By Lauren Silverman, KERA NEWS
DENTON, TEXAS–Denton could take another step today toward becoming the only Texas city to permanently ban hydraulic fracturing. KERA’s Lauren Silverman reports tonight’s public hearing is drawing national and international attention.
The city of Denton sits above the Barnett Shale, one of the country’s largest natural gas fields. There are nearly 300 active gas wells within city limits said to have produced a billion dollars in mineral wealth.
But citizens filed a petition in May with nearly 2,000 signatures forcing a city council vote on a fracking ban. Resident Cathy McMullen, who helped organize the initiative, says in the past month, Denton has been inundated with people employed by outside opposition.
CATHY: “It’s hard being the first, and what’s making it particularly hard for us is that the fracking is [already] there. We’re trying to get it out.”
If the council doesn’t approve the ban, it will go to voters in the November ballot.
Which is exactly what McMullen expects to happen.
CATHY: “They’re telling me that they cannot pass it because it has to go before the voters.”
Industry groups say a fracking ban could cost the city up to a quarter billion dollars over the next decade. Ed Ireland is the president of the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council.
IRELAND: “The activities associated with drilling and producing wells is one of the strongest economic engines in north Texas. So any banning of the activity would have significant negative economic implications.”
Ireland says if Denton adopts a fracking ban, it’s unclear whether it would hold up in court.
IRELAND: “It certainly wouldn’t be a good thing to occur, however, I think the legality of it would certainly come into question. So, if the ordinance happened to be adopted the story is not ended at that point.”
Even if the ban doesn’t pass, McMullen hopes the attention forces industry to adopt more environmentally friendly techniques, such as vapor recovery units, lined frack pits and electric motors. She also wants air monitoring and set hours for when any drilling activity can occur.
CATHY: “So the process they do use, when they use it, it won’t be ideal for the environment and the people around it, but it can be done better.”
City leaders expect a large crowd Tuesday for the public hearing in Denton, which will began at 6:30 pm. Lauren Silverman, KERA News.
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