Over the past several months, numerous citizens from Denton, Texas have attended public meetings, Planning and Zoning Commission meetings, City Council meetings, and Gas Well Task Force meetings to provide input into the Phase 2 revisions of the Gas Well Ordinance. Many members of the public from a variety of backgrounds and group affiliations, including the DAG advisory group, had recommended a gas drilling moratorium. Phyllis Wolper, Denton County Democratic Party Chair and DAG member, was among the outspoken Denton citizens at these meetings.
In a stunning reversal, it appears that the Denton City Council will now consider a gas drilling moratorium. Many members of the community are pleased, as shown by recent posts on Facebook. This event shows the importance of local political participation. Keep up the good work!
After reviewing water well monitoring data in Pavillion Wyoming, the EPA has determined that the contaminants are likely associated with gas drilling. These findings are still under the public comment period and scientific peer review.
Alternative explanations were carefully considered to explain individual sets of data. However, when considered together with other lines of evidence, the data indicates likely impact to ground water that can be explained by hydraulic fracturing.
EPA Draft Findings
The City of Denton Gas Well Task Force will be holding a full open meeting at the Denton Civic Center on:
Thursday, October 8th, 2011, 6;30-8:30 PM
Denton Civic Center
Article in DRC
This is the second public meeting of the task force (the first for public input) but the first time that an actual Task Force meeting with all members will be held in front of the public.
The Denton Stakeholders Drilling Advisory Group (DAG) is holding another panel on Thursday, October 27th, 7pM to 9PM, EESAT 110 at UNT in Denton, Texas.
Alisa Rich, Wolf Eagle Environmental
Tom La Point, UNT Department of Biological Sciences
Cherelle Blazer, Science and Policy Adviser Earthworks and Member, City of Dallas Gas Drilling Task Force
There is another DAG panel discussion on October 20th (7PM-9PM). The panel consists of regulators and the industry this time.
Here is the DAG announcement from Facebook:
EESAT (ENV) 110, UNT main campus
1704 W Mulberry
The Denton Stakeholders Drilling Advisory Group (DAG) is pleased to present another panel for our series regarding urban gas well drilling.
Regional experts from TX Railroad Commission, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and Devon Energy will speak about the regulatory landscape surrounding gas drilling policies. Q&A will follow their presentations. Please arrive early to submit your written questions for our panel.
The panel includes:
Jay Ewing — Devon Energy (Manager, Completion and Construction)
John Tintera — Railroad Commission of Texas (Executive Director)
Tony Walker — TCEQ (D/FW Regional Manager)
For more information on the DAG, please visit the blog at www.dentondrilling.blogspot.com, or “like” DAG on Facebook!
An important public hearing is being held this week about the proposed air pollution reduction standards associated with gas drilling.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Arlington Municipal Building
City Council Chambers
101 W. Abram St.
Arlington, Texas 76010
9:00 AM to 8:00 PM and you must contact the EPA to get a time slot to speak or you may not get a preferred time.
To register to speak at a specific time at any of the hearings, please contact Joan C. Rogers at 919-541-4487 or email rogers.joanc@epa.gov
Here is the EPA website about the hearings. EPA site about location.
SUMMARY: This action announces how
the EPA proposes to address the reviews
of the new source performance
standards for volatile organic compound
and sulfur dioxide emissions from
natural gas processing plants. We are
proposing to add to the source category
list any oil and gas operation not
covered by the current listing. This
action also includes proposed
amendments to the existing new source
performance standards for volatile
organic compounds from natural gas
processing plants and proposed
standards for operations that are not
covered by the existing new source
performance standards. In addition, this
action proposes how the EPA will
address the residual risk and technology
review conducted for the oil and natural
gas production and natural gas
transmission and storage national
emission standards for hazardous air
pollutants. This action further proposes
standards for emission sources within
these two source categories that are not
currently addressed, as well as
amendments to improve aspects of these
national emission standards for
hazardous air pollutants related to
applicability and implementation.
Finally, this action addresses provisions
in these new source performance
standards and national emission
standards for hazardous air pollutants
related to emissions during periods of
startup, shutdown and malfunction.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before October 24, 2011.
The City of Denton will be holding its first official meeting for citizen input on the gas drilling ordinance revisions, Phase 2, this Thursday, August 25, 2011, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Denton Civic Center.
http://www.cityofdenton.com/index.aspx?page=33&recordid=5322&returnURL=%2findex.aspx
There is also a local citizens group, Denton Stakeholder Drilling Advisory Group, that has formed to provide another forum for education and citizen input:
http://dentondrilling.blogspot.com
Congressman Burgess held a Town Hall Meeting at Denton High School Tonight. Most of the discussion was about the economy and the recent battles in Congress over the debt ceiling.
When asked about the gas drilling issues in his district, and the continued concerns in many cities, he responded that the TCEQ has lost credibility and that that test results are often questioned from air monitoring. He also mentioned the recent studies in Fort Worth as also being unduly questioned.
He also pointed to the recent legislation recently presented at the Peterbilt plant in Denton by Rick Perry as a “model” for disclosure on fracing fluids. He dismissed most recent efforts by the EPA as making progress on this issue.
It does not appear that he is making any significant efforts at the Federal level to address the continuing environmental and quality of life issues from gas drilling in the Barnett Shale.
The next Environment and Energy Committee will be held in Corinth (a little further South for those of you coming from South Denton County).
We will be discussing the possible formation of The Citizens of the Barnett Shale Coalition and other upcoming events and policy issues.
When: Tuesday, June 28th @ 7:00 PM (6:30 PM if you are eating)
Where: Angelina’s Mexican Restaurant,
1400 N Corinth St, Ste 111, Corinth, TX
(940) 321-1133
Check out the article in the New York Times about last week’s protest by Rising Tide North Texas in Fort Worth against gas drilling.
