Call a Spade a Spade

Fracking is an industrial activity. Yet no Texas city has zoned it accordingly. They all know it is a spade but they call it a joker and let it happen anywhere. Why? Well, state law allows the mineral estate to trump the surface estate. But that is an old state law written when Texas had far fewer people and well before we entered the age of high-tech extreme energy.

Maybe Denton could be the first city to call a spade a spade. We would be like the little girl who finally points out the emperor has no clothes. Scales will fall from eyes. People will see the obvious: let's treat this industry like every other industry and put it in its place. Eureka!

How about this for core ordinance provisions:

1.      Zone fracking as strictly an industrial use.

2.      No new wells or re-fracking anywhere but industrial zones.

3.      1,500 foot setbacks from any protected uses near industrial zones.

4.      No variances.

5.      No compressor stations.

6.      No pits.

7.      No venting or flaring.

8.      Mandatory reduced emission completions (no ‘feasibility’ or ‘minimization’ clauses).

9.      Mandatory pre and post drilling air, water, and soil monitoring.

10.  Mandatory leak detection and compliance plan.

11.  Mandatory use of best practices for capturing emissions.