"Cool Competition"

Besides dealing with a 70% price drop in natural gas prices over the past six months, developers in the Barnett Shale have another headache on their hands--liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.

Peter Gorman over at the "Ft. Worth Weekly" has a terrific article this week about the price competition from imported LNG, which is being shipped to the new Sabine Pass LNG terminal.

http://www.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=7552

"Out of the Neighborhood"

Earlier this week we received yet another mailing from Cherokee Horn boldly declaring that's "IT'S OFFICIAL" and that the "majority of your neighborhood has decided to participate in this opportunity!"

Shame on you Cherokee Horn. You didn't tell the whole story.

#1) The majority of the residents have NOT decided to "participate in this opportunity". You have leased some large tracts of land (with a single landowner) that completely distorts your claim.

#2) You state that you have "established a well site at the Hillard Airfield." Again, that is very misleading. Almost a year ago you filed an application with the Texas Railroad Commission for the Hillard site. Anyone one can get one.

But, you haven't obtained a permit from the Town (quite an onerous process depending on the setback variances required) and you cannot even begin to think about drilling until that has been done.

#3) Your mailing (I have no doubt directed at those of us in Woodlake Estates) also touts that the Hillard site is "out of the neighborhood."

Couple thoughts: What about all of the propaganda over the past year on behalf of the Northshore location, which tried to convince us how safe a neighborhood gas well was and how we'd just barely notice it for a few days!?! You led us to believe that it was no big deal to have a gas well a few hundred feet from our homes. But, now we're being asked to sign since it's been moved "out of the neighborhood."

How nice of you to move out it of "the neighborhood." But what about the unfortunates who live in "the neighborhood" around Hillard?

The developers are the first to accuse efforts like FMCAUD of being "NIMBYs" [Not In My Backyard]; yet, they're the first to use it to try to sway people.

Do you see the hypocrisy in this? For $500 bucks you can put a well in someone else's backyard.

Nice. Very nice.

And one last thing. Regardless of what Cherokee Horn says, the percentage of leased properties does not determine if they will ultimately be granted a permit to drill.

Please, regardless of whatever neighborhood you live in, do the "neighborly" thing and don't sign any agreements with anyone offering you the "opportunity" to sell out your friends and neighbors for $500!

Back to work.....

We've had a nice couple of months off--the December and January O&G Board of Appeals meetings were canceled--but now it's time to go back to work.

(Had it not been for Cherokee Horn's irritating, weekly mailings, we might have had a completely normal holiday season.)

Please take the time to educate yourself with the latest information on urban gas drilling. Read the excellent series, "Behind the Shale" which was recently published in the Denton Record Chronicle.

Here's the link to the first installment: http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/drc_shale1_1228.13c43d7f.html

Also, a terrific, very comprehensive source of information is the "Oil and Gas Accountability Project." Here's the link: http://www.earthworksaction.org/oil_and_gas.cfm

Follow up on last week's O&G Board of Appeals meeting

Just a couple additional details related to the denial of the variance request for a compression facility near the Rockpointe Church....

--The vote was a 3 to 3 tie, with the Board's chairperson breaking the tie by voting against approving the variance.

--Concerns were raised about the proximity of the proposed site to the church, as well as to the unknown dangers of the chemicals used in drilling.

--Turnout was very light.

Variance Denied!

At Wednesday night's O&G Board of Appeals Meeting, the requested variance for a compression facility near the Rockpointe Church was denied.

More info to come......

Variance requested for compression facility near church on Cross Timbers

In tomorrow night's O&G Board of Appeals meeting (6:30pm at Town Hall) a variance request will be voted on for a compressor facility to be located within 1,000 feet of The Rockpointe Church on Cross Timbers. Here is the link to the agenda:
http://www.flower-mound.com/agenda/oil/oil_11-19-08.pdf

According to the Town's case manager for the request, this location already has two wells--Bunn #1 and #2, which were drilled several years ago, but subsequently capped. The case manager stated that the wells were being "reopened" and that the developers were now wanting to place a compression facility nearby.

He also stated that Rockpointe has sent a letter to the Board stating their support for the project. (The proposed compression facility is 858 feet from the church.) He said that the nearest homes were on Quail Run Road, but that they were more than 1,000 feet away.

Here's my thoughts. These wells were approved approximately four years ago--well before most of us were even aware of "urban gas drilling" or the Barnett Shale. That's a fact. However, now that we know about the dangers of urban gas drilling, do we really want a compressor facility this close to the residential areas of the Town? Is it safe?

Regarding the safety aspect....did you read about Sunday morning's compression facility explosion in Johnson County? (It was two miles west of Cleburne.) Here's the link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27752078/

The headline is "Flames Seen for Miles after Natural Gas Compressor Fire."

Is that a possibility that we want for Flower Mound?

Please attend the O&G Board of Appeals Meeting tomorrow night at 6:30pm and let your voice be heard.

Flower Mound Home Owners Association Coalition (FMHOA Coalition)

Kudos to the folks that are working to revitalize the coalition of Flower Mound HOA's.

This is an effort that will positively impact all of us--whether our primary interest is urban gas drilling, land development, trees, or whatever. This is a group that will work to make a positive impact for what Flower Mound residents truly want.

Try to attend the first meeting this evening from 6 to 7pm at the Wellington Amenities Center.

Learn more about it at: http://www.fmhoacoalition.hoaspace.com/cgi-bin/index.pl?action=mainand

The new coalition's mission is to:

Create a network for Flower Mound homeowners residents’ boards to work together in addressing community challenges by establishing “Best Practices” and by leveraging our size to allow better negotiating power for goods and services as well as have more visibility with the town.

Again...tonight's meeting is at 6:00pm at the Wellington Amenities Center.