Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy FRACking New Year!

Campbell 3H
API #113-30190

Drill October 7, 2010 
FRAC January 15, 2011


3900 Robinson Road
Grand Prairie, TX 75052

See the news of the next known
POISONOUS, LIFE-THREATENING FRAC JOB
 

in Grand Prairie, TX  
Click here
Page 2, Line 4 
Grand Prairie, TX Gas Drilling Spreadsheet
(Last Updated 12/15/2010)

Sunday, December 26, 2010

"Happy Holidays, Westchester!"

"Don't Drink and Drill During the Holidays.
Don't Drink and Drive
And Please Don't Let Me Drink 
Chesapeake's (FRAC) Water!"


Love,
Snoopy!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Chesapeake's Bad Neighbor Policy

Question

Why would a corporation that has been described as one of the BEST places to work in the Dallas/Fort Worth area attempt to manipulate the citizens of Grand Prairie by using them to overturn a city's thoughtful MORATORIUM on all new gas drilling permits for a period of 6 months??

A MORATORIUM that is intended to protect the citizens of Grand Prairie and surrounding communities from any future development until the deficiencies in the present Gas Drilling Ordinance can be addressed?

Ponder that dear friends. And have a peaceful Sunday.

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Another Day Which Will Live in Infamy

"Hydraulic Fracturing Follows
God's Laws of Physics"
~ A Chesapeake (self-identified) Hydraulic Engineer's Statement
Following the Grand Prairie, TX Chesapeake Town Hall Meeting
December 7, 2010

News Video Showing Parker County Water Catching Fire



Tuesday Night, right after the abysmal Chesapeake Town Hall Meeting in Grand Prairie, TX, this same Chesapeake "Hydraulic Engineer" (quoted above) stated that there was "no case of water contamination caused by gas drilling in the Barnett Shale."  He stated a lot of other stuff, too.  But this is what stood out for me. He told us this even "after" this report of water contamination was being reported in the media. When this latest incident of water contamination (caused by hydraulic fracturing) was pointed out to him, this Hydraulic Engineer seemed to register very little reaction to the report. 

Of course we are disappointed with the seeming lack of concern for our community's safety and quality of life. As we have stated numerous times on the Westchester Gasette ~ God Help Us. Please. 

Chesapeake already has a documented history of causing accidental deaths from hydraulic fracturing.

Monday, December 06, 2010

Fear and Intimidation *Update*

Read the amazing story on Bluedaze
(UPDATE:  This story is no longer available on Bluedaze at the link above, but please read an update in the Comments below. ~ October 5, 2014 ~ Westchester Neighbor)

We know for certain that our neighbors in northern Westchester have been "targeted." We're not certain how many others received this mailing in Grand Prairie, TX. The meeting is scheduled during a very busy time for most of us. Tomorrow ~ Tuesday evening (December 7th) beginning at 6 PM. 

It is an attempt to divide neighbors and neighborhoods. Don't be fooled. Get informed. E-mail us if you have questions. westchesterneighbor (at) gmail.com. (The "at" is the "@" sign.) Or ask your question in the comments for this post.

United We Stand. Divided We Fall. 



Here's the lovely invitation. We wonder if they'll offer dinner since it's so early in the evening. Don't see a menu on the invitation.  Not even snacks or drinks??!!!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

About the Moratorium

The wording of the Moratorium on the City's Web site:

Moratorium on Acceptance of gas well Permit Applications.

~ Grand Prairie, Texas City Council
November 18, 2010

The Corn Valley Pad Site already has 5 wells "permitted" by the Texas Railroad Commission. And they have also been approved by the Grand Prairie, TX Environmental Services Department ~ according to the GP Gas Drilling Spreadsheet, Scroll Down to Page 4, Item 3, (last updated 11.16.10).

So, the Grand Prairie, Texas 6-Month Moratorium will not have any effect on those wells. In addition, the 6-Month Moratorium will not have any effect on other wells already "permitted" and approved by the City through Environmental Services for drilling and then fracking.  That includes wells near the Trailwood neighborhood including Barnes Assembly A and West Carpo.  There are a lot of wells unaffected by the specifics of this Moratorium that will continue business-as-usual under the current Gas Drilling Ordinance.

 
(Above) Corn Valley Pad Site (5 Wells Currently Permitted)
~Well 1H Drilled on Halloween~
Grand Prairie, TX
Note the close proximity to the dam. 
It's been measured at less than 2,000 850 feet.
 
 
Of course compared to Fort Worth near I35, Arlington near 360 and Mansfield (Below)...
Good Lord, this is truly a Nightmare of Epic Proportions.
 


And then (below), in our very own air and water space, there's Joe Pool Lake. How did this happen? Why did it happen? Drilling in a lake?? All the red circles on the maps represent wells in production...the black lines and blue circles represent "permitted" well bores that may have been drilled, too.

 
Joe Pool Lake, Grand Prairie, TX
And Now We Get a Moratorium???
Seriously.  Who Has Been Minding this Store???

Leaseholder Sues Chesapeake in Federal Court

Chesapeake Allegedly Made Unjust Profits of $5 Billion
NEW YORK (Dow Jones) NOVEMBER 24, 2010, 6:21 P.M. ET--A Texas woman sued Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) Wednesday claiming the company, with the help of its bankers, violated the rights of leaseholders for oil wells by selling minerals without compensating members of joint operating agreements.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan by Mary Linda McCall, claims Chesapeake made as much as $5 billion in unjust profits since late December 2007.
According to the suit, seeking class-action status, Chesapeake "wrongfully retained" the proceeds of those sales for its sole benefit, while failing to adhere to the contractual guidelines with its leaseholders.

The suit hopes to recover "hundreds of millions--perhaps billions--of dollars" due to leaseholders.
[...]
The suit claims Chesapeake and its bankers violated the rights of the non-operating working interest owners. Chesapeake allegedly sold minerals in the ground without their consent.  [emphasis added.}
Click here for the rest of the story.

(Note:  They mean "gas wells," not "oil wells.")

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Home for the Holidays

Happy Thanksgiving Y'All!
Photobucket
 Westchester Valley Neighborhood, Grand Prairie, TX November 23, 2010

Yes.  It's a "No Drilling" Sign in the front yard.  How 'bout that? You see, these Westchester homeowners actually "own" the minerals beneath their homes, but neither of these homeowners agreed to lease their minerals.  Still, they have a 3.5 million gallon FRAC Pond 4 yards from their back fences and a Pad Site 537 feet from their back yards. The drill has been grinding and screeching now for 3 weeks while toxic fumes have been spewing out into the once clean air.  All of this just so happens to sit across the street from a segment of the Joe Pool Lake Dam! 

Photobucket 
Corn Valley Pad Site, 210 W. Camp Wisdom Road
Grand Prairie, TX, November 2010

On this day of Thanksgiving, we are reminded that shale gas drilling is  what Chesapeake's CEO Aubrey McClendon really wants for America. It's what the City of Grand Prairie wants for America. It's what Boone Pickens really, really wants for America. But at what price do we continue along this course? 

Photobucket

Corn Valley Rig & FRAC Pond, Westchester Valley
Grand Prairie, TX, November 2010

We count our blessings today.  And pray for all of our neighbors across the region who are now suffering because of this shale gas drilling campaign.  Amen.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

BREAKING: Moratorium

6-Month Moratorium on acceptance of gas well permit applications.
 ~ Grand Prairie, Texas City Council
November 18, 2010 

Here's the Dallas News Story:

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

One More Pad Site. 4 More Wells. Happy Holidays!

Proposed Pad Site Right Behind the Hills of Westchester
Grand Prairie, TX
Luminant Pad Site,Dallas,Grand Prairie,TX
XTO ~ (City of Dallas SUP Application) 
Luminant Lease: Railroad Commission API #113: 30210-30213 


The 60 Minutes Story: Sunday November 14, 2010

UPDATE 2014. As you can see, this video is no longer available on YouTube. Here's a link to a portion of it, at least. Click Here ~ Gas Drilling Horror Story on 60 Minutes(November 2010 with Tim and Christine Ruggiero.)
 

"You Don't Want to Drink Fracking Fluid." 
                                     ~  Aubrey McClendon, Chesapeake CEO

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Monday, November 08, 2010

Madoff, the Barnett Shale and Joe Pool Lake

"Lease Dallas County gas rights with New York capital and flip the leases at a profit."
Bernie Madoff ~ The King of Thieves

12:11 AM CDT on Sunday, November 7, 2010

By RANDY LEE LOFTIS / The Dallas Morning News
rloftis@dallasnews.com

...
On its face, the Dallas County venture looked like many others in the Barnett Shale, the nation’s biggest gas field, where companies have drilled an estimated 17,000 wells since 2005.

The party obtaining a gas lease from a mineral rights owner might be just a middleman, hoping to resell the lease to a production company.

...
Court filings do not list the total profit for all participants, but they do specify Conglomerate Gas II’s share: more than $3.34 million. [emphasis added.]

Read the rest of the story here.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Follow the Yellow-Brick Road

We're Off to See the Wizard!

Rumor has it that Chesapeake intends to commence drilling Corn Valley A (Well 1H; API #113-30195) on All Hallows' Eve. Right before Sunday School. And right under Trailwood. What a perfect day to start the poisoning.  Trick-or-Treat??!

Update:   Drilling did commence on October 31, 2010 even though the permit for Well 1H; API #113-30195 was not "stamped" approved until November 3rd. (See the Comments for this Post.)

Another Update:  See the May 15, 2012 Comment Below.  We just keep moving on down that yellow-brick road. Thank you for reading.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Who's Behind the Curtain?

What's Up with Corn Valley A ~ API 113-30195??

It appears that the "plat" that was submitted for another "amended" permit on October 21st did not show leased and unleased property. Kind of a hurry up map.  Wonder what's the hurry??

That gas has been deep in the earth for a long time. It's not going anywhere!

This is 2010.  I've just heard from our neighbors in Trailwood (over the weekend) of very aggressive behavior from Chesapeake's current landmen...Red Sky.   Just in case you don't know, the Trailwood community is over to the west of Westchester...which just so happens to be the direction of the Corn Valley A 1H horizontal wellbore. It's strange seeing these "plats" created without property owner say so. Creepy.

Accident Reportings

In light of the recent near-fatal accident with gas drilling pipeline operations at Arkansas and State Highway 161 (DFW Mid-Stream ~ associated with Chesapeake) it is important to keep in mind that rules were seriously violated.

According to the Texas Railroad Commission:

Natural Gas:

Pipeline operators must report accidents on intrastate gas systems involving $50,000 property damage, a fatality or injuries, gas ignition, or that are judged significant, by telephone within two hours, and the written report filed within thirty (30) days. Call the 24-hour emergency phone number (512) 463-6788 to report an accident. For your convenience this priority phone line is used only to report emergencies.

From the WFAA Story:
Even though the accident took place on Friday, the incident was not officially reported to the Texas Railroad Commission until Wednesday after News 8 began inquiring about what happened. [emphasis added.]

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Life on the Gas Pipeline Super Highway

Grand Prairie, Texas

Take Cover - This is Just the Beginning (Video no longer available.)

Click here to read the story. (5.8.18 ~ Here's a link to another story from that same time period.  The WFAA story and video are no longer available as you will see if you click on the video above and on the link.  Here's an alternative story with a summary of that WFAA story from 2010:  The Star "Telegraph's" Blog Story. Not to be confused with the Ft. Worth Star Telegram.)

This is part of the huge gas gathering system going in all around Grand Prairie. It's coming to a neighborhood near you. If you see a road being torn up and a sign that says, "Utility Work Ahead." That's it. We're just part of the gas highway. Maybe it's like a "Trail of Tears"...people will suffer and die along the way. And all the misery will be explained away as unfortunate accidents. The gas operators hope you don't figure this out.

In Grand Prairie, for example, the current Gas Drilling Ordinance does not require a gas drilling permit to provide details about gas compressors (necessary to get the gas to market) or gas pipelines associated with the drilling site. Really, to be fair, the State of Texas doesn't either. It's an unregulated free-for-all.

To Grand Prairie residents living near a pipeline construction project at Arkansas Lane and Highway 161, the equipment and activities had been little more than an eyesore.

Until last Friday, that is, when a device called a "pig" — being used to pressure test a pipeline under construction — was launched like a missile out of the end of a pipe, straight toward a house 500 feet away.

As the photographs provided to News 8 showed, it was a direct hit — right into Robert Heredia's bedroom.

"It looked like a war zone in here when it hit, it was really bad," Heredia said.

He and his wife were not at home at the time, but his daughter Christina was. While she was in another part of the house, he realizes the incident could easily have had tragic consequences.

"If it would have been 20 minutes later, she probably would have been in here getting ready to go to work," Heredia said. "That's what gets me as a dad... you know what could have happened." [emphasis added.]

Reading the comments attached to this article, it's clear that people have no idea what is going on. Many of the comments are chastising Mr. Heredia for the possibility that he might "sue." Hmmmm. I wonder who really made all those comments? And even the article states that the pipeline construction was "little more than an eyesore." Little more?

There is nothing "little" about any of this. It's HUGE.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Southern Entrance to Westchester

Home to Chesapeake's Corn Valley Pad Site
210 West Camp Wisdom Road
Grand Prairie, Texas 75052

Westchester Church Offers Us a Stern Warning

"WC owns 17 acres in south Grand Prairie, and continues to seek God’s leading and timing in how we can use that property to glorify Him.

Our focus remains constant...to forcefully advance God’s kingdom, and to invite people to discover, develop, and display genuine devotion to Jesus Christ."

So, this is what Westchester Church believes God wants for us? Maybe there is some kind of breakdown in communication! Yes. That must be it.

Important Update (11.12.10): Looks as if Westchester Church has changed its Web site and the message about their property?? And their name (again)!?

Another Update (12.18.11): Yet another name change.  And it looks as if they've moved to New York??? {{Very Weird.}} 

It looks more and more like a Chesapeake-inspired congregation.  Amen. Grand Prairie, TX's Westchester Church.  Here's the link to the map right below their office address on Polo Road.
Westchester Church meets weekly for Life Celebration. Life Celebration takes place at 6:30 PM on Sunday. We currently meet in the Community Opportunity Center, 105 Wildey Street, Tarrytown, NY. Parking is available in the Salvation Army parking lot.

Because of our continued growth, we are currently looking for a permanent property to call home. This web site will be updated when our location changes.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Dish, TX Town Hall Meeting Wednesday Night!
Records Show Texas Takes No Action on 99% of Barnett Shale Complaints

Wednesday, October 13, 2010, 7:00 PM
Dish Town Hall
5413 Tim Donald Road
Dish, Texas 76247

Click here to see the Meeting Flyer.

Read the Press Release here.
"One of the complaints received by TCEQ reads: "The odor was so strong my 7-year old was vomiting." Another says: "We were surrounded by horrible odors that caused headaches and heart palpitations. We had to leave home for the night." In both cases, the state's investigation found no violation."

Friday, October 08, 2010

We Welcome Our New Westchester Neighbors!

Home Sweet Home
Franklin and Florinda Chesapeake
210 West Camp Wisdom Road
Grand Prairie, Texas 75052

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Westchester's Corn Valley Pad Site

So, where's the BIG BOY Rig?


Is that a Plume Floating Above the Barbed Wire Fence???
This Looks Very Nice. Just in Time for Halloween.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

What's the Big Deal About Southlake??

SUPs (Specific Use Permits)~ Of Course!!
Tracking Drilling Cases - Understanding the Process

Obtaining permission to drill a well in Southlake is a two-step process. First, the gas company must file an application for a specific use permit (SUP) - this process is outlined below. Second, the gas company then must obtain a gas permit from the City. Obtaining a gas permit requires compliance with Chapter 9.5, Article IV of the City Code which regulates oil and gas drilling as well as approval of an SUP.

SUP Process:

1. SUP Application filed with City
2. Staff Review of SUP
3. SPIN Meeting(s) - Public Input
4. Planning & Zoning Commission (Public Hearing)
5. City Council (Public Hearing)

If the SUP is approved by the City Council, the gas company is then required to obtain a gas permit for any well that is drilled on the site. Approval of gas permits is an administrative process that is handled at the staff level.

Please watch this video (next post) presented by Planning and Development Services Director Ken Baker. In it, Mr. Baker provides a brief explanation of oil and gas drilling process in Southlake as well as the drilling application process.[City of Southlake, Texas Web site]

Southlake, Texas: The Model


As of September 29, 2010, there is no gas drilling in Southlake.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Chesapeake's Big Boy

He's BIG. He absolutely adores his Frac Pond.
He's bitten everybody twice.
He Just Wants to be Our Neighbor.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

The Frac Pond Cometh

And the Frac Pond Taketh Away
Photobucket

But not without a Black Vinyl, 6-Foot Privacy Fence...
Photobucket

Surely, this is simply a placeholder until the really nice Chesapeake FRAC fence arrives??

Saturday, September 11, 2010

The Closest Residential Frac Pond in the Barnett Shale

So, Chesapeake must be mighty proud of their work-in-progress handiwork rammed up against our beautiful neighborhood. But Oops! Not only did the City of Grand Prairie fail to tell anyone about this lovely "pond," but they forgot to officially notify the Westchester Association of Homeowners (2,295 homes) about this High Impact Gas Well Permit now known as the Corn Valley Pad Site.

According to the Grand Prairie Gas Drilling Ordinance, it's a requirement.
Page 11

Sec. 13-507.
High impact gas well permit.

(a) High impact gas well permit shall be required if the proposed well is to be located within six hundred (600) feet of a protected use for which a building permit has been issued on the date the application for a permit is filed. Notice shall be sent to all registered neighborhood associations within one-half (1/2) mile of the proposed drill site. [emphasis added.]
What? No mention of how close all other gas drilling pad site activities may be? And no mention of Frac Ponds?? Oops! Again. What was our City thinking??

(And why does the Grand Prairie Gas Drilling Ordinance refer only to a "well," when in fact, most of these drilling operations involve "multiple wells," on Pad Sites?)

Alright. So, if you are confused and don't have any idea what any of this means, Join the Club!! It's free.

In the meantime, we would like to suggest naming this monstrosity the "Chesapeake Frac Bowl." It's not exactly like the Grand Prairie Football Stadium in North Grand Prairie known far and wide as the "Gopher Bowl," and we think gophers and other rodents might eventually drown in it, but hey, a bowl's a bowl. And this one is HUGE!! Yay, Team!


Day 1 ~ August 25, 2010
Photobucket
Photobucket


Day 2 ~ August 26, 2010
Photobucket


Still Day 2. Wow. That Didn't Take Long.
Photobucket