In January 2011 TCE helped convince the Dallas City Council to delay hydro-fracking permits until the city ordinance could be strengthened and to appoint a task force to make recommendations on how to improve the ordinance. This task force was created in June 2011 and issued its recommendations to the City Council in March 2012. Now TCE is making sure we hold the City Council accountable to accepting the best recommendations for the people of Dallas—not the industry. Other cities and towns in the D/FW Metroplex have shown by experience that strong public health and saftey protections are a must.

TCE is hosting weekly meetings in our D/FW office to keep Dallas residents involved in this issue! Meetings are every Tuesday evening at 6PM, at 3303 Lee Parkway #402, Dallas TX 75219. Contact Zac Trahan at 214-599-7840 or zac (at) texasenvironment.org for more! TCE also has a number of documents and informational articles available if you'd like to learn more details:

The Five Key Protections that must be included in the final Dallas ordinance

A sample resolution so your group or organization can endorse the Five Key Protections

Instructions for contacting your City Council Member on this issue

How to find out who your City Council Member is

A quick link to email Mayor Rawlings and all the Dallas City Council Members

Our downloadable fact sheet on hydro-fracking and what it could mean for Dallas

Dallas Morning News coverage on gas drilling

Articles on a recent study showing pollution exposure and health risks for people living near gas wells

Hydro-fracking is a method of natural gas extraction from shale deposits. Wells are drilled vertically into the shale and then horizontally across it. Small explosions crack the shale to release more gas, then millions of gallons of water mixed with chemicals and sand are pumped through the well to flood the natural gas out.

Hydro-fracking contaminates our air and water supplies in multiple ways: 1) The oil and gas industry is exempt from the Clean Air Act. 2) Drilling "mud" that is produced from hydro-fracking is toxic and wells can flare gas and chemicals. 3) Unlined frack pits evaporate harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into our air and leach harmful toxins into our soil. 4) Condensate tanks evaporate harmful VOCs into our air. 5) Trucks carry frack fluid to and from wells sites increasing auto emissions and causing more smog. 6) Harmful toxins that cannot be removed and gas leach into water supplies. Gas in well water can be lit on fire and the pressure from use in homes can cause explosions.

In the DFW area:

The City of Flower Mound has recently enacted the toughest gas drilling ordinance in the Metroplex. Well sites must be at least 1500 feet from homes, schools, religious institutions, public parks, and at least 750 feet from floodplains and public roads.

Grand Prairie halted sale of city water to gas companies for drilling purposes due to extreme drought. Arlington has placed some restrictions on water use by gas companies. Fort Worth, Euless, and D/FW Airport want gas companies to use reclaimed water that hasn't been treated for human or animal consumption.

Throughout Texas:

In the 2011 session, the Texas State Legislature approved a bill requiring gas companies to disclose the chemicals used in their fracking fluid to the Railroad Commission. Companies can apply for an exemption based on proprietary information. Texas is the first state to pass such a law.