Environmental Protection for Texas the Inhofe Way **Update**

We Welcome Senator James Inhofe to the Westchester Gasette.

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**Update, April 29, 2012** Well, we almost missed this, but now it appears that our very own Texas Congressman Joe Barton is signing on to this feeding frenzy. Click Here to See the 7-Page Letter with Congressman Barton's signature Front and Center. Oh, and there's more. Stay tuned. OK. Click here for the rest of the story.

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Now wait just a minute, Senator Inhofe.  What did Dr. Armendariz really say?

So, just in case you've been busy...here's the deal. There is a certain story (introduced by Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma on the Senate Floor this past week) that our very own EPA Region 6 Administrator, Dr. Al Armendariz, wants to "crucify" the oil and gas industry.  Holy Cow!

Of course, when we heard this, a couple of days ago, we were shocked beyond words.  I mean, who wouldn't be?  But then, taking a step back from a feeding frenzy sometimes helps us see things in an entirely different way. And definitely not the way Oklahoma sees it. Lord have mercy for they know not what they do. 

In the Senate floor speech (here) Senator Inhofe apparently believes that Dr. Armendariz is promoting the "crucifixion" of the oil and gas industry. Wow. That's some power. However, we believe that Dr. Armendariz was simply offering what's called an "analogy" during a discussion with the citizens of this small North Texas community, when he said:

 

"You make examples of people who are NOT complying with the law..."

Keep in mind, that the video in question was taped when Dr. Armendariz travelled to Dish, TX in the Spring of 2010 to meet with the Mayor of Dish ~ Mayor Calvin Tillman ~ and his community.  His community was worried, stressed and concerned about safety and health effects from the 11 Shale Gas Compressor Stations that had recently landed in his very small town in Denton County, TX. 



So, with ALL of that background about Dish, TX in mind, watch and listen carefully as Dr. Al Armendariz speaks to and answers questions from the worried citizens of Dish, TX on a Spring night in 2010.

Just recently, Mayor Calvin Tillman discussed the actual chemical studies conducted in Dish, TX (February, 2012)



Fox News Reporter Greta Van Susteren does her level best to explain it to Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe ~  who apparently won't accept that he may have gone overboard on the Senate Floor:

By the way, Mayor Tillman eventually left his town behind. 

Link to the Story

Clearly, Senator Inhofe has no idea what has happened to Dish, Texas. And why Dr. Armendariz was there in the first place. 



People in Dish, Texas were simply asking for help and protection. And no one in our state (Texas) was helping.

Now watch Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe on the Floor of the Senate, Wednesday, April 25, 2012. Goodness Gracious. Who Crucified Whom?

This is your U.S. Congress "Protecting" Us from Harm. Oh, and they want to have a hearing, too.

God. Help. Us. Please. Write to Lisa Jackson, Now.

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

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.