Click here to see how many gas wells have been drilled in North Texas.
Don't worry, the industry and their political friends say it's safe and everyone is going to make money...
Showing posts with label Clean Air. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clean Air. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
WHO does Fort Worth belong to?
Click here to see how many gas wells have been drilled in North Texas.
Don't worry, the industry and their political friends say it's safe and everyone is going to make money...
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Breath of Fresh Air (in Texas!)
We didn't believe it either, but a letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says it's so.
Kudos, sir. If there were more like you, Texans could breathe easier.
Speak for yourself
As an employee of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and a servant on behalf of the residents of Texas and the environment, I am appalled and embarrassed by the recent commentary by fellow public servant and alleged environmental caretaker Bryan Shaw, chairman of the TCEQ. (See: "Time for science in Fort Worth air discussion," June 13) Let me be clear in saying Shaw does not speak for everyone at the agency. His words and the tone in which he expresses his thoughts and opinions are divisive, irresponsible and counterproductive and do not in any way reflect where I stand on environmental issues affecting this state.
If I speak on behalf of the agency or use my official position as a sounding board to push or endorse a personal opinion, I stand a good chance of losing my job. This is an official rule -- a rule that obviously does not apply to Shaw.
-- Derek Snyder, North Richland Hills
Monday, November 22, 2010
Fort Worth's "Public" Energy Committee Hearing
More incoming from the "public" about the supposed "public" meeting...
I was lucky to be selected to represent one of the general members of the "public" to speak at the TX House of Representatives Energy Committee public hearing in Ft Worth today. This meeting was suppose to be targeting urban cities in the Barnett Shale so cities like Flower Mound doesn't hurt overall state efforts to "drill baby drill". It was clear from earlier dialogue of their concerns with neighboring states on board with drilling because they do not want Texas to lose any business to out of state competition. However, plenty of rural mayors showed up and was able to speak first, and much time was spent with their concerns such as that "although rural today, mudfarms and abandoned sites could be the future homes for new subdivisions".
I spoke about the SUP notification phase on this Truman/Cowboy Stadium site and how the sign was put on a road not visible to the general public (Truman Street by city ordinance is limited to commercial traffic). I presented over 275 petitions in opposition to this site from the area residents and businesses; they made copies of the petitions and are taking those back to Austin.
I told them that I have made it my full time job for the last six months putting in 8 to 10 hour days to learn about the industry since it has moved into our town. I said that it was a shame that a citizen has to do what an elected or paid public official should have been doing to do the necessary research to see how to better protect the public. I told them that the more I learned the more horrified I became.
I voiced my concerns of a one size fits all state Railroad Road Commission Ordinance because I don't trust the state to protect the public because the speaker before me representing the RRC just made a statement to Senator Davis that "produced water was just salt water". The RRC speaker was responding to a concern that Senator Davis had on the lack of oversight for pipelines that carry produced water for injection well disposal.
I said the whole industry is based on the lie that natural gas is the cleaner burning fuel. I cited a Cornell University study by Professor Howarth that accounts for the extraction, transportation, and methane leakage. This taken altogether makes natural gas as dirty as coal and that the industry & other stakeholders do not want the public to know this.
I said that there is so much room for improvement in the industry that can control emissions with vapor recovery systems. I told them that with compressor stations, they can use electric compressors, and if they have natural gas compressors in rural areas, that they can have catalysts to reduce emissions. I told them that formaldehyde was found near Lake Arlington's compressor station last May and I was able to have TCEQ retest last week, but that my friend who lived near there was buried last week. I didn't have to say cancer-everyone on the room knew or I could feel they did...I went on to say "we are getting there" because in following up on the four natural gas powered compressors on that site, I learned that they recently added three electric compressors. I cited this as a failed effort to have a TIMELY strong, local, protective ordinance that maybe could have made a difference years ago.
I ended by reminding folks that I knew that I was out of time but that I had so much to say, but what I did learn from all my research is that I will WANT to move away from all this drilling if that well goes in my neighborhood, but that I didn't know WHERE to move because drilling seems to be happening every where.
I felt some of the presentations by the industry were allowed more time than the "other-side" and Arlington Councilman Le Blanc read way past his allowed time. Some industry folks came in with a slide show showing how much money the industry has as if the energy committee was not aware.
We had representation from North Central Communities Alliance who was professional and calm as the polar opposite of my exit from the meeting as the TCEQ representative was allowed the closing speaking time (the majority of folks who came to speak were not allowed due to time constraints). The TCEQ person used the UTArlington site touting it as a training ground and a model for urban drilling.
Joe you would not have been proud of me...at that time, I then stood up and told the TCEQ speaker how that UTA site, with it's 22 wells, poisoned a lady living within 600ft of that site, that she tested positive for BTEX chemicals. I reminded them that TCEQ has fined Carrizo for that (at least that is what I recall a rep from senator Harris's office telling me). Of course I was exiting as I was setting the record straight on that "model" drilling site. I said my family has been living downwind of that site for 3 years now.
Yea today I was lucky, luck to speak, lucky to speak uninvited....and not be arrested.
Sincerely,
Kim Feil
I was lucky to be selected to represent one of the general members of the "public" to speak at the TX House of Representatives Energy Committee public hearing in Ft Worth today. This meeting was suppose to be targeting urban cities in the Barnett Shale so cities like Flower Mound doesn't hurt overall state efforts to "drill baby drill". It was clear from earlier dialogue of their concerns with neighboring states on board with drilling because they do not want Texas to lose any business to out of state competition. However, plenty of rural mayors showed up and was able to speak first, and much time was spent with their concerns such as that "although rural today, mudfarms and abandoned sites could be the future homes for new subdivisions".
I spoke about the SUP notification phase on this Truman/Cowboy Stadium site and how the sign was put on a road not visible to the general public (Truman Street by city ordinance is limited to commercial traffic). I presented over 275 petitions in opposition to this site from the area residents and businesses; they made copies of the petitions and are taking those back to Austin.
I told them that I have made it my full time job for the last six months putting in 8 to 10 hour days to learn about the industry since it has moved into our town. I said that it was a shame that a citizen has to do what an elected or paid public official should have been doing to do the necessary research to see how to better protect the public. I told them that the more I learned the more horrified I became.
I voiced my concerns of a one size fits all state Railroad Road Commission Ordinance because I don't trust the state to protect the public because the speaker before me representing the RRC just made a statement to Senator Davis that "produced water was just salt water". The RRC speaker was responding to a concern that Senator Davis had on the lack of oversight for pipelines that carry produced water for injection well disposal.
I said the whole industry is based on the lie that natural gas is the cleaner burning fuel. I cited a Cornell University study by Professor Howarth that accounts for the extraction, transportation, and methane leakage. This taken altogether makes natural gas as dirty as coal and that the industry & other stakeholders do not want the public to know this.
I said that there is so much room for improvement in the industry that can control emissions with vapor recovery systems. I told them that with compressor stations, they can use electric compressors, and if they have natural gas compressors in rural areas, that they can have catalysts to reduce emissions. I told them that formaldehyde was found near Lake Arlington's compressor station last May and I was able to have TCEQ retest last week, but that my friend who lived near there was buried last week. I didn't have to say cancer-everyone on the room knew or I could feel they did...I went on to say "we are getting there" because in following up on the four natural gas powered compressors on that site, I learned that they recently added three electric compressors. I cited this as a failed effort to have a TIMELY strong, local, protective ordinance that maybe could have made a difference years ago.
I ended by reminding folks that I knew that I was out of time but that I had so much to say, but what I did learn from all my research is that I will WANT to move away from all this drilling if that well goes in my neighborhood, but that I didn't know WHERE to move because drilling seems to be happening every where.
I felt some of the presentations by the industry were allowed more time than the "other-side" and Arlington Councilman Le Blanc read way past his allowed time. Some industry folks came in with a slide show showing how much money the industry has as if the energy committee was not aware.
We had representation from North Central Communities Alliance who was professional and calm as the polar opposite of my exit from the meeting as the TCEQ representative was allowed the closing speaking time (the majority of folks who came to speak were not allowed due to time constraints). The TCEQ person used the UTArlington site touting it as a training ground and a model for urban drilling.
Joe you would not have been proud of me...at that time, I then stood up and told the TCEQ speaker how that UTA site, with it's 22 wells, poisoned a lady living within 600ft of that site, that she tested positive for BTEX chemicals. I reminded them that TCEQ has fined Carrizo for that (at least that is what I recall a rep from senator Harris's office telling me). Of course I was exiting as I was setting the record straight on that "model" drilling site. I said my family has been living downwind of that site for 3 years now.
Yea today I was lucky, luck to speak, lucky to speak uninvited....and not be arrested.
Sincerely,
Kim Feil
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Breaking News from Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has banned gas drilling.
Read about it on the post-gazette.com.
Pittsburgh City Council voted unanimously today to ban natural gas production in the city, becoming the second municipality to impose a ban in as many days.
Read about it on the post-gazette.com.
Pittsburgh City Council voted unanimously today to ban natural gas production in the city, becoming the second municipality to impose a ban in as many days.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!
Tell your friends. Tell your neighbors. Tell your City Council.
Straight from the Shale, it's the Ruggiero's. And of course, Aruba Petroleum.
Kudos to Colleyville
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Another gas drilling study...
Another failure.
We received the following email from a Fort Worth resident.
Well...if you can't trust a corrupt city council...who can you trust?
Citizens and City Council of Fort Worth, Texas
Air quality testing - Pre-Council Item 11/9/10
68% of the Sites tested have fugitive emissions. This is an unacceptable crisis in Fort Worth. The citizens have been mis-led by our city government, the state government and the gas drilling industry every step of the way.
On Thursday, November 4, 2010 there was a meeting held between the City of Fort Worth and their Air Quality Committee. The Air Quality Committee was formed to select a company to test the air quality in Fort Worth, Texas, as a result of the proliferation of gas drilling operations in the City and numerous complaints by citizens.
The purpose of this meeting was to inform the Air Quality Committee that the company they helped select to study the Air Quality in Fort Worth had only partially completed the air study. The City learned a short time ago, that ERG, the company that was hired to test air emissions, was going to complete testing and study of only 50% of the natural gas operations in Fort Worth and not the 75% that was agreed on, and for which a contract had been signed in the amount of $650,000.
The City Staff has known about this for several weeks, but only recently has the information been available to the public and the Air Quality Committee.
The City Staff recommendation is to accept this breech of contract, as in their opinion; it would provide enough information to make decisions. However, their opinion is not based on any facts or experience.
There was no other opinions or facts from outside experts sought or previous history to support that decision.
The previous City Environmental director, who now works for Chesapeake Energy, had told the Air Quality Committee the contract was a good contract and all of the testing would be done for the contract price. The company, ERG had also told the Air Quality Committee they could actually do 100% of the sites for the contract amount. The City Staff negotiated and settled for the 75% testing.
The Company, now claims there has been much more work needed to properly monitor and test the gas drilling operations. There bid was apparently based on information of previous tests from TCEQ, and probably the gas drilling companies along with information provided by the City that indicated emissions would be expected to be found at about 25 to 30% of the sites. After their testing began, much to their surprise, the emissions from natural gas operations turned out to be almost 70% and not 25 or 30 percent.
The City Staff recommendation is still to end the contract at 50% of the sites being tested and pay the $650,000 for the information. In my opinion this is a foolish option.
Think of it as penny wise, and pound-foolish.
The Company has stated that for less than an additional $110,000 they would complete the assignment and provide the results of the original 75% of the gas drilling operations.
The original contract negotiations were made without the input of the Air Quality Committee and were much different than what they understood. I wasn't there and I don't know what happened, but a thorough accurate study needs to be completed and not just a make do, or that’s good enough.
Assuming the 75% study will actually provide good information, it seems obvious that to pay the additional $110,000 for a test that results in 25% more of the sites being tested is a bargain.
One way, the $650,000 is spent and only 50% of the random sites are tested and not the 75%. That is a loss of 1 out every 3 sites being tested.
The alternative proposal is to pay an additional $110,000 and get 75% of the sites tested as was agreed on. That equates to an additional cost of about 12% over the current $650,00, but what you receive is 50% more well sites being tested. That would be 50% + 25% more, equals 75%. That is a lot of information.
There should be some negotiation that takes place about the amount perhaps. This can be a big bragging-rights for ERG in their future or it can be a bad mark.
The City owes its voters an explanation as to why the Air Quality Committee and citizens were shut out of the negotiation information and process. The City obviously did a bad job of communicating. As a matter of fact, the citizens have been mostly shut out of the entire process.
We received the following email from a Fort Worth resident.
Well...if you can't trust a corrupt city council...who can you trust?
Citizens and City Council of Fort Worth, Texas
Air quality testing - Pre-Council Item 11/9/10
68% of the Sites tested have fugitive emissions. This is an unacceptable crisis in Fort Worth. The citizens have been mis-led by our city government, the state government and the gas drilling industry every step of the way.
On Thursday, November 4, 2010 there was a meeting held between the City of Fort Worth and their Air Quality Committee. The Air Quality Committee was formed to select a company to test the air quality in Fort Worth, Texas, as a result of the proliferation of gas drilling operations in the City and numerous complaints by citizens.
The purpose of this meeting was to inform the Air Quality Committee that the company they helped select to study the Air Quality in Fort Worth had only partially completed the air study. The City learned a short time ago, that ERG, the company that was hired to test air emissions, was going to complete testing and study of only 50% of the natural gas operations in Fort Worth and not the 75% that was agreed on, and for which a contract had been signed in the amount of $650,000.
The City Staff has known about this for several weeks, but only recently has the information been available to the public and the Air Quality Committee.
The City Staff recommendation is to accept this breech of contract, as in their opinion; it would provide enough information to make decisions. However, their opinion is not based on any facts or experience.
There was no other opinions or facts from outside experts sought or previous history to support that decision.
The previous City Environmental director, who now works for Chesapeake Energy, had told the Air Quality Committee the contract was a good contract and all of the testing would be done for the contract price. The company, ERG had also told the Air Quality Committee they could actually do 100% of the sites for the contract amount. The City Staff negotiated and settled for the 75% testing.
The Company, now claims there has been much more work needed to properly monitor and test the gas drilling operations. There bid was apparently based on information of previous tests from TCEQ, and probably the gas drilling companies along with information provided by the City that indicated emissions would be expected to be found at about 25 to 30% of the sites. After their testing began, much to their surprise, the emissions from natural gas operations turned out to be almost 70% and not 25 or 30 percent.
The City Staff recommendation is still to end the contract at 50% of the sites being tested and pay the $650,000 for the information. In my opinion this is a foolish option.
Think of it as penny wise, and pound-foolish.
The Company has stated that for less than an additional $110,000 they would complete the assignment and provide the results of the original 75% of the gas drilling operations.
The original contract negotiations were made without the input of the Air Quality Committee and were much different than what they understood. I wasn't there and I don't know what happened, but a thorough accurate study needs to be completed and not just a make do, or that’s good enough.
Assuming the 75% study will actually provide good information, it seems obvious that to pay the additional $110,000 for a test that results in 25% more of the sites being tested is a bargain.
One way, the $650,000 is spent and only 50% of the random sites are tested and not the 75%. That is a loss of 1 out every 3 sites being tested.
The alternative proposal is to pay an additional $110,000 and get 75% of the sites tested as was agreed on. That equates to an additional cost of about 12% over the current $650,00, but what you receive is 50% more well sites being tested. That would be 50% + 25% more, equals 75%. That is a lot of information.
There should be some negotiation that takes place about the amount perhaps. This can be a big bragging-rights for ERG in their future or it can be a bad mark.
The City owes its voters an explanation as to why the Air Quality Committee and citizens were shut out of the negotiation information and process. The City obviously did a bad job of communicating. As a matter of fact, the citizens have been mostly shut out of the entire process.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Seeing Red in Texas
Think Texas is a red state? Check this out on TXSharon.
How much was YOUR royalty check? Save it, you'll need it to move somewhere they have clean air and water.
How much was YOUR royalty check? Save it, you'll need it to move somewhere they have clean air and water.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Surprise
Issues with the Fort Worth air quality study.
Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Be sure and read the comment from THE PEOPLE.
Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Be sure and read the comment from THE PEOPLE.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Argyle Drilling and YOUR kids
This is one of MANY emails we received concerning the drilling in Argyle, Texas. Save our kids already.
Whitehead Pad Site Update
Intermediate students are reporting feelings of nausea, dizziness, disorientation, with the school smelling of dirty socks or rotten eggs. Children with asthma are having trouble maintaining with their current protocols. We are trying to confirm a report of an individual who was taken by ambulance from the campus Friday. The individual had apparently started vomiting and could not stop. Should anyone have any questions please feel free to contact one of the following Hillwood representatives:
Jim Kramer – 817-201-2360
Johnie Daniels – 817-454-3000
Tad LeBlanc – 832-418-2295
Submitted 04/07/2010 Approved 04/09/2010
HILLWOOD O & G OPERATING CO LP (388852) WHITEHEAD 1D 09 DENTON Directional
Hillwood was approved for the first of 36 wells to be located near the Argyle Intermediate School (AIS).
Please send a Letter of Protest to RRC of TX
c/o Office of General Counsel
PO 12967
Austin, TX 78711
Protest Letter must contain Status #, location of well, ATI, and for what reasoning you are protesting.
Whitehead Pad Site Update
Intermediate students are reporting feelings of nausea, dizziness, disorientation, with the school smelling of dirty socks or rotten eggs. Children with asthma are having trouble maintaining with their current protocols. We are trying to confirm a report of an individual who was taken by ambulance from the campus Friday. The individual had apparently started vomiting and could not stop. Should anyone have any questions please feel free to contact one of the following Hillwood representatives:
Jim Kramer – 817-201-2360
Johnie Daniels – 817-454-3000
Tad LeBlanc – 832-418-2295
Submitted 04/07/2010 Approved 04/09/2010
HILLWOOD O & G OPERATING CO LP (388852) WHITEHEAD 1D 09 DENTON Directional
Hillwood was approved for the first of 36 wells to be located near the Argyle Intermediate School (AIS).
Please send a Letter of Protest to RRC of TX
c/o Office of General Counsel
PO 12967
Austin, TX 78711
Protest Letter must contain Status #, location of well, ATI, and for what reasoning you are protesting.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Want to know the truth?
About Texas Air Quality, TCEQ and the EPA?
Start here. And this doesn't even cover the BS. (Barnett Shale to you newbies).
Start here. And this doesn't even cover the BS. (Barnett Shale to you newbies).
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Really...
Chesapeake uses surgical anesthetic for fracturing.
Preparing for Council to convert Westridge into a gas production workplace requiring OSHA regulations to protect the people who live in the workplace, I researched Chesapeake Common Uses Main Compounds in the Fracturing Fluid.
Google: OSHA+ethylene glycol? Press enter
A medical doctor uses ethylene glycol for surgery as a general gas inhalant anesthetic. Also used as local anesthetic. Chesapeake uses ethylene glycol as a scale inhibitor. It works by removing oxygen and people lose consciousness. Glycol is refined out for surgery, but gycol is a double alcohol which also removes oxygen. Scale is killed by removing oxygen. This is empirical evidence that ethylene glycol removes oxygen from open air which makes people feel bad, hard to breathe, sleepy, asthma. Long term exposure kills by slow asphyxiation. Fracturing is open to the air and the odor can cover a large area. (Been there, done it with Chesapeake Nov 2009.)
Combined some of the ingredients the same way OSHA+ingredient+ingredient? Press enter. Remarkable intensity of chemicals that are open to the air combined with uranium from the rocks! (And our background pollution includes New Mexico past atomic energy stuff blowing in from the west. Guest polluter.)
In an attempt to explain Common Use of Ingredients, Chesapeake has confused residential use with industrial use. Residential use is in small amounts and low concentrations like a pinch of salt or a ¼ cup of laundry bleach. Industrial amounts are highly concentrated requiring protective clothing and are used in large amounts like 55gallon drums, l00 lbs., ( 150,000 gallons of additives - Star Telegram.)
Rule of thumb water supply.
For every 25 gas wells drilled and fractured 2 times using 3 million gallons of drinking water each time, a 2 day water supply for Fort Worth will be lost based on FW Water Dept figures of 108 million gallons average daily supply. For the 3,000 wells permitted by FW, 128 days of water supply will be lost. Roughly 1/3 of a year. (FW Water Dept reports 108.5 million gallons average daily sewer supply if you figure exact math. Same numbers in Star Telegram reporting water. They are prepared to pump up to 166 mil gallons a day, as needed.)
Rule of thumb for safety from Kirk Claunch, atty, who wins benzene exposure based on DNA reports.
If you smell it, you are in danger.
Low-dose long-time exposure causes cancer.
High-dose short-time exposure causes cancer.
Continuous monitoring.
Gas Mask Photo by Shannon Bruns
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
YOU are invited!
Excellent Letter to the Editor in Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Sound off to EPA
If our politicians had ever read the children's story about the king who turned everything to gold only to discover that clean water, fresh air and healthy children were inherently more precious:
Maybe Gov. Rick Perry would've fought for cleaner air for all Texans instead of fighting to exempt his corporate donors from costly pollution controls;
Maybe Rep. Joe Barton would've apologized to his constituents for his incestuous relationship with the oil industry instead of to BP, who's caused the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history;
Maybe Mayor Mike Moncrief and the Fort Worth City Council would've considered the health effects of urban gas drilling before approving thousands of gas leases.
Fort Worth residents should show up at the Hilton on Thursday to tell the EPA what Perry, Barton and Moncrief apparently won't: There isn't enough money in the world to justify destroying our oceans, fouling our air, contaminating our groundwater or making us all sick.
-- Sharon Austry, Fort Worth
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
We call BS!
Do they think we believe them? We didn't the first time, and for good reason. What did they say caused the air issue in the first place? Equipment problems. WHY would new gas rigs have equipment problems?
When our air looks like the water in the gulf, maybe they'll admit they should have been more proactive in protecting THE PEOPLE instead of the industry. Don't hold your breath...oh wait, maybe you should.
Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram here.
The state environmental commission has been under fire in recent weeks after admitting last month that it suppressed test results showing higher-than-normal levels of benzene and other toxic compounds at sites in Fort Worth.
Agency officials have repeatedly said that gas drilling doesn't contribute to Dallas-Fort Worth's pollution problem but that it didn't conduct any tests until December -- years after the drilling boom began.
Friday, March 12, 2010
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