Mary's Creek

The Fort Worth Business Press gives you the heads up about the Fort Worth Water Department meeting concerning Mary's Creek. 

From the article it doesn't sound like much has changed, no matter how much the residents protest.  YOU should pay attention.  YOU could be next.

And speaking of water and sewage...check out Durango's question for the day. 

The Fort Worth Water Department will host an open house on July 21 to discuss plans to purchase a site for the future Mary’s Creek Water Reclamation Facility. The open house will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. at Western Hills Baptist Church at 8500 Chapin Road.

The event will feature no special presentation, but citizens with questions about the project can ask water department officials about the plans.

Work on the Mary’s Creek Water Reclamation Facility began in 2009 with a Site Selection Study that included a Community Advisory Committee. The committee recommended criteria for selecting the site.

Crooked is...as crooked does

Just when you think the laws concerning YOUR property can't get any more stupid, they do. WHY? Arrogance and greed.

Read about the latest gas drilling move in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. We're just glad this one wasn't written by Smith.

Arguing before the three-member Texas Railroad Commission on behalf of Chesapeake Energy on Monday, Johnson said, "The commission has had problems because people in the Tarrant County area don't understand oil and gas and unfairly criticize the commission."

So, whatever is wrong is our fault? Maybe some of us just look at natural gas drilling differently.

Chesapeake wants to "force pool" properties for drilling in the Glen Garden neighborhood of southeast Fort Worth, south of Cobb Park and west of the Glen Garden Golf and Country Club. It would require property owners to take part in urban natural gas drilling, whether they like it or not.

Regardless of what happens in this case, he told the commission, the well will be drilled. And, "our well will drain all the gas."

To do that, the company wants to pursue a second route to forced pooling, the Mineral Interest Pooling Act, or MIPA. Chesapeake would force unleased property owners to take, and pay for, ownership shares (what's called a working interest) in the well.

This land is OUR land...

Read the Arlington Letter to the Editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  Then ASK the Arlington City Council, WTH?

Protecting nature

The Arlington Parks and Recreation Board approved a list of recommendations Aug. 9 regarding a proposed gas well next to the Southwest Nature Preserve.

The board was concerned because the pad site violates the Arlington gas well ordinance's setback for parks.

One of the board's recommendations was to "require identification of impacts on native wildlife," but the plea didn't make the letter that city staff then sent to the City Council.

When asked at the Nov. 2 council meeting why this request was sidestepped, the council did not have an answer but still approved the well.

Who's looking out for this glorious expanse of unmarred land?

The parks board is trying to. It is disturbing to see the board's efforts ignored by our elected officials.

At some point, we have to say no more habitat destruction, no more diminishing quality of life, no more waiver of ordinances designed to protect us -- all for one more gas well.

-- John Dycus, Arlington

Kudos to Colleyville

Bullying doesn't seem to work there either.  Read about the stand the City Council is taking, regardless of the threats here.