Breaking: Carrizo gas drilling too toxic for neighbors

It seems Carrizo is finally admitting they are too toxic to be good neighbors in Arlington and ~~UNT~~ UTA is in agreement.

First I received this email forward:

Carrizo and UTA wish to relocate the YWCA from the Center St. location to the southeast corner of UTA Blvd. and South Davis Drive in order to expand the drilling operations on Center St. The YWCA serves as a daycare facility for the children of homeless and low income families. A committee including the following council members (Jimmy Bennett, Robert Rivera, Robert Shepard, and Lana Wolff) has been asked to review a proposal requesting that the City of Arlington fund the YWCA with “Emergency Shelter Grant” money. The grant money, awarded through Federal Tax Entitlement Dollars, would be used as a capital investment.

Oh wait! UTA and Carrizo want to move the daycare not to keep the children safe because they are only 100′ from dangerous, heavy industry, but because Carrizo, wants to expand their gas drilling operations and UTA wants that royalty money. AND they, UTA and Carrizo, want us to pay for it! That is some prize winning hubris.

But not everyone thinks this is such a good idea. This was a different email forward:

Dear Council Members,

My opposition to Urban Gas Drilling is well known to Mayor and Council and I was horrified very early in the Carrizo-UTA communication process, now dating back to 2007, to learn the rig site would be directly south of the YWCA Daycare center. The prevailing south wind would and has resulted in, dust and other emissions generated by that rig site pouring over the Center’s outdoor playground.

When I learned recently that Carrizo and UTA want to relocate the YWCA at first I was relieved for the kids and staff. Then I learned that the City is considering use of Federal tax monies to support Carrizo and UTA in their gas drilling expansion efforts, the real reason for the YWCA center’s move.

I am not an attorney; do not know if this proposal is a legal use of federal tax dollars, but I find it totally unacceptable that ANY of my tax dollars might be used to support a huge for-profit natural gas corporation like Carrizo that could afford to build the YWCA a building most anywhere! At worst case, it appears the City of Arlington is rolling over for natural gas and a state entity, at best, a poor use of taxpayer monies.

Please DO move the YWCA Daycare out of harm’s way, but to a more suitable location than in the current proposal, and make UTA and Carrizo PAY for it. If Carrizo wants that land to expand their drilling, they should do what any other operator is expected to do and surely that does NOT include my City giving my federal tax dollars away!\

Wow! Somebody look up the net profit made by Carrizo last year.

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.