An update on that injection well

UPDATE: In a sneak attack on area citizens, this well was re-permitted and is now open with only a few minor improvement.

An update on that Barnett Shale class II commercial injection well I’ve been talking about: (you don’t want to miss these pictures)

Today I got two inspection reports from this well. The inspection report from 9-27-07, before I took these pictures on 10-05-07, looks nothing at all like the inspection report from 11-27-07 just after someone else took these pictures on 11-25-07.

I would bet you a cold beer that the first inspection was either never made or was a drive by.

This morning I met Wise County Messenger reporter, Brandon Evans, and photographer, Joe Duty, at the site for pictures and a follow-up article. Unbelievably, there was a truck at the injection well disposing of its toxic soup! I immediately called the RRC. The only person I could talk to was a person whose voice was familar. This facility, which has major safety violations, gets to continue operations until December 10th because, in familiar voice’s words, “This is not a Communist country.” That he used the example of Communism is just too much irony since Communist countries don’t at all mind poisoning their citizens and have a history of putting government and business before citizens. That’s a little too familiar sounding.

I unloaded on him a bit and I don’t think he will use that comparison again. I’d really like to suggest that he cut down on Bill O’Rielly and Rush Limbaugh, and perhaps read a little more–maybe some history. IJS.

So, the facility can continue polluting until 12-10, at which time, they will be shut in if they are not in compliance.

I received a written report in the mail this evening. It seems there is also a problem with NORM.

We really need to change the laws to make things err on the side of protecting people rather than wide open abuse from corporations. That’s going to require electing people who can put greed aside and who will represent us before business.

I have spoken with many people who work at the RRC. Most were exceedingly nice and helpful. Almost everyone is as concerned as we are. They all have loved ones. They too worry about what their grandchildren will drink.

This mess we’re in is not the fault of the individual workers who work for the RRC. It’s our fault–the collective our. We should never have allowed things to come to this sorry state and we should have paid closer attention to who we were putting behind the wheel.

Wise County Messenger article