Article from examiner.com

In an article published yesterday, Argyle was mentioned. Here is what was said....

As for Williams, they aren’t acting very neighborly in Argyle, where they just bulldozed a seven-acre, heavily wooded site to make way for a condensate tank farm, wastewater pipelines and a natural gas compressor complex in an unincorporated residential neighborhood along Jeter Road. This soon-to-be-industrial operation is within 100 feet of three high-dollar homes. That’s not a typo – it’s within 100 fracking feet! It’s also in a FEMA flood plain and within a few feet of a creek that empties into Lake Grapevine. How patriotic!

And get this: The site will house between 12 and 30 tank batteries to accept tens of millions of gallons of permanently contaminated wastewater from wells being drilled on properties owned by Argyle council member Wayne Holt and former member Lemoine Wright. Enraged locals don’t understand how Holt and Wright could use their public office to negotiate an agreement that allows drilling on their land, while their toxic waste is trucked to their neighbors, along with the accompanying threats to health, safety and property values.


Link to full article,written by Ladd Biro for examiner.com

http://www.examiner.com/x-44976-Denton-County-Nonpartisan-Examiner~y2010m5d27-Flower-Mounds-landslide-election-victory-only-the-first-step?cid=email-this-article

Call to action - Mothers protest toxic waste facility!

Greed and Gas Divide Community
Mothers protest toxic waste dump in neighborhood.

For Immediate Release:

At dawn on Monday, May 24th, a group of mothers and children protest Williams Petroleum's exploitation of lax regulation in Texas as they install a massive toxic waste facility in the heart of their neighborhood. Neighbors call the facility on Jeter Road in Argyle, Texas DISH 2.

Concerned mother and founding member of Argyle - Bartonville Communities Alliance, Jayme Sizelove, says, "This dangerous site is too close to homes. It's only 100 feet from my son's bedroom window." 

Leaseholders and Argyle Town Council Members made back-room deals with Williams Petroleum to move the waste from the site where it's produced and shove it off on the unsuspecting neighbors.  Rather than recycle gas waste onsite, Williams is transporting the waste to a residential neighborhood.

This site is in the Denton Creek flood plain where runoff can contaminate drinking water downstream. "As far as we know, proper permits, plats, hydrology studies and emergency plans have not been made," said Jana DeGrand an alliance member.

In other states, Williams uses best practices and recycles drilling waste onsite, but best practices are not mandated in Texas so Williams refuses to use them. "Texans deserve best practices too." said Susan Knoll. "People who profit from the wells should deal with the waste".

Onsite recycling would eliminate:
    •    unregulated toxic waste pipelines
    •    massive truck traffic in a residential area
    •    explosive and toxic waste near children
    •    toxic compounds in air from fugitive emissions

Drillers should Drill-Right Texas or not drill at all.

For more information:

Argyle - Bartonville Communities Alliance http://abcalliance.blogspot.com

Drill-Right Texas: Best Oil & Gas Practices for Texas, http://earthworksaction.org/publications.cfm?pubID=444

Pay Attention - Williams is moving into Double Oak

Now that Flower Mound is pushing back against Williams they are moving into Double Oak.
They have permitted 3 new wells through the RRC in the past week. They will be situated off Kings Road.  Where will the pipelines, tanks, compressors, etc go?

Violated by the Industry

"Greed closes it’s eyes to basic human needs in it’s excessive lust to possess wealth. Wealth, at any and all costs. Drilling does not belong in a residential community or by schools or churches. It just doesn’t, plain and simple. Drilling is a dirty and dangerous business and the money made from drilling in a residential area is just as dirty and dangerous. In my very small community, I’ve personally witnessed the ugly entrails of greed in the forms of betrayal, manipulation, intimidation, regret, bribery, status and power." runnersusan

More and more people everyday are expressing similar thoughts. Many have said they feel violated. Their homes and families are being compromised for natural gas exploration. Some of said their voice has not been heard. 

One neighbor near the Jeter RD. and Blessing well site has had serious health issues that have left her in a position where she can not tolerate even the normal levels of VOC's. She sent Williams a certified letter and stated her situation. A rep from Williams came to her door and told her husband it will be okay if the Jeter Rd. site is only temporary (6 months). So somehow it is okay to compromise someone's health for six months. I do not think so.  She has tried to contact Williams on numerous occasions and they will not return her calls or respond in writing. Probably because they do not have a real answer for her. Probably because it would mean they would have to stop fracking. Maybe because the Jeter Rd. site could not exist even for a day. So in my mind, Williams chose making money over a life. 

Everyday I am hearing from people who have been hurt by the gas industry.  This is the price of urban drilling. This community needs to understand that we are paying a price much greater than any royalty we may receive. Have you been violated, mislead, betrayed or wronged in anyway by the industry? If so, please comment on this post. We want to hear from you.