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Is fracking near your home?

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Texans have a right to know!

Tell the Texas Energy Resources Committee that landowners have a right to know before fracking happens near them. 

tobyIf fracking pollutes your water, it’s very difficult to prove it without pre-fracking testing.

That’s one reason why property owners must have a right to know about fracking near their property before it occurs: so they can test their water.

Right now, Texans don’t have this right to know.

House Bill 448 by Representative Dawnna Dukes would simply address this by requiring:

  • An operator send notice via US mail to all landowners located within 500 feet stating the operator has been permitted to drill, and that the operator intends to use hydraulic fracturing.
  • The notice be mailed not later than the 15th day after the date the drilling permit is issued.
  • The notice include information that chemicals used to frack the well will be posted on FracFocus website.

The bill was heard in the Energy Resources committee on March 20th and Earthworks’ OGAP organizer, Sharon Wilson, testified for the bill.

TAKE ACTION: The Committee Substitute to H.B. 448 is going to be voted on in the Energy Resources Committee. Please call the committee members (below) and urge them to support this bill.

Please call these committee members and tell them landowners have a right to know!

Rep. Keffer, James L. “Jim” (512) 463-0656
Rep. Crownover, Myra (512) 463-0582
Rep. Canales, Terry (512) 463-0426
Rep. Craddick, Tom (512) 463-0500
Rep. Dale, Tony (512) 463-0696
Rep. King, Phil (512) 463-0738
Rep. Lozano, J. M.(512) 463-0463
Rep. Paddie, Chris (512) 463-0556
Rep. Sheffield, Ralph (512)463-0630

Thank you!

For More Info:

Groundwater Baseline Testing for New Oil and Gas Activities

Sharon Wilson testimony in favor of HB 446

FracFocus

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.

Comments

  1. Stan Scobie says

    I am a fan of the “presumption” law in PA. It is presumed that the driller has caused any water well contamination within 2500 feet UNLESS the driller can “prove” that they didnt do it.

    Such proof is taken as independent 3d-party arms-length testing (paid for by the driller) prior to drilling that shows the well water had whatever in it prior to drilling.

    Homeowners get a copy of the testing before drilling commences.

    The testing isnt mandated but essentially the drillers all do it protectively.

    There has been a lot of such testing and one benefit has been the clarification that, despite driller’s protestations and assertions, the occurrence of substantial baseline levels of methane in water wells is quite rare. This is important since methane leakage from gas wells is a clear problem and is quite dangerous at higher levels.

    I always recommend that the residents also get their own confirmatory testing on at least a couple of key dimensions to reassure themselves that there were no errors.

    Of course the first step is for residents to be aware that there is to be nearby drilling.

    Stanley R Scobie, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, PSE Healthy Energy, Binghamton, NY.