Some gave all...

Texas Lone Star salutes all who have served and the families that supported them.
YOU are our hero.

Happy Memorial Day.

Dirty Water

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram interviewed the City of Fort Worth concerning the concerns folks have with making Riverside Park a flood storage area.  Of course, the City says it's safe and the water quality is all good. And the Trinity River Vision will solve all your problems...well, they didn't say that exactly, that's just what they'd like you to believe.

Three short months ago the Fort Worth Star-Telegram claimed "And some of the highest poisonous readings of polychlorinated biphenyls -- or PCBs -- were found at sample sites in Tarrant County." 

So, which is it?  And WHO do you trust to tell you the truth? The City? The TRV planners?  The newspaper?
 
And if you store contaminated soil on this site, what happens when it floods?
 
While we are on the Riverside Park subject, what happened to the "northern expansion piece"? The land of an individual being threatened by eminent domain for the Trinity River Vision. 

Keep in mind, if they weren't messing with the river, they wouldn't need flood storage.

Click to watch a video about

the Riverside Park issue....

Busted

Finally!  TCEQ having to admit their test results weren't accurate and they didn't bother to inform anyone.  Read all about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.   (Thanks to the Texas Observer again!)

No mention of Mayor Moncrief, but of course Mayor Tillman leading the charge.  Think DISH will trade Mayors with us?

So, where are the FEDS?  It's time for TCEQ and "elected officials" to be held accountable for the lives of those who elected them.

Elected officials in Tarrant County reacted strongly to the news, with some calling for investigations into what happened and legislation to make it a crime for public officials to withhold information that could affect public health.


Calvin Tillman, the mayor of the Denton County town of Dish, went so far as to call for a federal investigation into the environmental commission. Federal officials are already are at odds with the agency over several other pollution issues.

Sad but true...

We couldn't help but laugh at the comment left on this article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram concerning another day of no pay, closed offices in Fort Worth due to the budget shortfall.

Be sure and read the comment!

Very Observant

The Texas Observer calls out the TCEQ and those WHO support their questionable practices.  Hats off to the Observer!

WHO's listening?  We all are.  We're watching too.

Texas has always been a state where environmental concerns are elbowed aside by moneyed interests: the cattle baron, the oilman, the multinational petrochemical company with billions in assets. Under governors George W. Bush and Rick Perry, the TCEQ has become increasingly cozy with industry.

TCEQ used those results to “prove” that benzene wasn’t a problem. And an internal investigation prompted by an anonymous fraud complaint revealed that upper managment, including Sadlier and Executive Director Mark Vickery, knew the study was flawed. In fact, they ordered that the eight canister samples “be analyzed using a more sensitive laboratory technique.” The results came back on Jan. 22, 10 days after Sadlier’s rosy depiction at the Fort Worth meeting. Four of the eight samples measured benzene at levels above what the state considers safe for long-term health. Still, the fraud investigation states, Sadlier was “not confident in accuracy [sic] of the results from the field” or the fresh lab findings, and ordered inspectors to return to Fort Worth for more samples.

It was a nice gesture. Too bad he didn’t tell anybody outside the agency. The report notes that at the time the investigation was concluded, on Feb. 22, “neither Fort Worth officials nor the media have been alerted.”

Pick and Choose

So the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is suing Grapevine for violating the Open Meetings Act. 

WHY Grapevine and not the Tarrant Regional Water District?  They are the ones holding the meetings behind closed doors to determine HOW they are going to spend YOUR money.  Guess Grapevine is fair game, they must not have as many cocktail parties.

Going Broke

Fort Worth budget shortfall is growing...$77 Million next year.  See it on CBS11. 

So yes, let's go ahead and give Radio Shack $10 Million and the Trinity River Vision $26 Million.   It's just money. 

YOUR MONEY.

What will it take for you to VOTE next time?

WHO's standing up?

Moms.   Gotta love em'.  WHY?  Read about it here. 

What he said...

WHO?  Durango, that's who.

YOU are invited!

Those who say it cannot be done should get out of the way of those doing it.

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE 

Together we Bargain, Divided we Beg

JUNE 2010 MEETING 
YOUR HEALTH AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION

When:  Thursday, June 3, 2010
Where: TRINITY INN SUITES,
2000 Beach Street and IH30
Fort Worth, Texas 76103
Networking @ 6:30
Meeting @ 7:00
 
For a Map Click Here

For this meeting we have a surprise.  Our friends at the Studio Movie Grill have graciously donated two (2) pairs of tickets for BOTH the complimentary movie of your choice and dinner for two!  Plus two more pairs of tickets for the complimentary movie of your choice.

Those who are currently members attending our meeting Thursday, and those who sign up for any level of membership at our Thursday meeting will receive a ticket for the drawing for these terrific prizes!  Remember...it's through you Member support that NCTCA can continue our effective work throughout the entire Barnett Shale area and State.

Program Notes:
Genial Grandmother Is 'Top Gun' in Environmental Activism
FEATURED SPEAKER
Wilma Subra 

Ms. Subra holds degrees in Microbiology and Chemistry from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. She has received the MacArthur Fellowship "Genius" Award from the MacArthur Foundation for helping ordinary citizens understand, cope with and combat environmental issues in their communities. She also was one of three finalists in the Environmental Category of the 2004 Volvo for Life Award.

Wilma started Subra Company, a chemistry lab and environmental consulting firm, in 1981. Her goal was to help citizens and communities understand exposure and health effects of toxins in their environment. "No one was looking out for community groups," Subra says about the early days of her company. Located in New Iberia, Louisiana, Subra Company offers technical assistance and provides the science. These services are needed for communities to get the attention of the industries responsible for the pollution, as well as the agencies responsible for protecting public health and the environment. "I've never had to turn anybody down," Subra says. "They may have to wait a few days, but if they ask, I will do what I can to help them."

"The community comes to me when they are desperate to find out what is happening to them," Subra says. "I can help them find out what the cause of the problem is and how to improve their quality of life. "When results from an investigation are in, Subra briefs the industry and government on what is happening. "The community starts to shine light back on the industry and lets them know how they are impacting the community."

What you need to know about the theft of your mineral estate

In recent months, the gas drilling industry has increased their use of both of these procedures, and what you don't know CAN hurt you!  NCTCA has adoped the position that "Forced Pooling" is a defacto eminent domain "taking" of your mineral estate for private gain, and a Rule 37 Waiver is in fact legally sanctioned THEFT of your mineral estate.  Whether you have signed a mineral lease or not, your personal property and mineral rights can be overridden........

and it's already happening! 

TOXIC LAND LEFT BEHIND AFTER DRILLERS GONE
Dangerous levels of cancer causing Benzene found in 48% of gas facilities tested.

The most at risk for even low to moderate levels of Benzene are children and pregnant mothers.  If we continue to "drill baby drill" without fully knowing and understanding the risks involved, it could easily turn into "kill baby kill."  The drillers will be long gone before our citizens begin to show symptoms of exposure to Benzene and other harmful byproducts of gas drilling.

What are the health risks?
Cancer
Leukemia
Neurological disorders
Birth defects
Emphysema