Denton City Council approves gas drilling near residential areas

by Scott McBride of North Texas Daily

Hours of opposition from Denton residents and UNT students failed to prevent the Denton City Council from approving gas drilling near residential areas Tuesday.

The council voted 6-1 in favor of a special permit to allow Range Resources Co. to build as many as five gas wells on the 400-acre Rayzor Ranch development near McKenna Park.

The council tried to persuade the company to build the wells elsewhere, but state law mandates access to oil and natural gas for mineral owners. The permit does include 21 conditions designed to alleviate residents’ concerns over pollution, traffic, and noise.

“We can be, and we are, a good neighbor,” said David Poole, general counsel for Range Resources.

The permit’s conditions include walls to shield the community from noise and a processing system that would reduce pollution.

Poole said the proposed wells would bring money to Denton through taxes on the property.

“We’ve explained the safety measures we’ve taken,” Poole said. “The environmental protection measures we take to protect the ground water and the minimal impact we have on air emissions.”

But many residents remained unconvinced.

“I don’t want to see the pollution and noise and deterioration of the property values that well will bring, across the street from a beautiful city park,” said Ron Watson, a Denton resident.

Students protest

The UNT chapter of the International Socialist Organization protested the meeting in front of City Hall. About 15 members displayed a sign reading “No Gas Wells At Our Park.”

During the proceedings, there were occasional outbursts from the crowd. When Poole said he was unaware of any known health risks associated with gas wells, a member of the crowd shouted “cancer,” prompting Mayor Mark Burroughs to admonish the audience.

Andrew Teeter, a member of the organization and Panhandle Street resident, said gas wells would pollute the air.

“That’s considered reckless endangerment of public health and safety,” Teeter said. “That’s the lawsuit that people will file later on when they have leukemia from living on Bonnie Brae Street.”

Charles Wahlert, a Denton resident and practicing physician, produced a petition from health care providers opposing the wells.

“It looks like a done deal that you’re going to approve a heavy industrial project right across the street,” Wahlert said.

A rock and a hard place

Mayor Burroughs, attempting to placate those in opposition, pointed out that Range Resources voluntarily agreed to one site for drilling, although the original zoning would have permitted more.

He said the council added conditions to the permit during the negotiation process to address public concerns.

Burroughs also said a fear of lawsuits didn’t influence the council’s decision.

“It’s not a fear of lawsuits that defines what we have,” Burroughs said. “We don’t operate with unlimited power. The history of the state of Texas prefers mineral owners over surface owners. It’s just a fact of Texas.”