1-19-08

1-19-08: Letter from Rita Vinson

Forwarded blind to BOHN neighbors (new list) and nonresident BOHN property owners with CC: task force negotiating team:

Today, Jan. 19, there is a Fort Worth Star-Telegram article by Jim Fuquay about our Greater Meadowbrook Mineral Leasing Task Force. It is in the "Work & Money" section, subheading "Barnett Shale Leases" on page 1C and jumps to back page 6C and is titled "Group is asking for big bonus and royalty." It is probably available on line, too.

It mostly quotes from the Jan. 11 letter we mailed to the gas companies, which I have already forwarded to you. It gave the statistics on the size of our area; however it didn't point out that we are, by far, the largest residential area to come together to seek a lease--and that is why we are projecting a big bonus and royalty.

The Fort Worth League of Neighborhoods asked the City to impose a moratorium on issuing new gas well permits until the newly formed task force does it work of recommending changes to the FW gas ordinance. The City did not do so. There are three classes of permits: rural (more than 1,000 feet from houses, etc.), high-impact (less than 600 feet from houses, etc.) and urban (600 to 1,000 feet from houses, etc.) I believe the City should impose a moratorium, at least on high-impact well permits, and I believe we should oppose the approval of any during this time.

Meanwhile, on Jan. 17 the FW Star-Telegram published ll legal notices for gas well permits, 5 of which are for high-impact well permits and all 5 are by Chesapeake. These legal notices, each in a separate "box," are printed on pages 5B, 6B, and 7B of the "Fort Worth" section of the newspaper. (P. S. Thanks to Gene Kuhler for calling this to my attention.) I think the neighborhoods should send representatives to the City Council's public hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m., to oppose these high-impact permit applications.

The legal notices also mentioned that some public information meetings on gas well drilling and permitting will be held:

1. Thursday, Jan. 24, at 6:30 p.m., Deborah Beggs-Moncrief Garden Botanical Gardens, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd.

2. Thursday, Feb. 28, at 6:30 p.m., Hillside Community Center, Maddox Avenue, Mapsco 90R

I don't know why the Chesapeake legal notices referenced the public information meeting to be held Feb. 28, not the earlier one on Jan. 24, which precedes the City Council public hearing on Feb. 5.

Rita M. Vinson, President

Brentwood-Oak Hills Neighborhood (BOHN) Association

817-451-4907 home

817-368-6317 cell