Want to know about the corruption in the Shale? Durango lays it out for you in style.
WHO's listening?
Also, check out Durango's pledge. Sad, but true.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wag the Dog
Today's article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the benzene air levels should be a wake up call to all. Didn't they just tell us it was safe?
High levels of cancer-causing benzene were found in the air at 1 in every 5 sites that Texas environmental officials tested in the Barnett Shale gas field, state regulators revealed Wednesday.
The state agency knew that some of the wells were producing emissions as far back as 2007, when a contractor flew over the area with an infrared camera to look for problems. But the agency didn’t start conducting on-the-ground tests until August.
The state agency has been under pressure about the environmental effects of the Barnett Shale since October. The small town of Dish and Fort Worth business owner Deborah Rogers paid for their own tests.
"We appropriately caveated all the data" presented to the city, Sadlier said.
Also, he said, the agency doesn’t control who gets to drill where or when.
"That’s really a question for the city of Fort Worth," he said. "TCEQ is absolutely the tail of the dog."
High levels of cancer-causing benzene were found in the air at 1 in every 5 sites that Texas environmental officials tested in the Barnett Shale gas field, state regulators revealed Wednesday.
The state agency knew that some of the wells were producing emissions as far back as 2007, when a contractor flew over the area with an infrared camera to look for problems. But the agency didn’t start conducting on-the-ground tests until August.
The state agency has been under pressure about the environmental effects of the Barnett Shale since October. The small town of Dish and Fort Worth business owner Deborah Rogers paid for their own tests.
"We appropriately caveated all the data" presented to the city, Sadlier said.
Also, he said, the agency doesn’t control who gets to drill where or when.
"That’s really a question for the city of Fort Worth," he said. "TCEQ is absolutely the tail of the dog."
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
What happens...?
When you are part of the gas industry and your pants are on fire?
Time will tell.
So will the FW Weekly, don't they know that by now?
Time will tell.
So will the FW Weekly, don't they know that by now?
Lake Worth- What's it worth?
FW Weekly article. Check it out.
We especially like the line below. It's as true now as it was over a hundred years ago.
Fort Worth was growing in the early 1900s and needed a clean water supply and flood control.
The lack of dredging "was really a financial issue," said Fort Worth Water Department spokesperson Mary Gugliuzza. The city was working with the United States Army Corps of Engineers starting in the late 1990s to dredge the lake, she said, but the corps stopped doing such projects after Hurricane Katrina, citing a lack of funding. The city will still need a Corps of Engineers permit for the dredging, which could be issued in about a year, but there will be no accompanying Corps funding.
Oversight of the lake and surrounding 950 acres was passed around from city department to city department. Sometimes the water department ran it, sometimes parks and recreation, sometime planning, he said.
We especially like the line below. It's as true now as it was over a hundred years ago.
Fort Worth was growing in the early 1900s and needed a clean water supply and flood control.
The lack of dredging "was really a financial issue," said Fort Worth Water Department spokesperson Mary Gugliuzza. The city was working with the United States Army Corps of Engineers starting in the late 1990s to dredge the lake, she said, but the corps stopped doing such projects after Hurricane Katrina, citing a lack of funding. The city will still need a Corps of Engineers permit for the dredging, which could be issued in about a year, but there will be no accompanying Corps funding.
Oversight of the lake and surrounding 950 acres was passed around from city department to city department. Sometimes the water department ran it, sometimes parks and recreation, sometime planning, he said.
Drilling and Flooding
Check out the pics on TXSharon about another drilling site in a flood plain.
North Richland Hills has one too.
North Richland Hills has one too.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Lon is right on
Read the Letter about Railroad Commission Chairman Victor Carrillo in the Fort Worth Business Press.
Airing concerns
I am extremely disappointed that Chairman [Victor] Carrillo, in his January 18 op-ed response to expressed concerns about toxic pollutants resulting from natural gas drilling in North Texas, has chosen to attack the messenger and misrepresent the facts rather than take action to protect public health.
Mayor Tillman can only be accused of doing what the rest of us, including local elected officials and relevant agency heads, should have done a long time ago – demand answers to hard questions about the hidden costs of the Barnett Shale boom.
Chairman Carrillo also severely misrepresents the findings to date of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s air monitoring efforts.
More results will be released later this month, but to say that TCEQ “found ‘No Cause for Concern’ related to Barnett Shale exploration and production” is false and misleading (in its Jan.12 press release, TCEQ makes no such claim), and only further justifies public suspicion regarding whose interests the Railroad Commission is really looking after.
– Lon Burnam
Airing concerns
I am extremely disappointed that Chairman [Victor] Carrillo, in his January 18 op-ed response to expressed concerns about toxic pollutants resulting from natural gas drilling in North Texas, has chosen to attack the messenger and misrepresent the facts rather than take action to protect public health.
Mayor Tillman can only be accused of doing what the rest of us, including local elected officials and relevant agency heads, should have done a long time ago – demand answers to hard questions about the hidden costs of the Barnett Shale boom.
Chairman Carrillo also severely misrepresents the findings to date of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s air monitoring efforts.
More results will be released later this month, but to say that TCEQ “found ‘No Cause for Concern’ related to Barnett Shale exploration and production” is false and misleading (in its Jan.12 press release, TCEQ makes no such claim), and only further justifies public suspicion regarding whose interests the Railroad Commission is really looking after.
– Lon Burnam
Friday, January 22, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Good question
One of our regular contributors asks,
Why must we read about this insane activity in the DALLAS paper? Could it be that our own local daily paper, our mayor (and most of the council), the Railroad Commission....AND the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality are all on the industry payroll?
Read about the latest loophole in the Dallas Morning News.
A legal loophole could be letting gas drillers inject fluids with high levels of benzene into the ground in gas-rich regions such as North Texas' Barnett Shale, a study by an environmental group finds.
"Companies are basically doing an end run around the law," said Dusty Horwitt, senior counsel for the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based research and advocacy organization. "Congress should never have given the oil and gas industry a free pass."
Why must we read about this insane activity in the DALLAS paper? Could it be that our own local daily paper, our mayor (and most of the council), the Railroad Commission....AND the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality are all on the industry payroll?
Read about the latest loophole in the Dallas Morning News.
A legal loophole could be letting gas drillers inject fluids with high levels of benzene into the ground in gas-rich regions such as North Texas' Barnett Shale, a study by an environmental group finds.
"Companies are basically doing an end run around the law," said Dusty Horwitt, senior counsel for the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based research and advocacy organization. "Congress should never have given the oil and gas industry a free pass."
Texas is next
Massachusetts has made history with their election.
THE PEOPLE made the difference. WHO's next??
THE PEOPLE made the difference. WHO's next??
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Fort Worth Corruption
It runs so deep, it's even in the water.
If you haven't been following Detective Durango's posts, he gives you the recap here. Get caught up, you'll need to know this for the rest of the story.
Stay tuned.
If you haven't been following Detective Durango's posts, he gives you the recap here. Get caught up, you'll need to know this for the rest of the story.
Stay tuned.
What's the point?
After you read the TCEQ disclaimer on their recent Fort Worth "report" at TXSharon, you'll wonder what the point of the "report" is...
Publicity. Go figure.
Publicity. Go figure.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Levee Hoods
Durango has another run in with the water boys.
WHO are they? Cheap Tricks and Costly Truths tells all.
WHO are they? Cheap Tricks and Costly Truths tells all.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Where were YOU?
The NCTCA meeting Wednesday night was a success!
Over 125 people in attendance, including speakers - Calvin Tillman, Mayor of DISH, TX and Senator Wendy Davis.
Chris Hawes from WFAA was there too.
Don't miss the next one. Keep watching for your invitation!
Over 125 people in attendance, including speakers - Calvin Tillman, Mayor of DISH, TX and Senator Wendy Davis.
Chris Hawes from WFAA was there too.
Don't miss the next one. Keep watching for your invitation!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
As crooked as...
TCEQ?
Read about it at Grover's Tub.
If that’s so, then why is Texas’ environmental commission putting our land and our lungs at risk? Why is TCEQ a lapdog for the nation’s largest polluters—and why does Texas have the nation’s worst environmental record?
Here are the facts when it comes to Texas air and water.
More than any other state in America, almost twenty-four million Texans now live with the highest levels of volatile organic compounds, toxic chemicals in our water, and carcinogens and carbon dioxide in our air.
In terms of ozone pollution, Houston and Dallas are now the fourth and seventh worst cities in the United States, respectively.
If Texas were a nation, it would rank seventh in the world in total carbon dioxide emissions.
It's easy to see why you can't believe what you have been fed about the recent TCEQ "testing" "requested" by Fort Worth "leaders"...
After more than a hundred air monitoring tests near natural gas production facilities in Fort Worth, officials from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) said they found no pollutants at levels that would endanger the public. The tests came at the request of Mayor Moncrief and the City Council who raised questions about the potential for dangerous emissions from local gas drilling sites. In response to these findings, Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief released the following statement:
“On behalf of our citizens, we thank TCEQ Director Mark Vickery and his team for their quick and appropriate response to our questions about the effects of gas production facilities on the quality of the air in Fort Worth. We are certainly grateful that the tests revealed no immediate danger. However, we agree with TCEQ that the air in those areas affected by the Barnett Shale should be continually monitored for potential threats. My City Council colleagues and I will continue to work closely with our city staff, local gas producers and the state to make sure public safety remains the top priority here in Fort Worth.”
Read about it at Grover's Tub.
If that’s so, then why is Texas’ environmental commission putting our land and our lungs at risk? Why is TCEQ a lapdog for the nation’s largest polluters—and why does Texas have the nation’s worst environmental record?
Here are the facts when it comes to Texas air and water.
More than any other state in America, almost twenty-four million Texans now live with the highest levels of volatile organic compounds, toxic chemicals in our water, and carcinogens and carbon dioxide in our air.
In terms of ozone pollution, Houston and Dallas are now the fourth and seventh worst cities in the United States, respectively.
If Texas were a nation, it would rank seventh in the world in total carbon dioxide emissions.
It's easy to see why you can't believe what you have been fed about the recent TCEQ "testing" "requested" by Fort Worth "leaders"...
After more than a hundred air monitoring tests near natural gas production facilities in Fort Worth, officials from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) said they found no pollutants at levels that would endanger the public. The tests came at the request of Mayor Moncrief and the City Council who raised questions about the potential for dangerous emissions from local gas drilling sites. In response to these findings, Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief released the following statement:
“On behalf of our citizens, we thank TCEQ Director Mark Vickery and his team for their quick and appropriate response to our questions about the effects of gas production facilities on the quality of the air in Fort Worth. We are certainly grateful that the tests revealed no immediate danger. However, we agree with TCEQ that the air in those areas affected by the Barnett Shale should be continually monitored for potential threats. My City Council colleagues and I will continue to work closely with our city staff, local gas producers and the state to make sure public safety remains the top priority here in Fort Worth.”
Mayor behind bars?
We were going to blog the latest from Fort Worth's #1 Watchdog, but Durango beat us to it...again. Check it out.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
YOU have a busy week
HELP!
Be in Haltom City Tuesday for their proposed 500,000 gallon frac pond on Big Fossil Creek meeting.
They have plans to place a toxic fluid open storage lake in our neighborhood!!
The City of Haltom City Planning Board will meet to discuss this.
Tuesday January 12, 7pm. at Haltom City Hall, 5024 Broadway
YOU are needed to stop this!
The City of Haltom City Planning Board will meet to discuss this.
Tuesday January 12, 7pm. at Haltom City Hall, 5024 Broadway
Your property is at risk !
Call 817-222-7767 to object on the official record.
Making Noise
Durango made enough noise that someone actually did what they should have done in the first place. Check it out.
Gas Drillers follow Water Board lead
If they want it, they'll take it. Read about it in the Fort Worth Business Press.
You have to read it to believe it.
Fort Worth attorney Jim Bradbury got a letter in the mail from XTO Energy Inc., informing him that he could lease his minerals to the gas exploration and production company or, if not, they’d take them anyway.
“There’s almost an eminent domain essence to it,” Bradbury said, “where an operator can come in and say, ‘Through this Finley decision we are going to put you under a lease or get hold of your minerals by force of law.’”
And we have to ask - SAYS WHO?
Mineral owners are well-protected by the Railroad Commission of Texas and its requirements that gas companies must meet before applying for a force pool situation.
You have to read it to believe it.
Fort Worth attorney Jim Bradbury got a letter in the mail from XTO Energy Inc., informing him that he could lease his minerals to the gas exploration and production company or, if not, they’d take them anyway.
“There’s almost an eminent domain essence to it,” Bradbury said, “where an operator can come in and say, ‘Through this Finley decision we are going to put you under a lease or get hold of your minerals by force of law.’”
And we have to ask - SAYS WHO?
Mineral owners are well-protected by the Railroad Commission of Texas and its requirements that gas companies must meet before applying for a force pool situation.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
He's Talking to YOU
Durango asks questions of the Tarrant Regional Water Board.
Think they'll answer? We can hardly wait.
Think they'll answer? We can hardly wait.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Don't Mess with Durango
Durango has been having a time with either a city, industry or water shill as of late. They informed him he was uninformed, so in usual Durango fashion he went out to learn more. That's when he learned he is not uninformed and a few other things.
To you boys out on the levee, like we said...Don't mess with Durango.
Rescheduled - Be there Wed!!
North Central Texas Communities Alliance is a broad-based coalition of individuals, organizations and communities throughout the Barnett Shale area working on local, state and national levels for positive solutions to the problems related to natural gas drilling and production.
FEATURED SPEAKERS FOR JANUARY
This time of the year weather does not always cooperate, so we must therefore reschedule our meeting to the date listed below:
Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Where: Hotel Trinity - Inn Suites
IH30 @ Beach Street
Doors will open at 6:30pm for coffee, networking
and news interviews.
Meeting will begin at 7:00pm and end at 8:45pm
Senator Wendy Davis
One of our featured speakers will be Senator Davis, who has historically been an advocate for responsible mineral exploration and production in the Barnett Shale. Because of recent evidence of harmful chemicals produced from gas drilling, she and other state elected officials have been calling for additional testing and controls with natural gas drilling and production, and has been a statewide leader for stronger controls, both local and statewide, governing natural gas pipelines.
Mayor Tillman's video remarks
Mayor Calvin Tillman - Dish, Texas
Mayor Tillman has been on the front lines of the battle to keep his town safe and clean from the effects of uncontrolled pipelines and gas drilling within the city limits of Dish Texas. Much of the time being the Lone Ranger in he battle to save some of his town. His views and unique experiences with these very important issues are a must to hear in his own words.
Gas drilling trumps citizen protections?
As the time honored saying goes, you can be a part of the solution or continue to be a part of the problem. Only by working together for the common good can we even begin to protect our communities from unwanted and/or unneeded industrial activities that continue to harm the air we breathe or the water needed to sustain our quality of life.
Please join with us to help protect our future and the continued safety of our families. Our goal is to Communicate, to Educate and to Mobilize north central Texas citizens into action when the need arises.
North Central Texas Communities Alliance
Esther McElfish, Pres.
Gary Hogan, V.P.
Louis McBee, Treas.
www.nctca.net
Quick Links
FEATURED SPEAKERS FOR JANUARY
This time of the year weather does not always cooperate, so we must therefore reschedule our meeting to the date listed below:
Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Where: Hotel Trinity - Inn Suites
IH30 @ Beach Street
Doors will open at 6:30pm for coffee, networking
and news interviews.
Meeting will begin at 7:00pm and end at 8:45pm
Senator Wendy Davis
One of our featured speakers will be Senator Davis, who has historically been an advocate for responsible mineral exploration and production in the Barnett Shale. Because of recent evidence of harmful chemicals produced from gas drilling, she and other state elected officials have been calling for additional testing and controls with natural gas drilling and production, and has been a statewide leader for stronger controls, both local and statewide, governing natural gas pipelines.
Mayor Tillman's video remarks
Mayor Calvin Tillman - Dish, Texas
Mayor Tillman has been on the front lines of the battle to keep his town safe and clean from the effects of uncontrolled pipelines and gas drilling within the city limits of Dish Texas. Much of the time being the Lone Ranger in he battle to save some of his town. His views and unique experiences with these very important issues are a must to hear in his own words.
Gas drilling trumps citizen protections?
As the time honored saying goes, you can be a part of the solution or continue to be a part of the problem. Only by working together for the common good can we even begin to protect our communities from unwanted and/or unneeded industrial activities that continue to harm the air we breathe or the water needed to sustain our quality of life.
Please join with us to help protect our future and the continued safety of our families. Our goal is to Communicate, to Educate and to Mobilize north central Texas citizens into action when the need arises.
North Central Texas Communities Alliance
Esther McElfish, Pres.
Gary Hogan, V.P.
Louis McBee, Treas.
www.nctca.net
Quick Links
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Follow the trail
Durango is such a trend setter. Thanks to our contributors for the great pics! These were taken in April of 2009 in Haltom City and North Richland Hills. Gas drillers ran the pipes from a drill site on Birdville Independent School District, as far as you can see on Big Fossil Creek. We say as far as you can see, because as you can see - the rest is Federal Government property.
WHO's water is it?
NO ONE is exempt.
Speak up. Before it's too late.
When nothing is ever done...
It just gets worse.
And WHO is informing you? The media? Nope.
Durango. Again.
Check it out.
It's happening everywhere.
No one is exempt.
Watchdogs and Horned Frogs
Dang it! I want a replay.
The mighty TCU Horned Frog football team lost the Fiesta Bowl to Boise State last Monday causing purple tears to flow like a river in Dirty Ol' Town. But don't blame the team. They were jinxed by Mayor Moncrief and cheated by the Barnett Shale.
Mayor Mikey's dumb idea to dye the Trinity River purple in honor of the Frogs was bad enough. Any scientist could have told him that. They could have also told him that Fort Worth air is so polluted from Barnett Shale gas drilling it's a wonder the team made it to the bowl game.
But, in his defense, Mayor Mikey can't help it. He's science-challenged.
Even though he was raised on oil and gas, his income depends on oil and gas and he's the mayor of the largest city in the USA to allow urban gas drilling he was dumfounded to recently learn that natural gas drilling is dangerous to human health.
He was shocked to discover that benzene and other toxic by-products of drilling are polluting north Texas air on a massive scale (not to mention our water and land). But he claims to be very concerned about the residents and quality of life in Fort Worth. He wants more testing done, dadgumitt, and he wants the State of Texas to do it with help from the polluters.
But, sorry, no moratorium on new drilling permits, says the mayor. We can't risk getting sued by the drillers. Besides, his income depends on the drilling. (Uh-oh!)
The university itself deserves some of the credit for TCU students and players getting a daily dose of benzene. They have been cheerleading the Barnett Shale for years. Maybe that's because several alumni own one of the largest drilling companies in FW.
As a result of their influence and the lure of Dirty Dollars, TCU set up the TCU Energy Institute, basically a lobbying group for gas drillers opposed to regulation and drilling reform.
If we keep waiting for drillers to do the right thing, we will all end up like the endangered Texas Horned Lizard. Don't it make your purple heart blue?
DY
PS: After you've had a good cry, write a letter to or call TCU Chancellor, Victor Boschini and tell him how you feel about TCU's support of gas drilling.
Chancellor@tcu.edu
817-257-7783
Still mad? Tell Mayor Moncrief to stop issuing drilling permits until the industry learns how to Drill Right:
Mike.Moncrief@fortworthgov.org
817-392-6118
Don Young
FWCanDo
P.O. Box 470041
Fort Worth, TX 76147
http://www.fwcando.org
"God bless Fort Worth, Texas. Help us save some of it."
The mighty TCU Horned Frog football team lost the Fiesta Bowl to Boise State last Monday causing purple tears to flow like a river in Dirty Ol' Town. But don't blame the team. They were jinxed by Mayor Moncrief and cheated by the Barnett Shale.
Mayor Mikey's dumb idea to dye the Trinity River purple in honor of the Frogs was bad enough. Any scientist could have told him that. They could have also told him that Fort Worth air is so polluted from Barnett Shale gas drilling it's a wonder the team made it to the bowl game.
But, in his defense, Mayor Mikey can't help it. He's science-challenged.
Even though he was raised on oil and gas, his income depends on oil and gas and he's the mayor of the largest city in the USA to allow urban gas drilling he was dumfounded to recently learn that natural gas drilling is dangerous to human health.
He was shocked to discover that benzene and other toxic by-products of drilling are polluting north Texas air on a massive scale (not to mention our water and land). But he claims to be very concerned about the residents and quality of life in Fort Worth. He wants more testing done, dadgumitt, and he wants the State of Texas to do it with help from the polluters.
But, sorry, no moratorium on new drilling permits, says the mayor. We can't risk getting sued by the drillers. Besides, his income depends on the drilling. (Uh-oh!)
The university itself deserves some of the credit for TCU students and players getting a daily dose of benzene. They have been cheerleading the Barnett Shale for years. Maybe that's because several alumni own one of the largest drilling companies in FW.
As a result of their influence and the lure of Dirty Dollars, TCU set up the TCU Energy Institute, basically a lobbying group for gas drillers opposed to regulation and drilling reform.
If we keep waiting for drillers to do the right thing, we will all end up like the endangered Texas Horned Lizard. Don't it make your purple heart blue?
DY
PS: After you've had a good cry, write a letter to or call TCU Chancellor, Victor Boschini and tell him how you feel about TCU's support of gas drilling.
Chancellor@tcu.edu
817-257-7783
Still mad? Tell Mayor Moncrief to stop issuing drilling permits until the industry learns how to Drill Right:
Mike.Moncrief@fortworthgov.org
817-392-6118
Don Young
FWCanDo
P.O. Box 470041
Fort Worth, TX 76147
http://www.fwcando.org
"God bless Fort Worth, Texas. Help us save some of it."
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Water wagon
As usual, the FW Weekly was ahead of the game on the gas drilling killing our water supply and as usual, they tell it like it is.
Fort Worth's daily newspaper has coddled if not brazenly protected the natural gas industry ever since the explosion of the Barnett Shale almost a decade ago. Now the paper has finally grown a pair of (eye)balls and taken a hard look at how the industry is affecting the local water supply.
The story also noted that gas drillers and state regulators deny any correlation between gas wells and water pollution, despite an avalanche of circumstantial evidence. The drilling industry says chemicals used in drilling are safe but has successfully fought like hell to keep from having to reveal them. Nice.
Let's see ... seems like Fort Worth Weekly wrote about the correlation between gas drilling and groundwater problems a little earlier than that - say, more than four years ago in a story ('Til Your Wells Run Dry," June 29, 2005) that drew heat from the industry and skepticism from drilling advocates. But other newspapers, most notably the Denton Record Chronicle and Texas Observer, soon began writing similar stories about drilling's impact on water sources.
The Star-Telegram continued to ignore the obvious for years and wrote countless love notes to drillers in the form of "news" articles that read more like public relations releases. After all, city leaders such as Mayor Mike Moncrief kept saying how good the shale was for the Fort, and why would the local newspaper disagree with the mayor?
Still, welcome aboard, Star-T. Better late than never - though the thousands of people whose air and water have been poisoned by drilling activities in the intervening years might not agree.
Amen.
The citizens and real news have been reporting these issues for years.
WHO's listening?
Fort Worth's daily newspaper has coddled if not brazenly protected the natural gas industry ever since the explosion of the Barnett Shale almost a decade ago. Now the paper has finally grown a pair of (eye)balls and taken a hard look at how the industry is affecting the local water supply.
The story also noted that gas drillers and state regulators deny any correlation between gas wells and water pollution, despite an avalanche of circumstantial evidence. The drilling industry says chemicals used in drilling are safe but has successfully fought like hell to keep from having to reveal them. Nice.
Let's see ... seems like Fort Worth Weekly wrote about the correlation between gas drilling and groundwater problems a little earlier than that - say, more than four years ago in a story ('Til Your Wells Run Dry," June 29, 2005) that drew heat from the industry and skepticism from drilling advocates. But other newspapers, most notably the Denton Record Chronicle and Texas Observer, soon began writing similar stories about drilling's impact on water sources.
The Star-Telegram continued to ignore the obvious for years and wrote countless love notes to drillers in the form of "news" articles that read more like public relations releases. After all, city leaders such as Mayor Mike Moncrief kept saying how good the shale was for the Fort, and why would the local newspaper disagree with the mayor?
Still, welcome aboard, Star-T. Better late than never - though the thousands of people whose air and water have been poisoned by drilling activities in the intervening years might not agree.
Amen.
The citizens and real news have been reporting these issues for years.
WHO's listening?
Another Invitation
Clear your schedule - you have plans Thursday!
For Immediate Release: DISH TX Mayor Calvin Tillman to Speak at North Central Texas Communities Alliance Meeting
Where: Hotel Trinity Inn and Suites, Interstate 30 and Beach, in Fort Worth, TX.
When: January 7, 2010, doors will open at 6:30 PM for networking and interviews, meeting starts at 7:00 PM
DISH Mayor to speak on Air Quality Issues, And Discusses The Calls For A Moratorium On Natural Gas Activity In The Barnett Shale
DISH, TX -- The results of a DISH, Texas municipal Ambient Air Quality Study recently revealed high concentrations of toxic air emissions, including neurotoxins and carcinogens, near and on residential properties in the small town of DISH, Texas. DISH Mayor Calvin Tillman has been asked to speak at the North Central Texas Communities Alliance meeting on January 7, 2010 to discuss this testing. Other items that will be discussed is a new policy implemented by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in the Barnett Shale. Mayor Tillman will also discuss the proposed moratorium on gas drilling throughout the Barnett Shale. DISH is located in the epicenter of the Barnett Shale gas play and is home to a megacomplex of compressor stations, as well as pipelines, metering stations, gathering lines and gas wells. The Town of DISH's air study sampled air at seven locations from August 17 to 18, 2009. The results of this analysis revealed high concentrations of carcinogenic and neurotoxin compounds near and on residential properties. TCEQ has committed to install permanent monitoring equipment near the massive compressor facility, as well as respond to all complaints of toxic fumes within 12 hours.
NCTCA - North Central Texas Communities Alliance is a broad-based coalition of individuals, organizations, and communities throughout the Barnett Shale area working on local, state, and national levels for positive solutions to the problems related to natural gas drilling and pipelines.
For More Information
* Calvin Tillman, Mayor, DISH, TX (940) 453-3640, tillman4council@aol.com.
Town of DISH
5413 Tim Donald Road
DISH, Texas 76247
Links
DISH, Texas Municipal Ambient Air Quality Study can be found online here: www.townofdish.com
North Central Communities Alliance http://www.nctca.net/
Calvin Tillman Mayor, DISH, TX (940) 453-3640
"Those who say it can not be done, should get out of the way of those that are doing it"
For Immediate Release: DISH TX Mayor Calvin Tillman to Speak at North Central Texas Communities Alliance Meeting
Where: Hotel Trinity Inn and Suites, Interstate 30 and Beach, in Fort Worth, TX.
When: January 7, 2010, doors will open at 6:30 PM for networking and interviews, meeting starts at 7:00 PM
DISH Mayor to speak on Air Quality Issues, And Discusses The Calls For A Moratorium On Natural Gas Activity In The Barnett Shale
DISH, TX -- The results of a DISH, Texas municipal Ambient Air Quality Study recently revealed high concentrations of toxic air emissions, including neurotoxins and carcinogens, near and on residential properties in the small town of DISH, Texas. DISH Mayor Calvin Tillman has been asked to speak at the North Central Texas Communities Alliance meeting on January 7, 2010 to discuss this testing. Other items that will be discussed is a new policy implemented by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in the Barnett Shale. Mayor Tillman will also discuss the proposed moratorium on gas drilling throughout the Barnett Shale. DISH is located in the epicenter of the Barnett Shale gas play and is home to a megacomplex of compressor stations, as well as pipelines, metering stations, gathering lines and gas wells. The Town of DISH's air study sampled air at seven locations from August 17 to 18, 2009. The results of this analysis revealed high concentrations of carcinogenic and neurotoxin compounds near and on residential properties. TCEQ has committed to install permanent monitoring equipment near the massive compressor facility, as well as respond to all complaints of toxic fumes within 12 hours.
NCTCA - North Central Texas Communities Alliance is a broad-based coalition of individuals, organizations, and communities throughout the Barnett Shale area working on local, state, and national levels for positive solutions to the problems related to natural gas drilling and pipelines.
For More Information
* Calvin Tillman, Mayor, DISH, TX (940) 453-3640, tillman4council@aol.com.
Town of DISH
5413 Tim Donald Road
DISH, Texas 76247
Links
DISH, Texas Municipal Ambient Air Quality Study can be found online here: www.townofdish.com
North Central Communities Alliance http://www.nctca.net/
Calvin Tillman Mayor, DISH, TX (940) 453-3640
"Those who say it can not be done, should get out of the way of those that are doing it"
Monday, January 4, 2010
Says WHO?
The following is from an article in the Fort Worth Business Press. Notice how it says "another report". WHO do you think that report was done by?
Recently, there has been considerable attention paid to whether natural gas production in the Barnett Shale is contributing to area air pollution, notably the presence of benzene in levels higher than expected. Some reports have shown high levels of benzene, while another report questions those findings. Many oil and gas companies and advocates have said because Barnett Shale gas production is mostly dry, meaning it produces little to no condensate, the presence of benzene is due to other causes. Concerned residents, state regulators and elected officials still are talking about it, and a moratorium on drilling has been discussed in Fort Worth City Council meetings.
Recently, there has been considerable attention paid to whether natural gas production in the Barnett Shale is contributing to area air pollution, notably the presence of benzene in levels higher than expected. Some reports have shown high levels of benzene, while another report questions those findings. Many oil and gas companies and advocates have said because Barnett Shale gas production is mostly dry, meaning it produces little to no condensate, the presence of benzene is due to other causes. Concerned residents, state regulators and elected officials still are talking about it, and a moratorium on drilling has been discussed in Fort Worth City Council meetings.
Fort Worth Water Shortage
While the Tarrant Regional Water District sues other states to try and take their water and takes private property by eminent domain for Trinity Uptown (instead of doing their job), the City of Fort Worth and those involved with Gateway Park (ahem, the Tarrant Regional Water District) and TCEQ allows gas drillers to take water from the Trinity River. Soon to be, lots of water.
Thanks to Detective Durango for the great shots and blog. You can't afford to miss it!
Ask some questions of your supposed leaders. Hold them accountable.
The Water Board has an election coming up, maybe it's time for some fresh faces.
UPDATE 11/2/2010: Those of you looking for the latest information on the Fort Worth Water Shortage, go here.
Demand it!
Don says so. We couldn't agree more.
Read the entire letter from Mr.Woodard, about Mission Impossible, also know as Trinity Uptown, in the Fort Worth Business Press.
Trying to convince the gung-ho Trinity Uptowners that an election should be called to see if taxpayers really want to pay for their billion dollar, confluence-covering Fantasy Island is like trying to empurple the Trinity River by pouring a vial of food coloring into the fast-flowing water.
Trinity Uptowners! Historic, financial, and environmental icebergs dead ahead! Taxpayers! Demand an election or get ready to run for the lifeboats!
Read the entire letter from Mr.Woodard, about Mission Impossible, also know as Trinity Uptown, in the Fort Worth Business Press.
Trying to convince the gung-ho Trinity Uptowners that an election should be called to see if taxpayers really want to pay for their billion dollar, confluence-covering Fantasy Island is like trying to empurple the Trinity River by pouring a vial of food coloring into the fast-flowing water.
Trinity Uptowners! Historic, financial, and environmental icebergs dead ahead! Taxpayers! Demand an election or get ready to run for the lifeboats!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year Y'all!
To all our readers and contributors - those who are trying to make a difference in our corner of the world - we wish you all a successful New Year!