Arlington Mayor Jim Ross has also voiced concerns about the potential risks, especially to children.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Community leader and activist Ranjana Bhandari shared her concerns about a proposal for more fracking in East Arlington.
“The pollution from fracking, the fumes, the noise, the lights, the traffic,” said Ranjana Bhandari.
Bhandari is the founder of the grassroots organization Livable Arlington. She is working to convince the Arlington City Council to vote against a new fracking proposal.
Livable Arlington shared a thermal imaging study on fracking, claiming it highlights the harmful effects of the practice. She is also speaking out about what she believes are illnesses that have happened because of pollutants.
“The pollution is linked to high rates of asthma and childhood leukemia and birth defects and for maternal outcomes in pregnancies,” said Bhandari, “One in four children in Tarrant County have asthma. According to the EPA, the Air toxic cancer risk in this neighborhood is one of the highest in the country’s 90th percentile. So given that fracking emissions are clearly linked to higher rates of childhood leukemia, lymphomas, and all these diseases, this is absolutely about right now children.”
Fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, is a process used to extract oil and natural gas from underground.
Total Energies is seeking approval for 10 additional drills in East Arlington. The company already operates five drills near The Mother’s Heart Childcare Learning Center, which is managed by Wanda Vincent.
Vincent says she and the children at the daycare have experienced firsthand the negative effects of fracking on two separate occasions.
“They were up on the tanks, we could smell the smell and became nauseous and headaches and not feeling well,” said Wanda Vincent.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross has also voiced concerns about the potential risks, especially to children.
“I’m always concerned about kids getting sick,” said Ross, “The reality of it is, despite some of the representations made, there is no direct cause or effect that we are aware of regarding any alleged air contamination and the kids being sick. We certainly are concerned about things going on too close to a daycare.”
Mayor Ross explained why they are seeing the proposal again from Total Energies.
“The previous permitting at the pad site that’s closer to the daycare was denied a number of years ago. That’s what has forced Total into asking for this pad site,” Mayor Jim Ross explained.
In a statement, Total Energies outlined the safety measures planned for the proposed drills.
The safety and well-being of the community are our utmost priorities. TotalEnergies E&P Barnett is committed to following the highest standards of environmental protection and safety in accordance with the standards of the City of Arlington and the State of Texas. The Maverick pad has been located so that the proposed drill zone is over 1,000 feet from the closest daycare, over 800 feet from the nearest resident and over 2,000 feet from the three nearby elementary schools. This places the pad well beyond the 600-foot setback required by the city. As with our existing gas pads, we will be implementing several measures on the new pad to minimize any potential disruption or risk to nearby residents. These measures include advanced monitoring systems with remote shutdown capability, noise reduction strategies, air quality standards, leak detection and repair, and emission reduction measures. Our goal is to operate responsibly and sustainably while maintaining an open dialogue with the community as a responsible operator and community partner.
Despite these assurances, some residents have placed yard signs opposing further fracking in the area. Some of them have signed up for public comment at Tuesday’s council meeting. That’s where Ranjana Bhandari plans to make her voice heard too.
“I want our city to make a fair, science-based decision, and they have the power to do so,” said Bhandari.
After Tuesday’s first reading of the request submitted by Total Energies, the Arlington City Council will decide the future of the proposed fracking expansion during an upcoming vote.
