FW CanDo!

The main purpose of FWCanDo is to share information, unpleasant as it often is. This last update of noteworthy news finishes out an eventful year. Stay tuned for more on these and other topics in A.D., Two Thousand and Eight.

-----1) God Bless Bob Ray Sanders. After trying for two years to get him to take a stand on urban gas drilling, I see that he's now flirting rather boldly with the concept. Check out the last few paragraphs of his "Retrospective 2007" in Sunday's Star-Telegram (12/31/07). This is his second column in the past few weeks to address this subject. For a Startlegram columnist, this is significant. Feel free to encourage him:

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/columnists/bob_ray_sanders//story/3819...

"...This year comes to an end with many in North Texas having pocketed a few hundred dollars in signing bonuses from the lease of their mineral rights for natural gas drilling. Some even got a few thousand dollars after neighborhoods banded together and demanded more upfront money from companies that are reaping great rewards from this new development.

My hope is that by this time next year, all of us will have raised many more questions about just what gas exploration is doing to our environment.

While some get richer, will we have irreparably damaged the land, the water and the environment in general?

Will the drilling leave indelible scars that we will come to regret?

I think it just might."

bobray@star-telegram.com
Bob Ray Sanders' column appears Sundays and Wednesdays. 817-390-7775

-----2) Parade Magazine, that normally useless supplement geared to the lowest common denominator, has some strong words to say about The Dirty Side of Domestic Fuel in yesterday's (12/30/07) issue.

Like Bob Ray, they pose questions more than take a stand, but the questions are getting better. This is pretty bold stuff for a mainstream paper. See yesterday's paper or read here:

http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2007/edition_12-30-2007/Intellig...

Intelligence Report®

Published: December 30, 2007

The Dirty Side Of Domestic Fuel

Most Americans want the country to be free of its dependence on foreign fuel. But what many might not know is that using homegrown oil and natural gas may come at a high cost.

There are close to 1 million oil and gas wells across 33 states in the U.S. New ones are being drilled at a rapid rate—more than 40,000 last year alone. Extracting oil and gas is known to release toxic chemicals, including mercury, benzene and arsenic, and harmful chemicals are routinely injected underground to boost output. However, such wells are exempt from the parts of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Air Act that would control these substances. “Loopholes were written because of the industry’s influence in Washington,” says Amy Mall of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), who co-authored a new report on the subject. “These decisions ignored the best available science.” Well operators also are not required to file an annual toxic-release inventory, a list of chemicals emitted.

People living near wells have reported alarming health problems. Steve and Elizabeth Mobaldi, whose home was within a mile of about 20 wells in Colorado, suffered ailments ranging from painful blistering and nosebleeds to headaches and tumors. “It amazes me that the companies are allowed to not follow the same laws as other industries,” says Steve.

NRDC is calling for the government to tighten its regulation of gas drilling and for the industry to adopt pollution-reducing practices.

Is extracting domestic oil and natural gas important enough that companies should be granted exemptions from pollution laws?

-----3) Jim Jones writes the Religion column for the S-T. His year-end report lists the 10 big events on the local scene in 2007. It should have been 11.

http://www.star-telegram.com/living/columnists/jim_jones/story/381754.ht...

Jim left out the Elephant In The Room story that was never reported on in the S-T:

Churches opening their doors to the Barnett Shale Moneychangers.

Jim is not alone. No other local reporter did either. Personally, I find this to be one of the most repugnant aspects of this whole business and one that needs to be exposed to some healing, heavenly light. If Brother Jim doesn't do it, I know someone who will.

DY