City Hall

As I watched the pre-Council meeting on August 12th, 2008 and heard City Council member, Kathleen Hicks complaining about the apparent lack of transparency in government at Fort Worth's City Hall, I was a little amused. For the simple reason that I personally, have not found my councilrep, Hicks to be transparent in her way of governing District 8's business at all, at least not with me. Hicks mentioned something about not being aware of the specific budget cuts and moving around and merging of depts w/in the City. Perhaps it wasn't something that others felt she "needed" to know or that would interfere with her conducting business in her District. On a second note, it's really perplexing to me when Hicks and others complain about the "other Ft. Worth" meaning the "poor and oppressed" not receiving the free handouts (services) that they are accustomed to when I don't ever hear about any of those complaining politicians out beating the pavement for more responsible parenting, such as involvement in their children's education, especially during the early development stages of childhood; teenage safe sex practices and/or abstinence; child affordability; responsible dog ownership; importance of diet and exercise and how that relates to health problems; what a life of crime will get you, etc. Maybe Hicks and others who complain about lost services to "the other Ft. Worth," are doing it and I'm just not hearing about it. (and I'm not talking about appearances at meetings) -- I'm talking about beating the pavement as a "Community Leader." All I hear about is how much money she wants from the taxpayers to pay for the product(s) that irresponsible parenting brings to the table for the community and taxpayers of Ft. Worth. Where is the calling for more education and/or discussions for addressing some of the root causes of: Infant Mortality, Diabetes, teenage pregnancy, teenage high school drop out, the extremely high number of stray dog pick ups in her District, homelessness, etc.? Many of the issues she likes to fund heavily but not really address in discussion. Don't get me wrong, I believe in helping the ones who can't help themselves such as the elderly, handicapped, mentally ill, x-cons, addicts, poor, etc.; however, no free handouts for simply making bad choices over and over and over.

And BTW, speaking of Transparency in Government, where are the answers to my questions that I would think any councilmember, in any City, would not have to dig too terribly deep or take too terribly much time to come up with? I asked the following and am still waiting on the answers:

1. Is it true that the Gas Drilling Task Force voted to NOT record minutes to their meetings? If so, whynot?

2. Is it true that the City of Ft. Worth will not allow the GD Task Force meeting this Monday night (8/11/08) to be videotaped and shown on our City cable television channel? If true, what is the reason behind the decision and who made it?

3. Why hasn't all of the information from this past week's joint meeting of Ft. Worth City Council and Gas Drilling Task Force been uploaded to the City's website as promised by the city attorney? When will it be?

4. Have you personally studied and looked at the various State laws and codes regarding the City's authority regarding pipelines and gas drilling or are you relying solely on the City attorneys to inform you?

5. Are you pushing for a moratorium be placed on gas drilling and pipeline decisions until a Master Plan is configured and put in place in the City of Ft. Worth? If not, whynot? If so, what exactly are you doing and how are you planning to influence others who are paid with our taxdollars and who vote on such important matters for the City?

6. Have any District projects been promised to you by Chesapeake? If so, what are they?

7. Has any money been given to you or any of your bank accounts by Chesapeake or any other energy companies doing business in Ft. Worth?

8. Has Chesapeake or any other energy company employee taken and paid for your lunch or dinner? If so, about how many times?

9. Do you believe that money or the promise thereof has influenced any of your decisions involving any part of gas drilling in Ft. Worth?

10. Why do you believe that it is "a great compromise" for a high pressure gas pipeline to be moved from someone's front door step to the street" (as quoted in Star-telegram article on 8/8/2008)

It has always been difficult for me to ask questions of Kathleen Hicks, without her getting extremely defensive and huffy and down right rude. Maybe she thinks she is entitled to public service, for whatever reason, and is not to be questioned or criticized about her job. I hope not, because my belief is that NO ONE is entitled to a free ride or above being questioned or criticized.

People may read this and think, WOW, you have it out for Ms. Hicks. Not really, you could argue whether it's personal or not, but I'm here to tell ya. I'd feel the same no matter who you were if you were in a public serving position and had behaved in the ways that I have seen Ms. Hicks behave and say and do the things I have seen her say and do. Call it what you want to. That's your prerogative.

Fort Worth is contaminated with Irresponsible Politicians

We need a Moratorium on Gas Drilling in Fort Worth until we, the people, know the truth about what we are getting into -- what the risks are, environmentally, physically and physiologically. Call me an alarmist. Call me cynical. Call me whatever suits you. It doesn't matter to me. I've heard enough, seen enough and read enough to know that to go forward with so many unanswered questions and so much exemptness of our laws that the energy companies have been given by our policitians, we are fools to not DEMAND that Ft. Worth City Council and Mayor enact a Moratorium NOW. Our Mayor reluctantly put together a second Gas Drilling Task Force that includes 50% gas company representation (and our City Council said nothing), our Mayor has made at least $500K on the the drilling (how can he be objective), our Mayor and City Council members are telling us that "they can't stop anything because the City would be sued by landowners who want their minerals produced at any cost to the people of Ft. Worth" (since when does money trump safety of the citizens, our drinking water and our environment?). It is WRONG what our City Council members in Fort Worth, Texas are allowing to happen in our City. It is WRONG for our State Legislators to allow this to happen. It is WRONG for our Federal Legislators to allow this to happen. (exception for Lon Burnam, State Rep who is the only one I've personally heard from State level with the guts and backbone to speak out and be counted -- Thank you Mr. Burnam!)

Please help us save our City of Ft. Worth, Texas ("Cowtown") and email our irresponsible City Council members and Mayor and ask that they enact a Moratorium now until there is a Master Plan for the City:

Mayor Mike Moncrief mayor@fortworthgov.org

Salvador Espino salvador.espino@fortworthgov.org

Carter Burdette carter.burdette@fortworthgov.org

Jungus Jordan jungus.jordan@fortworthgov.org

Chuck Silcox chuck.silcox@fortworthgov.org

Kathleen Hicks kathleen.hicks@fortworthgov.org

Frank Moss frank.moss@fortworthgov.org

Danny Scarth danny.scarth@fortworthgov.org

Joel Burns joel.burns@fortworthgov.org

Here are some links to some facts concerning drilling that our City Council members are ignoring; turning a blind eye and deaf ear at the request of Mayor Mike Moncrief:

"It's laughable," Colborn said. "It's so right in your face - so bad. It just shows what little control the government has over this."

"Behr has largely recovered, but her ordeal has the community asking fresh questions about the chemicals used to extract the area's natural gas - the gas that heats millions of American homes and serves as an economic engine for the Four Corners.
ZetaFlow and similar chemicals are exempt from many federal and state environmental laws."

"Few people know exactly what companies are pumping into the ground. It's a trade secret, and the companies like Weatherford, which supplies ZetaFlow, do not share their recipes with government regulators."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25778403/

"A nurse at Mercy Regional Medical Center fell gravely ill from chemical exposure after treating a sick gas-field worker in April. "

"Cathy Behr is back at work and recovering after she fell ill from helping a man who showed up at the hospital soaked in unknown chemicals. The worker's company wouldn't share information about the chemicals that could have helped Behr's doctor diagnose and treat her injury, she said.
At the time, she was suffering from liver, heart and lung failure in Mercy's intensive care unit. "

"Three companies - Halliburton, Schlumberger and BJ Services - dominate the fracing industry."

"Fracing chemicals aren't regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, said Renee Lewis Kosnik with the Oil and Gas Accountability Project in Durango."

http://www.durangoherald.com/asp-bin/article_generation.asp?article_type=news&article_path=/news/08/news080717_2.htm

"Despite some studies on the hazards of oil
and gas, there has been no comprehensive
scientific monitoring or exposure assessment for
an industrial activity present in nearly two-thirds
of U.S. states—with more than half a million
locations that could be emitting toxic materials
to workers and nearby residents. The need for
further research is evident.
Some individuals choose not to share their
stories, especially in communities with local
economies dependent on the oil and gas industry."

http://catskillpost.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/drillingdown_factsheet.pdf

Please visit http://www.gasmoratorium.org/

Ft. Worth's "Great Compromise" in the making

So that "less" of our front, side and back yards can be condemned by the gas companies, the Ft. Worth city council is considering allowing the gas pipelines to be placed under our streets (about 30-50 feet from our front doors). Even though our Ft. Worth City Government (Mayor + 8 Council members) have not seen to it that:

* the Texas State Railroad Commission has the staff needed to do required inspections

* we know who is responsible for every inch of the pipelines should something go wrong

* the gas companies and City of Ft. Worth know how the gas is going to get from the drillsite to the consumer before allowing the drilling to begin and how the massive amount of heavy trucks and industrial equipment are going to get to/from the drillsite

These are just a few of the many issues that our City Council members and Mayor decided to overlook BEFORE they issued drilling permits (1400+ and counting).

Some quotes on the compromise of allowing high pressure gas pipelines under our streets as opposed to our yards:

"People in Fort Worth care, [and] they want to hear all sides of the issue," said Shirley Gansser, neighborhood league president

"This won’t be the solution in every case," CFW Planning & Development Director

"It’s a great compromise." Councilwoman Kathleen Hicks

"I don’t know. Pipeline routing is a complex process. It’s going to take a lot of study to see if it’s even legally possible." Ed Ireland, executive director of the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council

Councilman Carter Burdette said, "We might want to explore the possibility of the city requiring complying with federal standards from wellhead on out."

"I’m just looking at the safety of the citizens I serve, and I don’t see it," Councilman Chuck Silcox

"One of the things I’m concerned with is what would happen in 30 years as the major operators start moving out" CFW Planning & Development Director

"State rules make it easy for pipeline companies to acquire the authority to condemn land, and there’s far less oversight of pipeline routes than for other public utilities such as electric lines." Attorney John Johndroe

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/817765.html

Whynot a Moratorium on Drillling in Ft. Worth?

I absolutely love this persons comments on http://www.star-telegram.com/ . I so agree with every word:

"The travesty is, is that this whole thing was set into motion by our city leaders without adequate forethought, foresight, planned course of action, or proactive regulation/zoning/etc. Now, after the horses have escaped, the city is working on the barn door."
Posted by: sgmorr


City Leaders: Mike Moncrief, Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Hicks, Danny Scarth, Salvador Espino, Frank Moss, Carter Burdette, The Great Chuck Silcox, Joel Burns, Jungus Jordan

And then there's this comment:


"This barnett shale project is the best and most important thing to happen in Tarrant County in decades. The production and drilling is bringing hundreds of millions of dollars directly into property owners pockets.If you don't own property, sorry, don't know what to tell you except you are outta luck trying to stop this. The power of us wanting OUR money for OUR property far outweighs the puny little anti-drilling/change movement.Red, yellow, black and white, poor or wealthy, young or old, if you own property you are getting money. One thing everyone has overlooked is there appears to be no racism or discrimination and everyone that owns property is getting money."
Posted by: Oil Landman

http://pod01.prospero.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=11&nav=messages&webtag=kr-fortworthtm&tid=3600

I could go on about our City "Leaders" all night, but I won't.....not now. I don't really know what to think other than there is something about Chesapeake that I don't trust and alot of "experts" seem like they are selling me something and I look at our City Council and I'm not impressed, enough of the time, I don't feel confident that they are "in it for us," the middle class and lower, of Fort Worth.

Chesapeake's propaganda & West Meadowbrook's Neighborhood politics

So if you live on the Eastside and you happen to be on the email list of various eastside neighborhood activists, you get emails saying there is an important meeting tonight concerning Chesapeake's High Impact Well they want to put in our neighborhood as well as a pipeline. You get there and, IMO, there is no "meeting." It is a poster show of propaganda that Chesapeake has put together and you walk from poster to poster and ask questions of a paid mouthpiece for Chesapeake. That, IMO, is NOT a meeting!! Very disappointing. On the bright side, there were cameras and microphones there. Oh and our City Council person, Kathleen Hicks, was there to get a head count. Not to do any leadership stuff, but just there to see which side she should pander to according to the numbers.

I saw Wanda Conlin there, she is the "Director of City Affairs" for West Meadowbrook Neighborhood Association. WMNA, has large titles for a bunch of bullshit work!! The Treasurer, Mike Phipps and Gigi Goesling do the work for our neighborhood, Wanda Conlin and her hubby, Don Boren (President of West Meadowbrook Neighborhood Assoc) are the puppets for Kathleen Hicks and the ones who do all of the "important backroom deal making." YUK YUK YUK!!

What exactly is the point of a Neighborhood Association if the leaders don't communicate with the members? Take votes on positions of the issues at hand, etc. IMO, there is no point. It's all abuse of power. It's sickening.

I asked Wanda Conlin tonight if WMNA was opposing the Scott Ave well site and if so what had her and her husband Don Boren done on behalf of WMNA to voice their opposition...she said "Suzette, we have written the City Council and Mayor -- leave me alone." RED FLAG RED FLAG.....anytime someone doesn't want to answer my questions, alarms go off in my head.

WMNA's leadership is for the birds, IMO which is why I am not a second year member!!

Does this mean FREE water for Chesapeake?

I noticed this long hose running from the drill site just of I30 in East Ft. Worth. I wondered where it lead from or to and what purpose it was serving. I happened to notice that it was hooked directly into the water hydrant as the picture above indicates. So, tell me, is Chesapeake paying for this water? What's up with this rigging on the fire hydrant? Ironically, I was down at City Hall today seeing how much it will cost me to get water available to a piece of undeveloped land, it will cost me $1950.00 to get a 1" water tap with 3/4" irragation meter. I happen to see on the City's price list that it cost $126,000 for a 10" (size may be wrong, but it was the largest one on the list that I saw). So why didn't Chesapeake just hook up a water meter at the drill site instead of the way we see in the pictures. Please someone help me out here.

Should I, or Should I not?

So I get this gas drilling contract in the mail from XTO Energy. I don't even know if I own my mineral rights because it just hasn't been something I've made time "to do." I've been sort of sickened by all the gas drilling stuff due to much, if not 99% percent, of the hard work that Don Young www.FWCanDo.com and TXSharon www.txsharon.blogspot.com and www.westandclear.com do on the topic for us! However, if I don't sign, they still drill ; that is a fact. On the other hand, if I do sign I get $5K that I could really use about now. If my little "not signing" would make a difference, then I would not sign; the truth is....it will make no difference.

A Bomb in Fort Worth?

Sounds like Fort Worth may go down in an inferno, but what do we care, some of us are making big bucks and we don't care about the possible "accidents" that may happen. We only care about the money. To hell with Quality of Life, the environment, the possible catastrophic danger, and contaminating Fort Worth's drinking water. We don't care.

read more digg story

Texas Railroad Commission in bed with Chesapeake Energy and making babies

Chesapeake Energy says it's not practical and too expensive to recycle the salty wastewater from the well sites and wants to contaminate Fort Worth's water because that's the easiest and cheapest. All the while they are promoting a billboard marketing campaign around town that reads, "Chesapeake -- doing a world of good for Ft. Worth."

read more digg story