There has been yet another spill out in West Flower Mound at a Williams site.
According to information from the town of Flower Mound, (see page 8-9 of drilling ordinance) this is the 6th spill at a Williams gas drilling pad site "REPORTED" to the town. Of course it rained very hard on Saturday night and who knows if any of the spill spread from the site.
Let's go back to the summer of 2009 when many West Flower Mound residents came to Town Hall professing their love and admiration for Williams. The cause of the latest spill?
"The spill occurred due to a failed weld in a line transporting fluids."
The West Flower Mound residents begged for the town to allow Williams the opportunity to run waste water pipelines from their pad sites to a Centralized Collection Facility. Some of us argued that accidents happen like.....welds failing! Williams is NOT a "good neighbor". In fact if you and I continued to spill toxic waste, we would be heavily fined or in jail!!!
"The spill occurred due to a failed weld in a line transporting fluids."
The West Flower Mound residents begged for the town to allow Williams the opportunity to run waste water pipelines from their pad sites to a Centralized Collection Facility. Some of us argued that accidents happen like.....welds failing! Williams is NOT a "good neighbor". In fact if you and I continued to spill toxic waste, we would be heavily fined or in jail!!!
But folks, it isn't just spills. In a little over a year and a half, close to 90 odor and health complaints have been made to the TCEQ just in Flower Mound alone. Every one of those complaints has been at or near gas drilling production sites. A majority of those complaints have been near Williams sites.
Cancer rates in the Barnett Shale Counties are on the rise.
If Texas Railroad Commission is wondering why so many people are refusing to sign leases resulting in Rule 37 applications and Forced Pooling applications, they need to look no further than our backyards. Contamination, air quality issues and health issues being reported by the citizens living on the Barnett Shale are clearly being overlooked. Many feel our state agencies responsible for regulating the industry are not doing their job. Not signing a lease has become the only way residents can "try" to protect themselves.
Good neighbors or the neighbors from hell?
If Texas Railroad Commission is wondering why so many people are refusing to sign leases resulting in Rule 37 applications and Forced Pooling applications, they need to look no further than our backyards. Contamination, air quality issues and health issues being reported by the citizens living on the Barnett Shale are clearly being overlooked. Many feel our state agencies responsible for regulating the industry are not doing their job. Not signing a lease has become the only way residents can "try" to protect themselves.
Good neighbors or the neighbors from hell?
I
14 comments:
Notice how we don't have a parade of Williams employees at Town hall anymore, trumpeting how "great" they are and what good neighbors they are. It's because their actions have spoken louder than their words, which we now know, after some time and patience, are worthless.
The Williams employees have moved on to the next victims, er town.
Also notice how that smooth talking Kelly Swan is absent these days.
I always have found it interesting that Williams has had the most spills in Flower Mound, the ONE place they should know to be careful. Makes you wonder how many spills happen in places where it is never publicized because council's are industry friendly.
At Anon 9:09 a.m.
We also don't have a parade of concerned citizens parading into Town Hall or commenting about this latest breach by Williams on Flower Mound Cares or the Cross Timbers Gazette.
Is it because out of sight, out of mind? What if this is occurring at Hilliard? Where's the resolve of the anti-urban drilling crowd?
@October 24, 2011 2:14 PM
Well, it is contained on one owners property who welcomed it, so it's his land being screwed up. I don't mind someone screwing up there own land, it's when it infringes on someone else's, then we have a problem.
@October 24 7:46 p.m.
So it will be okay if Titan has a spill on Hilliard? It's private property much like what the Williams operation is on Cummings.
Good point Anon 1:10. I've wondered that myself why the vocal anti urban drilling crowd only focuses on Titan, but basically supported Williams when they went before the Oil and Gas Board of Appeals on the Bob Smith pad sites B and C in April 2010. Remember the "horse is already out of the barn" comment that their ring leader made during that meeting? The same group fought the Powell application by Titan last year, but went for a beer before the next case--the PR Smith application by Keystone-- was heard by the Board.
Maybe they only hate Titan?
Ring leader? Who the heck is "their" ring leader. All I know is that there are many residents that do not want drilling near our schools and children. I can walk up and down my street and the next 3 streets on either side and find that the majority feel the same as I do.
Why aren't we storming town hall? Because we have a council that listened to our concerns and when we have an issue, we call one of them or the right town employee and get a response right away.
We don't have to worry that they are going to weaken our ordinances like they did in 2007 to allow a site like Hillard to happen. Yes, I do blame the old council. I do know that I showed up for the Riverwalk meetings protesting it. I showed up for some of the Williams sites and the Centralized Collection Facility and seismic testing issues. Many did.
Maybe some of us are just enjoying not having to fight this 24/7 anymore and resting up for the next battle.....convincing LISD not to sign!!!
I am pleased with the way the town has been addressing my issues at the Hilliard site. I called about noise and the town went to the site and tested it. I called about some odors and they went out there. Someone called them about leaving the site late and the town addressed it. Titan has been written up a couple of times already. Yesterday, I saw the FMPD pulling over a water truck. My neighbor said she saw them do that a couple of days before. I realize the town can't put someone there 24/7 that is why it is important for all of us to watch what is going on, video, take pictures, and call the town with any concerns. They are listening. We don't want Hilliard to become a Williams or Smith site.
Anon 1:01, I personally have attended many meetings in the past 4 years. I don't recall a ring leader. I don't recall only protesting Titan. I don't recall going for a beer after. Some of us just show up when needed and help fight the fight.
Anon, 9:09 am. Trust me, we are calling the town. But, we don't have to parade to the town council because they aren't trying to help the gas drilling buddies out like some of our previous council members did.
>>So it will be okay if Titan has >>a spill on Hilliard?
If we could contain 100% of all of the collateral damage to him and him alone, we would have never had an issue to begin with, now would we?
If there is a spill on Hilliard, there is no guarantee that it would only affect him. The fluid has chemicals, the chemicals can penetrate the ground or evaporate in the air. A rain storm or a good wind could make it a problem for others living near the site.
When a company is negligent, whether it be Williams, Titan, or any other, it is bad. The real problem is our state agencies are not set up to protect the people but to protect the industry.
Very sad.
Milk is spilled....This is a far stretch from milk. Same old tired lines from industry. Hey industry, we know what it really is~chemical gushes. Industry is "recovering barrels" of fluid. That is not a spill wiped up with a paper towel.
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