Tuesday, October 09, 2007

City Approves Trinity Trees Permit

Gentlemen, start your bulldozers?

The Startlegram reports that the city of Fort Worth has granted a permit to Chesapeake Energy to locate a gas well pad site on the "Trinity Trees" site just west of University Drive near the Trinity River.

The well is considered a high-impact gas well, and Chesapeake secured permission to drill the well from all property owners within 600 feet of the site, said Cecilia Jacobs, chief communications officer for the city.

The city's full statement read as follows:

"On August 30, 2007, Chesapeake Energy applied for a pad site permit on the Pearson Lease site. The site is located north of the Trinity Trail and west of University Drive. Because of concerns about the site's proximity to the Trinity Trail, the operator has complied with additional requirements for a high-impact gas well classification.

"The corresponding gas drilling permits were issued Monday afternoon because Chesapeake met the requirements under the City of Fort Worth's gas drilling ordinance."

If you are able, come out tonight to the League of Women voters forum and make your voices heard. The District 9 City Council race is a referendum on gas drilling. This is a chance to let the candidates know how you feel.

3 comments:

Philip Hennen said...

All the more reason for a citizen groundswell to call for a revision the ordinance!

It's not just gas wells that threaten what little amount and quality of greenspace remain in the metroplex. But gas wells are new and different than most other kinds of "development". For that very reason, in the usual legal approach they would require greater "burden of proof". We should ask our government leaders why this greater "burden of proof" is not expected. We can speculate an answer - $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

The shame is all that money can't buy back what is being destroyed.

Anonymous said...

We are SO screwed!!

Anonymous said...

A better plan was available. Chesapeake chose to pass. The Oklahoma boys chose to take a Texas park.

Those boys have thrown down the gauntlet.