People in Arlington are fighting to keep an oil and gas company’s plans out of their city.
Blue Stone Resources filed an application with the Texas Railroad Commission for a permit to dig a wastewater injection well near Lake Arlington.
The proposed location is east of Interstate 820 near East Berry Street, in the city of Fort Worth between the Carver Heights neighborhood and Lake Arlington.
Both Fort Worth and Arlington have ordinances against injection wells. The cities, along with the Trinity River Authority, have sent letters to the Railroad Commission protesting the proposed well.
According to the RRC, “the permit application meet the Commission’s disposal well rule requirements established to protect public safety and natural resources, including water. However, because the application has been protested, an administrative law hearing on the merits of the application has been set on this proposed disposal well.”
The City of Arlington and residents will take their fight to Austin to block the placement of the well. Tuesday, Arlington city leaders will vote during their council meeting on the hiring of an attorney and expert who specializes in this industry.
City officials said the disposable well would be injected between 7,850 feet to 11,500 feet into the ground and roughly 400 feet away from Lake Arlington.
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Arlington’s Gas Drilling and Production Ordinance prohibits salt water disposal wells inside of the City of Arlington and any “salt water disposal lines” under Lake Arlington or within 100 feet of the flowage easement lands around the lake.
According to the city’s Director of Arlington’s Water Uilities, “while the proposed pipeline and well are not within the city, the ordinance reflects the concern that injection wells pose different, more serious, hazards than hydro-fracturing or drilling.”
The city is concerned about lake water and aquifer contamination. Lake Arlington provides drinking water for more than 500,000 North Texas residents.
“The entire idea is pretty upsetting,” said Ranjana Bhandari, who has been living in Arlington for more than 20 years.
“It’s upsetting that they would put something this toxic, this dangerous with the potential to contaminate the drinking water right next to the water supply for this city…for Fort Worth, for all of our neighboring cities. Everybody relies on Lake Arlington for drinking water. If something happens, there will be nothing left,” she said.
When Bhandari found out about the proposed well she immediately starting calling other residents, who called more people, and several others began sending protest emails and making calls to the RRC.
“I think it affects us all because it is next to our drinking water and if our water goes bad, what would the alternative be? It seems very risky and I think the other danger are the earthquakes. They’ve happened more frequently in north Texas, and has caused property damage. We don’t want that. We’ve lived here for a long time and we don’t want that kind of damage,” she said.
Both parties will take their case to Austin in May.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in Austin have proposed two bills to reshape and rename the Railroad Commission. The state agency’s mission is protect natural resources and the environment, safeguard communities, and support the development and economic vitality of Texans.
Last year, the RRC was flagged for a lack of oversight and according to an Environmental Protection Agency report, was in need of more efficient inspections.
Currently, the RRC regulates more than 400,000 pipelines and wells within Texas, with 158 inspectors.
“It lacks transparency," said Bhandari. "Who knew the Railroad Commission inspected pipelines and wells? Will they have enough inspectors to make sure the ones in our area are safe? The problem is, when the problem with the pipe or well is detected its already too late."
Several bills have been introduced within the Texas Legislative Session to rename the agency, and redefine inspection standards and guidelines.
