Frack No!

On November 4, 2014, there was a historical vote in Denton, TX, which of course was when the residents voted to ban hydraulic fracturing within the corporate limits of the city.  This is a bit shocking considering the political make up of this area and the amount of funding that the industry sunk into defeating this measure.  Another interesting thing is the margin of victory for this measure, for all the money that was sunk into this election by the industry, they were not even close to victory.  What is also shocking is that candidate races in the area still went heavily to republicans.  In the Texas State Representative race for House District 64 which encompasses Denton, the republican Myra Crownover easily won with 64 percent of the vote.  So is clear that a large number of republicans supported this ban.

Many years ago, during a meeting with the industry, I voiced my displeasure with the manner in which they did business and told them that if they continued down this path, that no one would want this industry doing business near them.  I hate to so I told you so, but I did.  Now the question is will they ever learn, and the initial response is “no”, they will never learn.  After getting their tails kicked pretty badly in an election where they had all of the advantages, they chose not to change their business practices, and truly try to be the good neighbors they say they are on TV, but they filed a lawsuit.  This makes it clear that they’re never going to try and be a good neighbor.  Instead of running to make amends for their wrong doings, they try force their way into the neighborhoods, continuing to be bad actors.

At least in places like Denton, this probably could have all been avoided if this industry had one ounce of compassion for the communities they do business in.  However, they chose to violate the wishes of the community, resulting in the ban on a technique that was developed a few miles up the road from here.  Denton is also a town that has a large industry presence, with several of these companies having offices and other facilities there.  However, when you trample all over people private property rights, kill their property values, and destroy their quality of life, you should expect something like this.

Instead of trying to work with the communities that they were pissing all over, the industry runs to Austin for help.  To which the Texas Railroad Commissioners came running with bells on.  Unfortunately, the trio better known as the three stooges here in Texas, did nothing more than what the industry did, which was like pouring “gas” on a flame, and made the situation much worse.  Did anybody ever give those who were working on the ban any respect for their complaints?  No, they all just insulted them even more, accusing them being buddies with Putin, and other false and misleading statements, which of course didn’t work, but again fanned the flames.  

I was taught something at young age which was; when you find yourself in a hole…stop digging.  However, the oil and gas industry and their supporters must have missed that little piece of common sense.  The results are that they gave a couple goofballs $800,000.00, which turned out to be a big waste of money.  I know this may be a shock to those in the industry, but after years of misleading and lying to people, nobody trusts you.  Therefore, when you give money to someone that lies on your behalf, that makes them paid liars, and even a fool can spot a paid liar.

What is even more damning for the industry is that the paid liars are losing the battle in other areas as well.  A total of 4 bans on hydraulic fracturing were passed around the country.  And these bans were not implement with millions of dollars from Russian backed environmental groups, but rather by a small group of local citizens.  Normal people who have regular jobs, but are tired of seeing their property rights trampled all over by an industry who couldn’t care less.  One of my most trusted advisors says “there is a billion dollars beneath our feet and they don’t care who they trample on to get it”.  This is truly a case of Goliath being taken down with a slingshot and smooth stone.

Of course, the Texas Railroad Commission is not the only one running to the industry’s aid, the other prostitutes will come running with their aid as well. The Texas Land Office has joined the industry filing a lawsuit.  The Texas Land Office mission states: “The Texas General Land Office serves the schoolchildren, veterans, and all people of Texas by preserving their history, protecting their environment, expanding economic opportunity, and maximizing state revenue through innovative administration and prudent stewardship of state lands and resources.”  Not sure what makes them think they have dog in this fight, other than the fact that most of the Texas elected officials at the state level fight over the opportunity to pimp themselves out to this industry.

State Representative Phil King, of Texas House District 61, who serves on the Energy Resources Committee, has already committed to introducing legislation that removes a Texas municipality’s right to ban hydraulic fracturing.  Of course Representative King, is another who will fight for the opportunity to pimp himself out to the industry, and never look his citizens in the eye while doing it.  Texas House District 61 encompasses the Azle, TX area where they have had the rash of earthquakes caused by the fracking waste injection wells.  However, Representative King did not show up at the meetings held by the state, and has thus far refused to talk with his citizens about these earthquakes.  It must be noted that Representative King has multiple ethics violations and is therefore technically a “crook”.  He also refuses to look me in the eye when I testify before the Energy Resources committee; therefore, I take him as a coward.  He also refuses to take a stand to protect the property rights of hard working Texans.

It is strange that Representative King would choose to remove local control when on his website he states that “Local control and limited government must be the first resort not the last”.  However, it is clear that those positions go out the window when we are talking about the Oil and Gas industry.  When it comes to this subject, it appears that the Austin cronies are good with an overbearing state government, which takes away local control from municipalities.  It is also clear that the Austin Cronies like Representative King, are more than willing to ignore a valid election, and overturn the will of the people.  I guess when you are a prostitute for the oil and gas industry, things like local control and limited government, are just buzzwords.  

One thing that is missed in all of this by the industry and their prostitutes is that the people who are affected by all of this have property rights also.  Our private property rights start where our property line begins, so why doesn’t the industry consider keeping their noise, odors, bright lights, and hazardous chemicals on their side of the fence?  They trespass their crap on our property and expect us to take it.  The hardworking, honest Texans who voted for this ban don’t want a noisy, smelly industrial site, 200 feet from the backdoor, and those other than the industry and their cronies understand that fact.

The people of Denton passed an ordinance that would have helped protect people’s private property rights, and the industry ignored their wishes.  What exactly did the industry expect?  Don’t blame the people of Denton for this ban, blame the industry and the prostitutes who support them.  Common sense tells you that you cannot keep ramming this stuff down the throats of the people without consequences.  So if you’re in the oil and gas industry or are one of their elected prostitutes, it was you who got yourself into this, not environmental groups funded by Russia, but you.  The blame is yours, so take the whipping that you deserve.  
Calvin Tillman
Mayor Emeritus,
Town of 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"

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

WHAT?!

It doesn't matter which side of the aisle you sit on or which side of this particular fight you are on -   If this doesn't outrage you, you might be more like "them" then you think. 

From the Huffington Post:

In a stunning break with First Amendment policy, House Republicans directed Capitol Hill police to detain a highly regarded documentary crew that was attempting to film a Wednesday hearing on a controversial natural gas procurement practice.

Josh Fox, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Gasland" was taken into custody by Capitol Hill police this morning, along with his crew, after Republicans objected to their presence, according to Democratic sources present at the hearing.

"It's an outrageous violation of the First Amendment," Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) told HuffPost. "Here we've got an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, and it's an important subject and the subject that he did his prior film on for HBO. And they put him in handcuffs and hauled him out of there. This is stunning."

"I found it ironic that there was not a flood of cameras there," noted Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.). "There was the one camera and then before that, the ABC camera ... if you have a camera there to bring the issue home to the public, that's a good thing."

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) told HuffPost, “I have served in the House of Representatives since 1992, and I had the privilege of chairing the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. In all that time, I cannot recall a chair of any committee or subcommittee having ever ordered the removal of a person who was filming a committee proceeding and not being disruptive, whether or not that person was accredited. It is a matter of routine that all sorts of people photograph and record our proceedings. Most of them are not accredited. I cannot recall anyone questioning their right to be there."

Arthur Spitzer, legal director of the ACLU in Washington, explained that "congressional committees routinely allow professional journalists to record hearings even when they don't have official press credentials, and excluding a journalist because he doesn't share the political views of the committee chair is outrageous. The Supreme Court has explained many times that censorship based on viewpoint is the clearest kind of First Amendment violation, and that seems to be what happened here."

Read the developing story and Josh Fox's response on the Huffington Post.  What was the charge?  Unlawful Entry.  To a public meeting??  How's that? 

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

What property rights?

Read the letter from Calvin Tillman concerning State Representative Bonnen and Texas property rights.

...You can own and peacefully enjoy your property, as long as someone with more money doesn't want it.

Mayors Everywhere - Part 2

In our previous post, we asked what kind of mayor YOU wanted?

We like this kind.

We cut the town's debt by over 50%, built a very nice municipal park and library which provides computers with internet access to the community, as well as wii fit systems to area residents. We also have won the Governor's challenge on fitness four of the six years I was involved and two of the four years I served as mayor. Another proud moment was when we installed solar panels on our municipal building. We did all of this without raising taxes or putting undue burden on the taxpayers. Another thing that I am very proud of, is that we partnered with area churches to develop programs to help our area youth. This was very successful and well attended by our area youth. However, the thing that I am most proud of, is that we came together as a community and stood shoulder to shoulder to protect our turf.

I would like to thank the citizens of DISH, and others around the United States as well as the World who have supported me and my family through all of this. Please know to all of you that have adopted me as your mayor, that I am still your mayor and will support you however you need me too. Thanks again.

A Mayor that stood WITH his citizens and stood up for them.  One that cut debt and made progress without shouldering his citizens with the burden of higher taxes.  One that made great strides not only in his town, but all over the U.S. 
 
We salute Calvin Tillman, former Mayor of DISH, Texas.  Current Mayor of many.  Carry on, sir!

There goes our hero...

Mayor Tillman moving on.

Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Dish sits near several large compressor stations that process natural gas from the Barnett Shale. Tillman said he included in the sale contract that the buyer had to watch Gasland before the deal closed. The film, nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary, takes a critical eye on the impact of natural gas drilling and devotes about 10 minutes to the Barnett Shale, including some time on Tillman and Dish.

Tillman plans to remain involved in drilling issues partly via ShaleTest, a nonprofit organization he helped launch last year to fund air and water tests in communities affected by drilling. He also confirmed that Dish is preparing to sue some or all of the companies operating gas compressors near the town.

Straight from the Shale

Kudos to Mayor Tillman and crew!

For Immediate Release:

Information Meeting Announcing The Formation of ShaleTest Non-Profit Environmental Testing

Fort Worth Texas-- Josh Fox, producer of the award winning documentary Gasland will join the Board of Directors for the announcement of ShaleTest, a non-profit organization that will provide environmental testing on water, soil and air for lower income families. ShaleTest was formed by DISH, TX Mayor Calvin Tillman, and Wise County property owner Tim Ruggierro. Other founding board members include founder of the BlueDazewebsite and Texas Oil and Gas Accountability Project community organizer Sharon Wilson, Susan Knoll, ofBartonville TX and Cora Bell of Corinth TX.

ShaleTest.org is a new national group that has a mission: “To provide lower income and compromised individuals with environmental testing of their drinking water, air and soil that might have been impacted by natural gas development. Our testing involves analyzing and measuring these elements for the presence of natural gas development fluids or associated chemicals and compounds. We also provide the public with educational awareness to the dangers associated with natural gas development." Currently, ShaleTest has testing volunteers in Texas, Pennsylvania and Arkansas, and is recruiting in other states.

DISH mayor Calvin Tillman says that " I have seen a real weakness in the availability of quality environmental testing across the United States to all families, especially in lower income areas. Therefore, citizens must rely on poorly equipped and understaffed state agencies to protect them, ShaleTest will level the playing field for these people".

Co-founder Tim Ruggiero says "I have seen first hand what negative impacts natural gas development has had on our air, water, soil and even our property values. I have also seen the unwillingness to address these issues and the political game playing and foot dragging from our local and federal level politicians and protection agencies to assist any of us.

We cannot allow our quest for energy to outweigh our need for clean air and water. Mayor Tillman and I formed this non-profit group to do what the very same agencies that have sworn to protect us simply refuse to do."

"Currently, it is up to citizens to prove harm rather than industry to prove lack of harm and it is now clear that state regulations do not protect public health." said Sharon Wilson, Organizer for Texas Oil and Gas Accountability Project. "With enough data we can shift that burden back to those who profit and hold them accountable for their irresponsible operations."

When: October 26, 2010, 12:30 PM

Where: Tandy Lecture Hall inside of the Fort Worth Library, located at 500 West 3rd Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102

For More Information

Contacts

* Calvin Tillman, Mayor, DISH, TX
(940) 453-3640, tillman4council@aol.com

Tim Ruggiero
(917) 763-8901, trruggiero@gmail.com

Sharon Wilson
(940) 389-1622, sharson@gmail.com

Links:

http://www.shaletest.org/

http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/

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"

Mayor Tillman asks

Texas Lone Star answers.  Mayor Calvin Tillman of DISH, TX needs YOUR help.  As much help as he's been to the residents of the Lone Star State, please take this opportunity to help him (and YOU)!

Sad, but true

Mayor Tillman asks what happened to our values?

In Texas, our "conservative" politicians have taken away both from the average Texan. You are allowed to enjoy your property, as long a corporation or someone with more money doesn't want it. This used to be a state where you could move out in the rural areas, buy a piece of land, and live in peace. Now if you move to the country to have some property, you are an immediate target for a corporation to take your land, or make it unlivable.

The prime example of this is the oil and gas industry. The State of Texas has taken away most of the rights that pertain to land ownership from the citizens and given it to these large corporations. One glaring example is the natural gas pipeline midstream companies, which have been given the tremendous power of eminent domain. These are private, for profit companies that have been awarded all the power of government to condemn property. This not only takes away property rights, but it destroys the free market system that allows for a property owner to negotiate in good faith for the use of their property. Instead the private property owners are immediately subjected to threats and intimidations. Due to these companies being for profit, it is in their best interest to obtain the easement and install the pipeline as cheap as possible, and they use whatever tactic necessary to achieve this.

Read the entire letter at TXSharon.

Only in Texas...

Would a sentence about a State agency read like this....

State environmental regulators "absolutely" will consider Barnett Shale emissions as part of a new plan to bring North Texas into compliance with federal ozone standards, an official with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said Thursday night.

So is it "absolutely" or will consider?

"We are particularly concerned about those emissions in Tarrant County," Hildebrand said. "I'm telling you, we are looking at those monitors. Our plan will look at those sites."

"Are you here to protect the citizens, the people who came out here today, or are you here to protect large corporations?" Tillman asked. "Because frankly, I don't know whose side you're on."

One of the few speakers not critical of the agency was Ed Ireland, executive director of the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, an industry group. He praised TCEQ for installing air-monitoring systems and encouraged the agency to install more.

He said the air-monitoring sites in Dish and other locations have shown that the air near gas drilling sites is safe.

And let us get this straight, TCEQ is now concerned about the air in Tarrant County but the head of the Energy Education Council is not.  Isn't he paid not to be? 
 
Read about the TCEQ meeting in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram here.

Say it ain't so...

Mayor Tillman can't go.

He's the only HOPE we know.

Check it out on Durango.

We Won't Pipe Down: Carter Avenue Rescue Operation Rally Thursday March 4 Downtown Fort Worth

The Carter Avenue Rescue Operation will be holding a rally on the Courthouse steps Thursday, March 4th at 7:30 a.m. Everyone is invited to attend.

This rally will be held prior to Steve Doeung's court appearance in his battle with Chesapeake Energy. Steve Doeung is attempting to stop Chesapeake Energy from using eminent domain to take his home in order to put a pipeline beneath the homes along Carter Avenue in Fort Worth.

Steve Doeung does not have legal counsel. He is a Lone Ranger battling Chesapeake Energy. The last time Steve Doeung was in court he was virtually alone against Chesapeake Energy.

This time we do not want Steve Doeung to be alone. We want Steve to feel the support of his fellow Texans, with a solid, loud expression of the American Spirit.

The Court hearing begins at 8:30. Please come witness this historic moment in Fort Worth and Texas and show your support for Steve Doeung and the residents of Carter Avenue.

All North Texans should be concerned with the process and outcome of this hearing. A recent Fort Worth Business Press article named Tarrant County, the eminent domain capital of Texas, which by default likely makes Tarrant County the eminent domain capital of America.

YOUR neighborhood could be next.

Speakers at the event include:

Louis McBee - Vietnam Veteran, Business Owner, Community Leader, Former Mayoral Candidate and Treasurer of NCTCA

Glen Bucy - Afghanistan Veteran, Former City Council Candidate, and Local Community Activist

Billy Mitchell - Rancher, Eminent domain abuse victim, Community Activist

And special guest - DISH, TX Mayor, Calvin Tillman - Mayor Tillman has been leading the way with his determination and resolve to ensure the safety of resident's rights concerning gas drilling, not only in DISH, but the entire state of Texas. He was recently invited to speak to citizens in New York about their concerns with gas drilling issues.

CARTER AVENUE RESCUE OPERATION begins at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 100 W. Weatherford in Fort Worth. That is the Old Historic Courthouse at the north end of downtown, across the street from Heritage Park. Just follow the signs, downtown, to Sundance Square, where you will find plenty of parking lots.

Refreshments will be provided. Please plan on attending and bring your family and friends!

Small town Mayor's visit to Big Apple

Mayor Tillman discusses his trip to the Northern Shale...guess what they have lots of problems with there? WATER.

Read the Mayor's wonderful letter about his recent trip here. Thanks to all those who welcomed him and treated him so kindly!

DISH SOS

Check out TXSharon to find out how to help DISH, TX Mayor, Calvin Tillman.

We've never liked greedy bullies. We've always liked Mayor Tillman.

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
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