After a Lengthy Community Battle ~ Chesapeake "Officially" Leaving Westchester

Almost Gone
But Never Forgotten...

Grand Prairie, TX Shale Gas Drilling Status Report

Our Joe Pool Lake Dam and Spillway 
Appears to Be Watching Over (lower left) 
Chesapeake's Plugging of the
Corn Valley Drilling Site's Well 1H

 210 W. Camp Wisdom, Grand Prairie, Texas

April 1, 2014

From the moment Chesapeake's Landmen came to South Grand Prairie, TX (in Southwestern Dallas County) and began encouraging homeowners to sign over their mineral property (around 2007 and for as little as $150.00) most of us had no idea what our community was in for. 

Thank you, Westchester-Grand Prairie Community Alliance, for all the hard work over the past 4 years.  Recommending changes to the city's Gas Drilling Ordinance was a daunting task that we all worked  hard to accomplish.  We were motivated, in part, when Chesapeake dug out the monster FRAC Pond right behind Rosemary Reed's home and behind others' homes in the Westchester Valley neighborhood ~  without notice on a very HOT, August Saturday and Sunday in 2010.  

Since most all of our neighbors on Donnie Lane had refused to sign leases, that alone was an insult. The operation shook the homes and caused sheer TERROR for our Westchester Valley neighbors.  

We understand that two of our neighbors (with already compromised immune systems) died within weeks of the FRAC Job conducted 537 feet from their back fences in January 2011. With that in mind, there is very recent news that the Flower Mound, Texas cancer cluster needs another look by our state and country. Read and see that story here.

Of course, the amount of dirt and dust generated by the digging operation for the "Fresh Water" FRAC Pond, alone, would compromise very healthy immune systems.  May our Westchester neighbors rest in peace.

A community-wide meeting organized by WAHO and held at the Oaks Baptist Church drew hundreds of our South Grand Prairie, TX neighbors on July 19, 2010 with reps from environmental groups, the city, Chesapeake and even the Mayor of Dish, TX (Mayor Calvin Tillman). But none of this swayed Chesapeake whatsoever to reconsider what they were proposing at the southern entryway to our Westchester neighborhoods. 

By the way, we understand that a housing developer has already expressed plans to purchase the land from the church with the ever-changing name immediately next to the Corn Valley Drilling Site and build beautiful, new homes.  Yes, that's right. 

The fact that this same land at 210 W. Camp Wisdom sits 850 Ft. from the mighty Joe Pool Lake Dam and Spillway is also a concern.  As you might guess, we do have several issues with all of this and we will be discussing it here on the blog in more detail, soon.

As has always been the case, many of the specifics about neighborhood, unconventional drilling operations have never received proper discussion in our city or state's public square.  Recent man-made earthquakes in the Azle, TX area northwest of Fort Worth seem to have caused the Railroad Commission of Texas to go off its sturdy, old tracks.

For now, we are keeping a close watch on the "Plugging Operation." And we'll assume that Chesapeake is following the Railroad Commission of Texas Rules. Oh, click here for the Approved Cementers, as of April 3, 2014.  (Wow! That was just yesterday. )
 
Click here for the Texas Statewide Rule §3.14 for Plugging.  We are not aware of any Grand Prairie, TX specifics for "plugging" according to the GP Gas Drilling Ordinance. But we are always open to enlightenment. We do hope Chesapeake and the Cementers do it right.  We have every confidence they will!

Amen.

We Were There (**Updated with the MIPA Hearing Video**)

Railroad Commission of Texas  
Monday morning. January 30, 2012. Austin, Texas. 
9:00 AM

William B. Travis Building in Austin, Texas.

We met Commissioner Smitherman, Examiner Doherty and didn't realize Commissioner Porter was in the auditorium. But after all the speakers completed their "informal" comments, Examiner Doherty (presiding from the dais) asked if anyone else wanted to speak. 

Commissioner Porter then rose up, said something we couldn't hear and slowly made his way to the microphone. That must be what made this a an "Informal "Hearing"  for "Informal Comments" (**See the Hearing Notice below**) because up to that point, there was truly nothing "Informal" about any of it. 

Railroad Commission Chair, Elizabeth Ames Jones, was not present. We recently learned that she is running for a State Senate seat from San Antonio, TX.   We know that must take a lot of her time.  But we're not sure why, since we thought she should be a shoe-in. Maybe she should speak to Rick Perry about those shoes. 

{Oops}

After the close of the hearing, both Commissioners Porter and Smitherman introduced themselves to our groups and were very cordial.  During the hearing, they were very attentive to our comments about the Mineral Interest Pooling Act (MIPA), too. You could have heard a pin drop. We brought our own perspectives and research on all of it.  And we had a lot to share. 

Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie and Wise County were all represented by a speaker or two. Representative Lon Burnam (Fort Worth) presented over 400 petitions from citizens of the Barnett Shale who have concerns about changes to MIPA and how rule making needs to protect "citizens" who don't choose to enter into a business relationship with shale gas operators.

Interesting that the room was certainly filled with many people taking notes ~ but not speaking. We suppose these were the industry people.   But we can't be sure about that.  We just wish they would have all said something instead of leaving it up to the numerous membership organizations speaking on their behalf. That would have meant we could have spent another full day in Austin. And then we could have met more of the nice people at the Railroad Commission who have been so helpful during our Rule 37 discussions over the past year. 

We so wanted to visit the mail room where one of our recent Fed Ex packages was left unopened for a full day!  We were told that the mailman was laid off.  But sadly, we needed to get back to the Barnett Shale so there was no time to make that particular visit. Maybe next time.

Overall, we really enjoyed our time at the William B. Travis Building. It was nice to finally have the opportunity to speak to the commissioners who have been making all the decisions about the property takings in the Barnett Shale. And be in the halls of the very building where so many Rule 37 Spacing Exception Hearings have been heard.

We look forward to more visits to the Railroad Commission of Texas in the near future.  That is, unless they take up the offer and decide to visit us in our Barnett Shale.  We would be truly honored by that.  Then they could meet so many more Citizens of the Shale who also have a lot to share with them. 

**Update**

In case you missed it, here's the link to the January 30, 2012 Hearing Notice:

Link

Here's the link to get to the Video of the January 30, 2012 Hearing (Featuring many citizens of the Barnett Shale). You'll need RealPlayer:

Link

"It Looked Like a War Zone in Here"

Remember this?

Link to the WFAA Story from October 2010

We sure do.  Here's the link to WCGasette's story from October 24, 2010 ~ "Take Cover ~ This is Just the Beginning":

Click Here to Read the Story.

So, we've just learned that DFW Midstream's Pipeline Permit is back on the upcoming Grand Prairie, TX City Council Agenda.  

Heck.  The issue was dead in the water, didn't even make it out of the chute, was basically thrown in the FRAC Pond  during the December 13, 2011 Meeting. 

Wow.  Kind of amazing!?  

Here's the link to the story on the Gasette.

A quick recap:  Not even one City Councilperson  would make the Motion...and then suddenly City Councilwoman Jackson called on a Boy Scout Leader (Page 2, Item 3 of the Consent Agenda) way in the back of the room, who, like all dedicated Boy Scouts, was "Prepared" on a moment's notice to speak ably and with enthusiasm about scouting.

Job well done!   

And now, we've just discovered that the DFW Midstream Gas Gathering Pipeline Permit is back on the Agenda (again) for this next Tuesday, January 3, 2012.  Double Wow.

As we recall, Mayor England even mentioned "The Pig" when the original vote on this Gas Gathering Pipeline Nightmare was tabled during the November 15, 2011 meeting.

God. Help Us. Please. 

And in the meantime, enjoy the Prairie Lights
thru New Year's Eve.  
We hear they're bigger and better this year. For the first time in a long time, Chesapeake's not an "official" sponsor. Yay.

A More Hopeful Holiday Extravaganza

Southlake, TX

We almost missed it ~ but we sure like this holiday extravaganza (in Southlake, TX) over this one. We also like it that Chesapeake decided that it was going to be too difficult to drill in Southlake, TX.

We thank Southlake, TX, for standing strong, and being the good example from the beginning of all of this. If only more communities had paid attention.

By the way, the creator of this amazing lighting display (David Koss with Alford Media), is the son of our Westchester neighbor and fellow Westchester-Grand Prairie Community Alliance "activist," Chris Koss. What an amazing and very talented family!

Happy New Year!

Grand Prairie, TX City Council: "We're Adjourned!"

The vote that had been tabled during the November 15, 2011 City Council meeting was back on the agenda last evening. See these blog posts about the non-odorized gas gathering pipelines here, here, here, and here. Oh, and here, too.

When Agenda Item #33 came up, the Speaker Cards were read aloud. Then, one at a time, the 3 speakers speaking in "Opposition" were called to the microphone.  Staff spoke in support.  (There were no visual aides on the screens as in all other presentations that evening.) This was noted by one of the speakers. The Mayor then asked that the Map go up on the screen! No one from Chesapeake or their pipeline-affiliated company, D/FW Midstream, were present.  When the last of the 3 speakers finished, Mayor England then called for a Motion for Approval. 

What followed was weird. But this kind of "weird" is "Just Fine." Councilwoman Jackson announced that there were Boy Scouts in the Council Chamber and she introduced their leader who promptly stood up and  spoke briefly about the Scouts.  Then Mayor England thanked the Boy Scouts and mentioned the Motion, again. "Well, what about that Motion"? A very, very brief silence and then Councilwoman Jackson announced a A Motion for Adjournment! Made. And Seconded. That's all folks. No Citizen Comments, tonight. Go Home!! 

WOW! No non-odorized, gas gathering pipelines  (brought to us by Chesapeake's D/FW Midstream) for Westchester ~ at least this week.

Oh, and it looks as if PG&E is going to pay out lots of money for the devastating San Bruno, California gas pipeline explosion just 1 year ago.  Clearly, an explosion like this could devastate Westchester neighborhoods and any of our surrounding neighborhoods. These non-odorized gas gathering (sales) pipelines have already gone in all over Grand Prairie, Texas. 

Here's a picture of the September 10, 2010 San Bruno, California explosion:

Link to the CNN Story About the Pipeline Rupture

The September 9, 2010, explosion blasted a 72-foot by 26-foot crater and destroyed 38 homes in San Bruno, near San Francisco International Airport. A 28-foot segment of the pipe was found about 100 feet from the crater. Scorched homes and the shells of burned-out cars lined charred streets, where firefighters battled hot spots trying to save the devastated neighborhood.

Over and Out.

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)

Chesapeake disregards the City of Grand Prairie's 6-Month Moratorium. 

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. 

Westchester-Grand Prairie Community Alliance

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??!!!