The Nightmare of My Spanish Pipe Dream. Is Fort Worth Next?

Admittedly, I was as excited as anyone else at the prospect of becoming the next Barnett Shale millionaire. With my characteristic diligence and obsessiveness, I researched all aspects of getting the best lease possible for the mineral rights I hold on my 42+ acres. That research led me to the frightening reality that is environmental injustice from which there is no protection. This fact is now dawning on at least one person in Fort Worth–my beloved Cowtown were I was born and spent the majority of my life.

Bob Ray Sanders has written a thoughtful, poignant opinion piece in today’s Star-Telegram: That upset feeling — was it something we swallowed? Barnett Shale

I hope that the people of Fort Worth and other North Texas cities, currently in awe of what the Barnett Shale has wrought and will continue to yield, won’t awake someday with a severe case of environmental heartburn — so sickening that all the antacids in the world will be unable to provide relief.

Welcome to the ruination of my Spanish Pipe Dream, Cowtown.

I can’t get off John Prine and the hope that “Inspite of Ourselves” we’ll “end up sitting on a rainbow.”