These pictures were taken in a beautiful neighborhood in Grand Prairie where Chesapeake wants to be the homeowners’ “good neighbor”. This is an example of the City of Grand Prairie “taking” part of the value of the homeowners’ property by allowing Chesapeake a permit. I think the homeowners should sue.
None of the homeowners backing up to the “pond” signed leases. And they have never received any formal notification from the city of Grand Prairie or from Chesapeake about this Behemoth was going in so close to their property.
What ever happened to the American Dream? What happened to property rights? Oh yeah, that’s only for corporations these days.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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I thought the city would have ordinances that would limit the kinds of business that could build within city limits. Why would any city allow such development. Where is the city council in this matter.
Most city councils seem to be very favorable to allowing drilling in their neighborhoods but I have some bad news coming for them regarding their property tax base.
What a mess. Welcome to Tx. No rights when it comes to O&G.
O&G getting bolder and bolder.
Too bad Mother Nature can't
single them out.
Looks very familiar. Bankrupt Reichmann did the same thing to us, with part of the sludge pit in the flood plain. Site was then flipped to Carrizo, who supposedly is now moving it after we had to fight them all the way to Austin. The only difference is we have a pad site that is more than 6' tall. This is wrong on so many levels. Wait until they fill it, the smell is horrible, hopefully they will line it. The sad thing is, this is the least of their worries. I feel for this neighborhood. Get your soil and water samples now. Document everything. Photos, videos, etc.
To Anonymous at 8:40
There is no rhyme or reason to why standard City Ordinances don't apply to gas drilling.
There is a "Gas Drilling Ordinance," but it says nothing about Frack Pond distance from protected use property. This city tells us they'll "get sued" if they thwart Chesapeake's plans. Chesapeake says it's what the homeowners want since so many signed leases.
Truth is, like so many cities in the Barnett Shale, there are strong financial ties between this city and Chesapeake. It's too bad for homeowners directly in front of the 'pond," homeowners who it just so happens did not sign mineral leases. And yet they find themselves sharing their backyard with gas drilling stuff.
No formal notification from the city or Chesapeake, either. Nothing.
The elected officials need some courage. Let CHK sue! It wouldn't be the first time an operator sued a town and lost.
A frack pond this large can only mean one thing-multiple wells, and drilling for months.
If you are in the vicinity of this disaster in the making, and not on city water, you need to get baseline test of your water BEFORE they drill. You'll need another sometime after post-drilling, but it'll be useless in court unless youc an prove yur water was clean to start with. Use a certified lab, a genuine envrironmental testing firm-preferablt one who has no ties to oil and gaas, such as Wolf Eagle.
Tim,
The permit for the Corn Valley Pad Site shows 8 wells but only 5, initially. But as I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong, please) they can request additional permits and add more later? Or is that set??
The tractor digging out this frack pond was so close to these homes that the homes were shaking. And this is just the very beginning of the very long nightmare. Thank you, Chesapeake. And thank you, Grand Prairie. And thank you Texas Railroad Commission. And last, but certainly not least, thank you, Westchester Community Church (recently changed to Westchester Church…I guess that proves they're forgetting the community part!!) for leasing your minerals and your land to glorify God.
[…]
WC owns 17 acres in south Grand Prairie, and continues to seek God’s leading and timing in how we can use that property to glorify Him.
Our focus remains constant… to forcefully advance God’s kingdom, and to invite people to discover, develop, and display genuine devotion to Jesus Christ.
[…]
I know that God works in mysterious ways…but seriously, destroying a community is not the usual way to grow your membership and glorify God.
WC, it's about the witness, not the money. I'm tired of pseudo-Christians justifying this act of disregard for their neighbors.
Things we can do to protect ourselves:
1) Before you buy make sure you own your mineral rights
2) Like Tim said, get baselines on your air/water
3) Have your property assessed for value before the drilling begins.
In case you are landing in this blog post…there has been LOTS and LOTS of water under and over and around this story from 2010. We started a blog not too long after this post and discovered so much that was wrong with this drilling site.
Drilling and eventually fracking a well within 850 of the Joe Pool Lake Dam and Spillway…this site became part of a national study conducted by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. And then we stopped a gas gathering pipeline from going in in early 2012. And most recently, Chesapeake decided to “plug” the one well ever drilled and fracked.
The city now wants to build new homes on top of all it…as if to make it all better. No disclosure or soil testing. It just never ends…the well is there forever and a day. Amen.