It's Almost Thanksgiving!!

Hmmm...what could that mean??


Barnes Assembly A Well 3H ~ Rule 37 Exception Decision Scheduled for Tuesday, November 22, 2011!!

Here's the Transcript from the February 1, 2011 Hearing in Austin, TX. (The biggest blizzard North Texans may have ever seen blew in that day ~ but 4 of our protesters were there or represented at the hearing.)

Well, here we go again.  We've discovered a MAJOR error in the correspondence with the Protestants (the Protesters to the Rule 37 Exception).  The process is such an egregious violation of human dignity, that we are really not surprised by anything anymore ~ more on that, later.

Developing Story...

Our City of Grand Prairie, TX's  NEWLY Revised Shale Gas Drilling Ordinance (as of January 18, 2011) states that they are to be notified:

Grand Prairie, TX Shale Gas Drilling Ordinance (Revised January 18, 2011 ~ Page 65)

Oh, and the new Rule 37 Notification is retroactive, too:

GP Gas Drilling Ordinance Retroactive Provisions (June 1, 2011)

Sec. 13-521.  Rule 37 exceptions or forced pooling applications

Any company filing a Rule 37 exception or a forced pooling application with the Commission shall be required to provide the City’s Environmental Services Department a copy of such application within 48 hours following such filing. Failure to provide such copy shall be considered a violation of this article and may cause any issued City gas drilling permit to be subject to suspension or revocation as provided by Section 13-512.

Question:  So, did the City of Grand Prairie, TX receive notification as required by the revised Gas Drilling Ordinance??

Clearly, our STATE of Texas Legislature is an abysmal FAILURE. New laws could have been created this past Spring to stop this assault on property owners who don't have the resources to HIRE a legal team to defend their property rights.

AMEN.  And pass the turkey, please.

Environmental Politics Defined *Updated*

Paul Templet, the former state Environmental Services Agency Director in Louisiana discusses the BIG PICTURE.

The video is a little over 14 minutes that is worth every second of your time. Please watch it and see how we really are in a state of denial in Texas. Mr. Templet paints the picture very clearly. He has a lot to say about ALL of it. 

Link to the Video

Thank you, Mr. Templet.

*Important Highlights from the Video*

1) 25,000 more well-paying, permanent jobs can be created from regulation of the Oil and Gas Industry;

2) States with good environments have better economies;

3) In most cases, the gas operators costs for disposal of the waste from drilling operations is not  included in the costs for drilling and fracking;

4) Quality of public officials declines with rise in political interference because the Oil and Gas Industry is pulling the strings;

5) Difficult, at best, to get any regulation of drilling operations (specifically the shale gas industry) from state legislatures (including Texas) due to the influence of money;

6) Bribes may not appear as "bribes" but clearly are ~ for example: an industry representative may offer use of a hunting lodge to a regulatory agency director ~ Truth is:  It's NOT illegal for the Industry to offer.

Welcome to Mansfield, Texas

Nope. This is not an imaginary map. It's the official map of the area around Mansfield, TX from the Texas Railroad Commission GIS mapping system. All the red circles represent horizontal shale gas wells in production and/or completed. Yep. There's a lot of red there.

Last Hurrah?

Dysfunctional Texas Railroad Commission Faces Its Last Desperate GASp

Sunset Review Announcement

January 12, 2011
Austin, Texas

[...]
The report recommends an agency overhaul and the abolishment of the three commissioners, to be replaced by a five member appointed board.

One of the key criticisms is that the commissioners "rely on campaign contributions from the regulated industry." [emphasis added.]
[...]

Fingers Crossed