Waitin' on Water

Well, waiting to sue our neighbors again for theirs.

Politex explains WHY Irving and their current mayor have jumped on board. Now, WHY would the Supreme Court need another week? 

WHAT happens when the water is gone?  WHO will come to Texas then?  WHERE will you get water?

The U.S 10th Circuit and a lower federal court ruled in favor of Oklahoma in the lawsuit, in which the water district seeks to obtain water from north of the Red River to serve as part of the Metroplex's future water supply.

"The Supreme Court today decided to take another week to consider Tarrant’s certiorari petition challenging Oklahoma laws barring the export of water to Texas – indicating that the Justices are interested in Tarrant’s arguments and intend to study the case more deeply," said attorney Timothy S. Bishop.

"The Court will discuss whether to grant Tarrant’s petition again on March 30."

Last week, the Supreme declined to hear another case involving water being moved from Oklahoma to Texas. Hugo, Okla., had an agreement to sell water to Irving and the lower courts had ruled that Hugo couldn't sell water without Oklahoma's permission.

If this doesn't scare you...

Read the comments.  93 of them on an article posted today on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

WHAT'S more important to YOU? Quality or growth?  What's more important to YOUR elected officials?

Do YOUR leaders really think lawn watering is the reason we're in the shape we're in?  We have reports of dead grass and trees from here to the Red River.

Remember earlier this week when a nonprofit did an investigation on Congress and their family connections.  WHAT do you think they are they paid to say?

WHO controls YOUR water?  What will the other cities do?  Like always, wait and see what Fort Worth does.  No offense, guys, but you need to pick another role model.

Guess the latest Irving Mayor has been brought into the game.  The last one tried to get water for the city instead of waiting on the Tarrant Regional Water District. All the way to the Supreme Court to get water from Oklahoma. 

"Mayor Price and I have been talking about lots of initiatives together, and water is one of them," Rawlings said. "I think water conservation is probably the most important issue we have in the next three decades. We cannot continue to grow without water, and I want to continue to grow."

The district provides raw water to 98 percent of residents in Tarrant County, including Fort Worth, Arlington and Mansfield.

"The goal is to reduce excessive outdoor watering and water waste, especially during peak summer months when rain is scarce and demands are high," said Linda Christie, the district's government and community relations director.

The (Tarrant Regional Water) district provides raw water to 98 percent of residents in Tarrant County, including Fort Worth, Arlington and Mansfield.

Officials with Colleyville and North Richland Hills said they haven't discussed the issue. North Richland Hills spokeswoman Mary Peters said the city will likely follow the lead of Fort Worth and the authority on the issue since it buys water from both entities.

The Fort Worth Water Department has 30 wholesale customers, including Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, Southlake, Hurst, Burleson and Crowley. Its contract requires customers to follow whatever rules the city implements itself.

The mayor of Irving, which tried unsuccessfully to broker its own water deal with Hugo, Okla., said the city is ready to work with others.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to hear a lawsuit that resulted from the proposed deal, upholding a lower court's ruling that Hugo couldn't sell water without Oklahoma's permission.
The people say:

Ok, I can understand wanting to conserve water and even using the  twice a week plan. BUT... what about all the Government buildings, Commercial properties & City landscapes that (even when "WE" were in restrictions last year) continue to water on a daily basis, not only in the heat of the day (outside of City required times) but also over watering to the point that there is a large stream running down the road.

What's required for us should be required for the Government and Commercial properties also.
"We cannot continue to grow without water, and I want to continue to grow."

Sounds like a mindless comment to me.  At what point does growth reduce the quality of your life?
Maybe if Rawlings stopped and thought about it, he would realize that the lack of water ITSELF is trying to tell him something, that growth only works when there are reasonable resources to sustain it.
Promoting growth with one hand, while restricting resources with the other, is a bad idea.  There has to be a balance.

"We cannot continue to grow without water, and I want to continue to grow."  Why must we continue to grow?  If you are conserving water, only to expand your growth, then you are just delaying the problem.  If we are under water restrictions, then there should be building restrictions as well.  No new house without the destruction of an equivalent number of sq ft.  7 billion people.  Just stop already.Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2...

Coming Soon!

Wow.

Greedy Lying Bastards.  The movie. 

YOU can't afford to miss it.

It was filmed in several countries by a US filmmaker.  Why are we reading about it in news from another country? Hats off to the Guardian, again.

Texas Vs. Oklahoma

Politex quoted an Associated Press article concerning the Tarrant Regional Water District and their lawsuit against Oklahoma to take their water.

The same Tarrant Regional Water District that is committing you to a billion dollar economic development project and just voted to give themselves another year in office.

Seems THE PEOPLE in Oklahoma may get to vote on what their state does with their water.  What a concept.

And what do you know?  The Fort Worth Way doesn't work across state lines.

Ellis, who is based in water-rich Southeastern Oklahoma has been one of the most vocal opponents of water sales to Texas and said the future of Oklahoma water should not be decided in private meetings between politicians and Texans.

Read more here: http://blogs.star-telegram.com/politex/2012/01/bill-would-give-oklahomans-the-right-to-vote-on-any-texas-water-sale.html#storylink=cpy

WHO controls YOUR water?

It's a tricky question.  For a reason.  There are many water districts in Texas.  Nine times out of ten, they are above the law, as in they don't have to follow any.

There's been a lot of talk about the Tarrant Regional Water District lately, but it hasn't been due to water.  It's all been about the J.D. Granger and Tim Love Woodshed restaurant sweetheart deal on the Trinity River. A million dollar (give or take a few, again, it's just YOUR money) deal.  Don't you wish YOU could go into business for with no start up cost and if it bombs, you lose nothing?  YOU bet you do, cause you've already lost another million.  And counting.  It's a small price to pay for the billion dollar boondoggle known as the Trinity River Vision. 

The TRWD and the Trinity River Vision Authority, under the leadership of JD Granger, Congresswoman Kay Granger's son, heavily promoted Tubing on Trinity or Rocking on the River this summer to the citizens and taxpayers of Tarrant County.  WHY didn't they test the water?  WHY did the citizens have to pay to have it tested?

The project was touted as flood control, so it would receive federal money.  YOU hear that rest of the country?  YOU'RE paying for this too, so there.  We have to ask again, what does a BBQ shack on the river, a wakeboard park and bridges over dry land do for flood control?  YOU should ask.  After all YOU paid for it.

The TRWD should be reaching out to real water planners of the world and getting their act together before Fort Worth runs out of water.  Instead their reaching out and suing our neighbor, Oklahoma for their water.  The same state those gas drillers using all our water hail from. The same fellas that made our water district rich. Hey, here's a thought, why don't you make them bring their own water and take their waste back with them?  Ever wondered why many drill sites are close to the river and the tributaries? Remember, it flows both ways. Water, too.

If all that weren't enough, then there's fracing.  Even if you don't believe it could ever possibly happen, let's just say, what IF just ONE time it does? Remember the coast? What IF the Trinity aquifer is contaminated?  How do YOU fix it?  What happens then?  WHO is responsible?

If all that isn't enough, we came across the article below.  Which brings us back to the original question, WHO controls YOUR water?

I am in Parker County at a hearing where Range Resources has filed a plea to jurisdiction in the water contamination case where EPA had to step in. If the judge grants this motion, it means the Texas Railroad Commission is the final authority in fracking water contamination cases. It means you can’t sue for damages if the Big Gas Mafia fracks up your water. It would be a disaster for all Texas water drinkers. 

Read the rest here. 

Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

Too bad they are buying your 5th graders too.  Read the letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Fracking mistrust

Really? We're supposed to believe U.S. Rep. Joe Barton when he says gas drilling isn't dangerous after he's taken more than $500,000 from the gas and oil lobby? (See: "Fracking lobby donations detailed," Friday)

We're to believe the "experts" who say fracking wasn't responsible for recent earthquakes in Oklahoma even though the number and their intensity have increased dramatically?

We're to believe Fort Worth City Council members when they say current gas drilling regulations are adequate while rejecting their own air quality study's recommendations?

Most fifth-graders would be smart enough to see the correlation between fracking and the increase in earthquakes, gas leaks, noise pollution, dirty air, contaminated water, sickened people or dead wildlife.

Why not our elected officials?

Sadly, it appears that the money has rendered them all deaf, dumb and blind.

-- Sharon Austry, Fort Worth

Texas Water Problems

This is just the tip of the iceberg...

Last night WFAA did a story on another Texas town that is on the verge of running out of water. Grosebeck is one of seventeen towns the TCEQ says will be out of water by the end of the year.  Maybe even this month.  It's 90 miles outside of Dallas.  In a state the size of Texas, that's too close for comfort.

WFAA also has a story on the water main break in Denton forcing the hospital to stop admitting patients in the Emergency Room.  How do you run a hospital with no water?  How do you run a city with no water?  Heaven forbid, a state?

The NPR sheds some light on some of the Texas water problems, they run deep.  From soon drinking our own waste, to how much water energy companies really use (no one knows), to how long it will be before a "barrel of water is worth more than a barrel of oil."

And check out the Stockyards Cesspool and the Free spirit trying to save it in the Fort Worth Weeky.

Does anyone else see a pattern here?

Texas Women

Have been kicking butt and taking names this week, literally.

The League of Women Voters in Tarrant County have been asking questions.

Teri Hall's TURF helped defeat Proposition 4.  (Too bad THE PEOPLE didn't read the other Props).

WHO issued a warning about Prop 2?  (Not just Texas Lone Star)  Debra Medina.

"Rather than providing solutions to the water needs facing Texas, the additional debt imposed on Texans by Prop 2 compounds the problem," warned Debra Medina, Founder, We Texans. "InfrastructureTexas.org put out information playing on voters' fears about the drought and wildfires. Many Texans believed this money was going to fund needed water projects with no cost to them. H204Texas PAC put out an email saying Prop 2 would cost the taxpayers NOTHING. But we know better and we'll be watching TWDB's every move to ensure taxpayers and Texans' water rights are protected."

And TXSharon's tapes from the gas drilling conference made CNBC.  She has "16 hours of tape".

Texas Women, you gotta love them.

Is YOUR aquifer next?

Fracking chemicals found in Wyoming aquifer. 

Once you destroy an aquifer, how do you fix it?

Once you're out of water, what's next?

What's the plan?

Oh that's right, there ain't one.

Where's the water?  THEY don't know.

WHO is they? YOUR water planners. 

Read about the latest in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

An Austin judge's opinion is the latest wrinkle in the Metroplex's quest for a long-term water source.

State District Judge Gisela D. Triana issued a preliminary ruling last week signaling that a state agency will have to resolve a dispute between two regional water planning groups over whether to build the Marvin Nichols reservoir in Northeast Texas.

The Dallas-Fort Worth planning group has the reservoir in its long-term plans; the Northeast Texas group does not.

Siding with landowners, Triana said the Texas Water Development Board should mediate or resolve which plan is used in the state's master plan for meeting water needs for 50 years.

The Northeast Texas property owners want the Metroplex to explore other options for water. But the area has had setbacks in other initiatives.

Notably, last month the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request from the Tarrant Regional Water District to rehear its lawsuit to obtain water from Oklahoma. That leaves the district to decide whether to appeal to the Supreme Court. It has until Jan 19 to decide.

"We want to know with far greater clarity what our options are by 2015," said Wayne Owen, Tarrant Regional's planning director.

Area water providers say they are open to the idea, but it will require an Army Corps of Engineers study that has not been fully funded.

Death or taxes?

Jeers in the Fort Worth Star Telegram:

To U.S. Reps. Joe Barton and Kay Granger, who are fighting the EPA on regulations that would curb mercury and other toxic pollutants being emitted from power plants and cement kilns. They profess that any increased regulation would kill jobs, apparently not caring that those same toxins can kill people.

-- Sharon Austry, Fort Worth

Fuzzy math...and water

The Fort Worth Business Press recently did an article on the recent meeting concerning the Texas water shortage.  Yes, "leaders" finally admit there is one.  (Remember back when the Biz Press was concerned about water?)

The article says Texas business could lose hundreds of billions of dollars due to having no water.  Don't worry, the Trinity River Vision will save us.  Or not.

Notice what they say about Proposition 2 and general obligation bonds.  Remember, you don't get to vote on those either.

State representatives and city officials convened for the Oct. 20 gathering, where a DFW Hyatt Regency ballroom echoed with urgency.

Officials hammered home some startling facts. Unless more water infrastructure is built, Texas businesses and their employees could lose $115.7 billion in income, according to figures released by the Texas Water Development Board.

If approved by voters, the constitutional amendment would allow the Texas Water Development Board to issue general obligation bonds for water infrastructure upgrades.

“Water is really about economics"

You can say that again.

REVOKED

Arlington has revoked a Chesapeake gas well permit.  WHY would such a pro gas city do such a thing? 

Again, it all comes back to WATER.

If anyone is taking notes, be sure and note for once, Chesapeake declined to comment.  

Don't miss the article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

One of the city's gas well inspectors found that Chesapeake Energy was bringing in water from a Fort Worth pond through a temporary pipeline to its Barron drill site on West Division Street, Community Development and Planning Director Jim Parajon said Friday. The company's permit, however, said water for drilling operations would be supplied through a nearby fire hydrant.

This wasn't Chesapeake's first infraction involving water. In August, Arlington cited Chesapeake for trucking water it bought at one of its south Arlington well sites to a Grand Prairie well site, which violates city ordinance. The water, which Chesapeake had paid for, was pulled from a frack pond filled at the site. The company called the incident a misunderstanding and said it would pay the fine, which the city had recommended the court set at the maximum, $2,000.

This year, Arlington increased inspections at its 384 natural gas wells. Wells are now inspected monthly; previously they were visited once a year or when complaints were filed. Random inspections were also made during drilling, city officials said.

WHAT water?

The Trinity River Vision (Distraction) has the Tarrant Regional Water District all tied up in Fort Worth.  Watch a couple of minutes of video from the Trinity River Talk that TRIP held this week. John Basham explains that Region C (that's us) is out of water.  What happens to a city that runs out of water?  What happens if that city is already in debt? What happens to the rest of the county?  WHO's next?

If there ain't no water, there ain't no jobs.

What now?

What happens when your plan to supply water for millions of people hinges on suing your neighboring state, and you lose?

Ask the Tarrant Regional Water District.
Ask them how much that cost YOU.

Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The Tarrant Regional Water District suffered another blow in its lengthy legal battle to obtain water from Oklahoma on Wednesday as the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that has the little-known Red River Compact protects the Sooner State from any claims on its surface water.

"It's disappointing," said Tarrant Regional's General Manager Jim Oliver who said the water district will continue to explore its options. The water district could ask for a rehearing before the 10th Circuit, file a writ with the Supreme Court or simply accept the court's decision.

In its ruling, the 10th Circuit said "we hold that the Red River Compact insulates Oklahoma water statutes" from a legal challenge.

At the same time, the district sued the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the Oklahoma Water Conservation Storage Commission to keep its permit applications from being dismissed while the matter was in court.

In July 2010, an Oklahoma federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, but the water district appealed the case to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.

Hello? Anyone there?

Part of another letter from a citizen to the City of Fort Worth.  Do they read their emails?  Concerened about lack of transparency? Gas Drilling? Budget?  Water?  It's all here...everything but a response.

Dear Mayor and Council Members:

The CITIZENS of Ft. Worth are not pleased with both the lack of advance notice for Tuesday's Gas Drilling Workshop, as well as the misleading dates and lack of opportunity for citizen participation.

The following facts will illustrate our concerns:

1. In previous information issued by the City, and in the City News (e-newsletter) issued in July, it was noted that this Gas Drilling Workshop would be part of the series of Budget hearings, and the date listed was August 30th.

Not only was the date moved UP a good 2 weeks, but the citizens were given absolutely NO advance notice of this change. (NOTE the emailed copy below that I received, showing that it was sent by the City on MONDAY evening, 8/15!)

Obviously, there were folks who probably did find out over the weekend (after the Council's Agenda's are posted on the previous Friday); however, due to the fact that this was scheduled for a DAYTIME meeting, it severely limited advance planning or contact opportunities for the CITIZENS.

NOTE: Citizens are currently preoccupied with returning from vacations, and getting their children ready to start school this coming week.

I will compliment Asst. City Mgr. Fernando Costa on the apparent very comprehensive lineup of speakers and presenters. We would have appreciated more ADVANCE notice of these presentations so that CITIZENS could have had time to contact the Mayor, Council and Staff with the questions that WE wanted

addressed with these critically important subjects.

Any feedback and information shared by the CITIZENS will still be important, but the optimum timing for conversations with each of you would have been prior to Tuesday's Workshop. May I remind each of you that YOU are focused on these issues because it is your JOB....... the citizens are not checking these sites 24/7, and deserve NO LESS than at TWO WEEKS NOTICE when critically important issues like the gas drilling.(and related budget items) ..... which impacts EVERYONE...... are up for discussion and decisions are being made.

2. Below is the copy from your "Budget Workshop - Day 2 Recap" of the upcoming dates for the four public Budget hearings. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? There's only ONE evening meeting, and this last week's Council meeting was also a daytime meeting! To schedule only ONE evening meeting and make it just ONE week before you are going to VOTE on the Budget is totally inadequate lead time for citizens to participate.

Obviously, it's too late for this Tuesday's meeting to be changed. However, we believe that the Mayor and Council should consider either adding another EVENING meeting for Aug. 30th ( a day workshop was originally scheduled for that date), or figure out some way that there will be an additional opportunity for an EVENING meeting (far in advance of your Sept. 20th vote) when Mayor, Council and Staff will be present. We are aware that folks can submit their comments via email, but it is not the same.

(from the City's website):

City Council will vote on the final budget Sept. 20, following four public hearings:

10 a.m. Aug. 16
10 a.m. Aug. 23
7 p.m. Sept. 13
10 a.m. Sept. 20

3. The GAS DRILLING issues, as you realized from your Tuesday Workshop, are far-reaching and not ones with "simple solutions." There are very serious threats to the health and safety of our NEIGHBORHOODS that need to be addressed.  You were able to hear and see presentations from representatives from these various entities, and know that there are changes that need to be made in both the Gas Drilling Ordinance, as well as Budget allocations.

In a year when the City of Ft. Worth is facing another LARGE BUDGET DEFICIT, it is time to face the reality of creating an EIF - Environmental Impact Fee - that will be assessed to ALL GAS DRILLING, PIPELINE AND RELATED COMPANIES doing business in Ft. Worth. Those fees should be placed in a separate Escrow fund , to be used ONLY to pay for things like the Air Quality Study, as well as BASELINE testing of any sites proposed for gas drilling & fracking, pipelines, compressors, storage tanks, and any related equipment or activity.

NCTCA has long advocated for this Environmental Impact Fee; it is a justified fee that the INDUSTRY should bear, NOT the citizens. We also believe that revenues from such a fee should be used to REIMBURSE the City accounts for the recently completed Air Quality Study. To pay the $1 MILLION-plus out of the Gas Drilling Revenues is to ROB the citizens and our City treasury of funds that should be directed to other much needed items....... oh, say, like POOLS or LIBRARIES!

4. As you can see from the noted items above, Friends, there is a PRESSING need to address and resolve these issues...... and not a lot of time to do so!  For example: In case no one's noticed, WE ARE IN A SEVERE/ EXTREME DROUGHT, AND TO CONTINUE TO GIVE THE GAS DRILLING INDUSTRY CARTE BLANCHE FOR WATER USAGE WHEN CITIZENS ARE BEING REQUIRED TO CUT BACK IS NOT ACCEPTABLE! Cities like Grand Prairie, Southlake and others have realized the URGENCY, and have issued WATER restrictions on the gas drilling acitivities for the duration of the severe/ extreme drought conditions. This issue impacts not only our CITY BUDGET, but also our Water Department and our "precious jewel" - Trinity Park ( Chesapeake has huge pipelines running through our gorgeous trees that are draining water from the Trinity River as I write this!)

Cowtown is seeing many farmers and ranchers in the area selling off large numbers of their herds due to the drought. We cannot wait til we get to an EMERGENCY situation and run OUT of water to address this issue!

You are proposing - FOR THE THIRD YEAR - another RATE HIKE ON OUR WATER BILLS, which, in essence, amounts to a TAX. The City should be RAIISING the fees on an industry that it using our TREATED WATER for fracking, and not being limited in their usage in any way! This is UNACCEPTABLE, and requires a change in the Ordinance, as well as City policy.

The Tarrant County Water Board has recently warned that they anticipate that as of Sept. 1st, ALL cities in the County will be placed under mandatory water restrictions during this drought period. CITIZENS have yet to hear how you plan to address both the fiscal and the physical issues related to WATER used by the shale gas industry.

Mayor and Council Members: I've cited THREE main areas of concern:

1. Scheduling another EVENING public hearing for the Budget.

2. Addressing the critically important issues, as outlined in your Tuesday

Workshop, at a public hearing to allow feedback from the CITIZENS. (and including many of these same presenters to answer questions).

3. Creating a written POLICY NOW related to the WATER usage by the gas drilling industry during this SEVERE/ EXTREME DROUGHT period, and, especially, if water restrictions are required of the citizens. We ask that you consider these three points, and make public announcements related to each, with advance notice to the citizens, on how you plan to address and resolve these issues.

We know that our new Mayor Price has had to "hit the floor running" (or, "peddle FAST on her bike"!), and that's required immediately jumping into the Budget challenges. All of the above issues require both TRANSPARENCY with the Citizens, and a willlingness to face and make the HARD decisions necessary for positive solutions that will protect the health and safety of the citizens and neighborhoods.

NCTCA - the North Central Texas Communities Alliance - continues to stand ready to help and serve as a RESOURCE as you make these hard decisions. Please feel free to contact me anytime to discuss these matters further.

With best regards,
Esther McElfish - President
NCTCA - North Central TX Communities Alliance

Water WHERE?

While Grand Prairie cuts back on the water drillers can have during the drought/water shortage, Arlington says full steam ahead.  (The picture above was sent to us from Fort Worth last week, no surprise there).

Only one council member had anything to say, really??  THE PEOPLE are the ones bringing this up, WHY aren't the elected officials looking out for their constituents?  Don't they need water, too?  Or did they make a deal?

Read about it on WFAA.com.

Finally...

A city with common sense?

From the Dallas Morning News - Grand Prairie cutting off the water supply for some gas drilling operations because of drought conditions.

Duh. 

You won't believe this #$@%

We'll let Durango tell you about it.  As you laugh along, ask yourself, WHO paid for this?  WHO paid for the four page color mailer of pictures of people floating in the TRINITY RIVER?!?  YOU did.  It's not as funny now, huh? 

While the Trinity River Vision Authority and the Tarrant Regional Water District are laughing up and down the "banks" of the Trinity River where people are "having the time of their lives"...the Fort Worth Star-Telegram front page headline reads - Water, water, nowhere.  (We'll get back to that and we'll link to it when we can find it online - best line "Those lakes also supply the Tarrant Regional Water District , which is finding it increasingly difficult to meet cities demands".)

As you read along with Durango, notice the names, all the same.   (There's that COG again). 

Also, notice the pictures.  They're clues. Play along.  YOU can't afford to not be paying attention.  Wake up, it's YOUR money.

Top City?

When Fort Worth was named a top city, we wondered, top of what? 

Failing schools? Embarrassing ISD? Corrupt Politicians?  Committing taxpayers to debt?  Eminent domain cases? Worst air quality?  For running out of water?  Or contaminating it?

We weren't the only ones wondering, check out the short and sweet letter to the editor in Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

All choked up

So Fort Worth is an award-winning city? Guess the judges sat in their offices at their computers and didn't come down here to breathe the highly polluted air we enjoy. I would have thought that would be a main criterion for a top city.

-- Christina Davis, Fort Worth