Thanks, Lorraine. I appreciate the insight and contacts.

Linda Prussen-Razzano writes via FB:
I helped to lead a coalition of homeowners in the Barnett Shale that encompassed 5,200 families, businesses, and houses of worship and resulted in a record-breaking deal and 18-page lease. After 3 years of dealing with these folks and speaking with coalition leaders all across the country, and now living with wells surrounding our communities, I have come to understand that on this issue, the enviros were correct.

First, protect your rights. The Federal EPA is nearly silent on this issue. Most states are also silent or, at best, agreeable to natural gas drilling. So, all rights have to be negotiated in the lease or you lose them (hence, the 18 page monster versus the 2-page Producer 88 they originally offered). Second, landmen lie – like rugs – all the time. Met a number of them, and only ONE was honest.

Don’t believe the crap that it doesn’t contaminate the air. It does. TCEQ has videos proving it. Residents in the neighborhoods around me have been forced leave their homes due to the smell of gas in their house (our homes are ALL electric, no gas).

Wells in Carrollton have been tapped for frackin, leaving the residents with no water. The residents in Dish, Texas, cannot sell their property and have been tested several times; toxins are showing up in their blood and urine.

Work with your local municipality to establish set-backs, noise, light, and traffic restrictions, otherwise they will frack at 2:00 AM and keep you up at night. Work with your HOAs to keep folks from signing if you don’t want wells all around you.

We didn’t ask for this; didn’t buy homes thinking one day they would find a large deposit under our feet. All the promised “wealth” or threats they made to get people to sign turned out to be crap.

I’m all for energy independence, and realize I can’t be a NIMBY if I want that. Wells are fine. Wells all over the flipping place, on every available patch, are NOT. Major transmission lines right next to grammar schools are NOT. Ever see one of those things blow? Google it.

There needs to be something close to a balance. Unless the residents rally, hold firm, and bang their City Council and State Legislatures over the head, the power rests firmly in the drillers’ favor.

Good luck fighting that.

Thanks Andrea. I have to say, I am learning that there are so many sides of this issue. But, with the deposits so close to our main water supply, I think we need to be extremely cautious and protective of this resource. Thanks for reading, and for your comments!
Lori