Breaking News...The Town Hall Commences in Azle, TX

Dateline: North TX 

Railroad Commission of Texas Comes to Azle for the 

First Town Hall in North TX about the 
Earthquake Swarm ~

In Progress...No Livestreaming. 

Updates as we have them.

When the #fracking industry loses rural #Texas, they have lost! pic.twitter.com/Yrm4EV4KOa
— TXsharon (@TXsharon) January 2, 2014

First speaker asks how any studies from RRC can be unbiased due to influence of campaign $$$ from #fracking ind. crowd erupted.
— TXsharon (@TXsharon) January 2, 2014

The #fracking industry has lost North Texas & they have no one to blame but themselves. VERY angry crowd.
— TXsharon (@TXsharon) January 2, 2014

"Recently a spring bubbled up in my yard and it's oily water. Will my house fall in a sinkhole." #fracking town hall

— TXsharon (@TXsharon) January 3, 2014

Man just asked for show of hands of who has heard "sonic boom" sound associated with quakes. Nearly every hand went up.

— Teresa Woodard (@twoodard8) January 3, 2014

@WCGasette @TXsharon Commissioner David Porter is here plus exec dir & another director. Not all introduced themselves so not sure if more.

— Teresa Woodard (@twoodard8) January 3, 2014

Woman refuses to leave mic until some tells who will pay for the damage to her home. #fracking #earthquakes

— TXsharon (@TXsharon) January 3, 2014

Lady says "feels like Tasmanian devil" under her home. Sleeps in clothes because afraid she'll have to run from home in middle of the night.

— Teresa Woodard (@twoodard8) January 3, 2014

Woman standing defiantly at microphone, saying I need someone to respond. pic.twitter.com/kbVHz3gbRD

— Teresa Woodard (@twoodard8) January 3, 2014

Melanie Williams was lady who refused to give up mic. What a story: Katrina survivor, now quake victim. More at 10. pic.twitter.com/PxBlrCB3Xo

— Teresa Woodard (@twoodard8) January 3, 2014

. @WCGasette @phwolfeDRC @OmarVillafranca @TXsharon no tweets from @DavidPorterRRC Silence only

— FrackingTestSubject (@gardencatlady) January 3, 2014

Click here to read the earlier story on the Westchester Gasette if you don't know what this is all about. 

Stay tuned...

Big Trouble at the Eagle Mountain Lake Dam! Where's the RRC? *Update(s)*

By now, most have heard about the earthquake swarm (*1st Update* now upwards of 20 earthquakes 30 earthquakes over the past month since November 1, 2013) happening in the vicinity of Azle, Reno, Mineral Wells and Springtown, Texas and near Eagle Mountain Lake and Dam.  The most recent one this morning was a 3.7 Magnitude.

Since we've written extensively about dams and fracking, specifically, the Joe Pool Lake Dam, we believe there should be a more heightened sense of concern from our Texas oil and gas regulatory agency, The Railroad Commission of Texas.

We don't see any recent Press Releases about this issue on the RRC's web site.  Our local North Texas news outlets are reporting on this issue daily. 

BREAKING--3.7 Magnitude earthquake reported overnight near Mineral Wells.
— WFAA TV (@wfaachannel8) December 9, 2013

We are baffled since it is such a serious matter for those living near this dam and for all of us who live in North Texas.  The industry has clearly and irresponsibly drilled and fracked directly below this earthen dam.

 

Railroad Commission of Texas GIS Map of Horizontal Gas Wells  Under Eagle Mountain Lake Dam  (Managed by the Tarrant Regional Water District) Click on the map to enlarge it.  (We've added text & a circle around the Dam.)     Eagle Mountain Lake Dam (Description)   

So the Westchester Gasette's question is this:  

What is the Railroad Commission of Texas's Plan of Action regarding this North TX earthquake swarm in the vicinity of the Eagle Mountain Lake Dam? This is an earthen dam ~ already designated as "High" for hazard potential because of the people and property in such close proximity. We will post the reply here when we see or get a response. 
Have a very nice day, y'all.

*2nd UPDATE*   OK. Now we've learned that Texas Railroad Commissioner David Porter will conduct a Town Hall in Azle, Texas on January 2, 2014 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Azle High School's Auditorium. Here's the News Release:

Press Release: Azle, TX Town Hall Hosted by TX RRC Commissioner David Porter 1.2.2014 by Westchester Gasette

The Westchester Gasette is certainly glad to see at least one RRC Commissioner coming to North Texas for such an urgent matter!  Stay tuned...

Oh, Seismicity. Wherefore Art Thou?

3.0 Irving, TX Earthquake January 22, 2013

*Click on the Map to Make it Larger*
Many Gas Well Pad Sites Surrounding DFW Airport showing Multiple Horizontal Wellbores Per Padsite
(Railroad Commission of Texas GIS Maps)

Click Here to See the United States Geological Survey Event Page.

For more facts about it...Click Here.

"In some areas, seismic activity, better known as earthquakes, can occur as a result of oil and gas production. In this article, we review the modern history of human-induced seismic activity, and present the findings of a recent project to monitor injection- and production-related seismicity. Scientists in Russia, in a cooperative project with Schlumberger, are analyzing the seismic energy recorded during these events to extract information about the reservoir, to more fully characterize the state of stress in the field and to optimize the recovery of reserves."

And then there's this: Click Here.
 

City Council to Approve Padsite, Only??

Constructing a pad site that may never have drilling??
Seriously??!

 The Dorchester Levee, Grand Prairie, TX

Click Here for Page 183 of the Grand Prairie, TX Agenda Details for the January 15, 2013 Meeting:

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS ALLOWING FOR
PADSITE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION AT 2200 LOWER TARRANT
ROAD TO NEWARK E&P OPERATING, LLC.

Click Here for Page 191 of the Agenda Details:

 Attachment A Special Specifications

 – Newark E& P Operating, LLC. –

Race Partners Padsite 

1. Since this drill site is proposing to include horizontal drilling that crosses beneath the Dorchester Levee, the City is requiring third party geologic and geophysical review to ensure the integrity of the existing levee. The information below and third party review will be required prior to any drilling activity. The cost of this review will be the responsibility of the applicant. 

2. Prior to drilling, the applicant will provide any detail geologic, seismic and geophysical data and information in the subsurface of the vicinity of the well and laterals that will allow a third party evaluation of any subsurface fracture (e.g. faults and fractures and their potential for being reactivated and generating earthquakes) as part of this drill site. At a minimum this information shall consist of bore hole logs, hydraulic fracturing parameters, geologic and hydrologic characteristics of the rock above and below the fracture zone and seismic and geophysical survey data.

3. Prior to the initiation of any construction activities that are governed by federal floodplain regulations, the applicant shall provide the City copies of valid U.S. Corps of Engineer permits, a Corridor Development Certificate, and obtain a City of Grand Prairie Floodplain Development Permit that covers any planned activities.

Last we heard, there is a Moratorium in place on drilling operations within 3,000 feet of ALL water retention facilities owned and/or operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers in the City of Grand Prairie, TX.

Click Here to Read About that Moratorium.

However, it appears that the Dorchester Levee is owned by the City of Grand Prairie, TX??  So, we suppose it's OK to drill/frack under it?? Or to put down the concrete just in case!?? 

C-R-A-Z-Y and Dangerous!! Amen.

Click Here to Read About Dallas County, TX Levees and their "intense scrutiny."


And Click here to read about Earthquakes/Seismicity in the Gas Patch. They Are NOT a Myth!!!

"Tremors" (*Updated*)

About the Chesapeake Rocking Horse Drilling SiteArlington, Texas ~ June 5, 2012

(Be sure to play this video on your PC or MAC. Embedded videos using the Silverlight Microsoft application won't play on iPhone or other smartphones, iPads ~ iOS devices. We're very sorry for this inconvenience.)

 Click here for the link to the June 5, 2012 City Council Meeting. Then scroll over to 53:27 (53 Minutes, 27 Seconds) for the Rocking Horse Drilling Site Agenda Item Discussion from the community leader about the "tremors." (*Updated*) See the comments, please.

Baldwin Hills Dam Failure in 1963 **Update**

It was never going to fail.

"In 1951, when it was built in Los Angeles, the Baldwin Hills Dam was hailed as a $10 Million Dollar State-of-the-Art Engineering Masterwork."

According to the above video. shown on Australian TV in 2010, it started with a pencil-thin crack. Watch the video. The History Channel has done a magnificent job of detailing what happened on December 14, 1963 in Baldwin Hills ~ while our country was still recovering from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

5 people died. 65 homes were destroyed.

600 oil wells were located in the Inglewood Oil Field on the eastern edge of the Dam. And not only that, as the investigators discovered at the time, the oil was being extracted from these oil wells using a method of extraction that involved injecting water into the ground around the well at very high pressure. Back then, it was called, "pressurized extraction."

Investigators concluded that seismic activity was the "hidden factor"  in this dam's failure.  This was 1963.  In 2012, seismic activity has been an everyday occurrence around North Texas.  

Even yesterday (June 23, 2012), there was another recorded earthquake near Cleburne, Texas ~ the 3rd one in North Texas since June 5th.

Dam. Dam. and Dam.

Moratorium on our Joe Pool Lake Dam. Amen.

Click here to read the March 28, 2012 story from the Fort Worth Star Telegram about "Improvements to the Dam." (There's a mistake in the story ~ the City of GP's Moratorium is through January 2013 and will be extended as warranted.)

**Update**: From the comments

Click here to see a current community blog from Baldwin Hills. These pictures are horrific.

Dateline: Fort Worth, TX **UPDATE: Shocking Development**

If it's not one BIG Monster earthquake waiting to happen, what is it?

USGS Says Fracking/Drilling Causes Earthquakes

God Help Fort Worth, TX. Please.

Apparently they're going to vote to "ban" disposal wells in Fort Worth City Limits forever during tonight's City Council Meeting.

Click here to read the story in yesterday's (April 9, 2012) Fort Worth Star Telegram.

Banning disposal wells means some other community or farmer or rancher will continue to receive Fort Worth's toxic waste. It's truly one big fracking mess.

Amen.

***************************

**Update** 

Holy Cow! So, the Fort Worth City Council votes Unanimously to BAN all "waste" water injection wells in the City Limits but then immediately holds a Public Hearing on fracking under the Martin Luther King Rec Community Center. It passed Unanimously, too.

So, they want MORE waste? More Toxic Waste to continue to contaminate North Texas communities via injection wells elsewhere?

This is very, very sad for all of us, Fort Worth.  Thanks so much. 

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We apologize for this Update. Now, back to your regular programming.