APPLAUSE!! Happy 3rd Anniversary to the Westchester Gasette.

We launched the Westchester Gasette blog on September 8, 2010. It's been a very wild and often strange ride.

Click here to see our very first blog post exactly 3 years ago today.

It's simply a video about land farming elsewhere in North Texas created by Texas Sharon.  It features a very nice, soothing song. 

Thank you for joining us for this journey into gasland over these past 3 years. There's lots of water under that bridge.

Or rather (thankfully) lots of water remaining behind the Joe Pool Lake Dam.

Amen.

The Failure to Communicate: Update**

Link to the Video

Link to the Story

You see, the problem is, municipalities like Grand Prairie, TX have allowed the shale gas operators to "tell them" what is safe and what is not safe. If you watch the video and see Chesapeake's response (Leah King, Sr. Director of Public Affairs for Chesapeake) it's clear that "the company" (even after this report from the United States Army Corps of Engineers aka USACE) continues to push its own agenda.

Fact is, USACE is "planning" to conduct geotechnical testing at this site. To continue with drilling activities under those circumstances is well, dumb.

Oh, never mind. Apparently Chesapeake is A-OK with being DUMB. They do it all the time. We're sure you must know by now.

**Click right here to check out TXSharon's Blog Post (Saturday, September 17, 2011).

Tuesday Night at Theo's

Seen and Overheard Last Night

After the 3 1/2 Hour Grand Prairie City Council Work Session on the Proposed *New* Shale Gas Drilling Ordinance ~ Chesapeake representatives* Gas company contractors were later overheard discussing and dissing the work session and individual City Council members... 

and big-time dissing of

Environmental Services Director, Jim Cummings. 

Chesapeake reps Gas company contractors said they were "overall" very happy ~ especially with Greg Giessner and Mark Hepworth. Must have had something to do with their wanting to keep the minimum setback for pad sites at 500 ft.

Apparently, Councilman Giessner (At-Large Rep for Grand Prairie, TX) and Councilman Hepworth (District 1 Rep for Grand Prairie's Northern Sector) are Chesapeake's shale gas drilling contractors' new best friends. That's OK. To each his own.

Westchester-Grand Prairie Community Alliance would like to especially thank Mayor Charles England for his statements that were very supportive of  the concerns of the Alliance. Thank you, Mayor England.

And sometimes...

Some politicians just don't get it.  But that's what elections are for. 

Interesting, this.

P.S. Chesapeake Shale gas contractors may want to know that members of the Grand Prairie community who are very informed about shale gas drilling sometimes go to Theo's. And sometimes they can't help but overhear conversations at adjacent tables. Just a few points to ponder.

*Correction:  Apologies to Chesapeake Energy. We cannot confirm that the contractors were associated with Chesapeake. They were dressed very nicely and looked very professional.  They certainly didn't sound very professional. So, it's good to know (from Laura Patton, Public Affairs Supervisor for the City of Grand Prairie/Chesapeake) that none of their reps were at Theo's Tuesday night. WHEW!

A Message to our Leaders

We have been told by Mayor England (via an informal comment made following Citizen Comments during the December 14, 2010 City Council Meeting) ~ that there is to be a Tuesday, January 11, 2011 "Workshop" at 4:30 PM on the proposed changes to the Grand Prairie Shale Gas Drilling Ordinance. An Ordinance that seems to allow gas operators an open invitation to do what they wish in our city and the extra territorial jurisdictions. [4:30 PM certainly limits the attendance.]

Statement from the Minutes of the Grand Prairie City Council December 14, 2010 Meeting:

Link (See Page 12 of the 13 Page document.)

"Mayor England stated that a Council workshop is planned for January 11, 2011 to discuss the draft gas drilling ordinance."

So, the question is: Why haven't informed citizens of Grand Prairie been invited to participate in this "Workshop"? As we understand it, this event is only a discussion among City Council members. We are very surprised that citizens will not be allowed any input. Especially since we also understand that the new "Grand Prairie Gas Drilling Ordinance" may be voted on during the Public Hearing to be held only one week later ~ on January 18, 2011. And since this is one of our primary issues ~ that citizens have not been allowed any input into the Shale Gas Drilling Ordinance decisions ~ we are very disappointed with the unfolding events.

We also understand that many of the issues that were proposed during the Environmental Services Public Meeting on August 31, 2010 are not being addressed.

But this is just what we "hear." We wonder if two of our biggest concerns are being addressed:  Shale gas drilling should be part of regular Planning and Zoning Review via SUPs (Specific Use Permits) AND a Gas Drilling Advisory Commission should be appointed (composed of informed citizens).

The Westchester-Grand Prairie Community Alliance compiled a document for consideration by October 1st (as requested). After submitting this document, we have not received any direct communication from the City for our efforts.

Even with the current "6-Month Moratorium," we have no choice but to believe that this Moratorium may have been little more than a publicity stunt.

As of this date, citizens of Grand Prairie have not been "invited" to the table to discuss shale gas drilling in our communities. And we have a lot to share.