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As a resident of El Paso, Texas, I am concerned about the threat of water contamination, health and environmental damage to our community if Hydraulic Fracturing is permitted in the our area and/or areas near our water supply. Unfortunately, The University of Texas System has leased over a hundred thousand acres to Torchlight Energy Resources, Inc. for the sole purpose of fracking.
Fracking endangers the health, safety and welfare of people, pollutes the air and ground, results in rising crime and social and medical costs, utterly destroys ecosystems and permanently contaminates underground aquifers with toxic compounds and consumes billions of gallons of water.
Due to an overwhelming scientific consensus regarding methane contamination of water supplies and additional threats posed by the process, to include:
*Companies using fracking fluid have resisted disclosing the contents of fracking fluid, claiming the information is proprietary. However, samples from well sites indicate that the fluid contains: formaldehyde, acetic acids, citric acids, and boric acids, among hundreds of other contaminants.
*It has recently come to light that, despite the illegality of the action, companies have been caught using diesel fuel in the fracking fluid.
*Fracking removes millions of gallons of precious freshwater from the water cycle.
*Each well uses between two and five million gallons of locally-sourced freshwater which will be permanently contaminated by ground contaminants and toxic chemicals contained in the fracking fluid.
About half of this water returns to the surface, where it is stored in steel containers until it can be injected deep underground in oil & gas waste wells.
*The toxic water used to frack remains underground, and this toxic cocktail makes its way back into the water supply.
*Fracking causes a range of environmental problems.
*At least eight other states have reported surface, ground, and drinking water contamination due to fracking.
*In states like Pennsylvania, over 1,400 environmental violations have been attributed to deep gas wells utilizing fracking practices.
*Pollution from truck traffic, chemical contamination around storage tanks, and habitat fragmentation and damage from drilling to environmentally sensitive areas have are all related to fracking.
I urge our community's elected officials to take action. We would like to present a Resolution to Ban Hydraulic Fracking:
*Monday, April 20th @ 9:30am @ El Paso County Commissioners @ Court House, Room 303
*Tuesday, April 21st @ 8am @ El Paso City Council @ 300 N. Campbell
*Wednesday, April 22nd @ 12pm UTEP Union ::: EARTH DAY ACTION!
I would ask that you consider enacting this Resolution banning Hydraulic Fracturing on any property that the county and state owns, maintains or leases, at least until the EPA has completed environmental analyses and appropriate regulations have been imposed to protect our health and safety.
This Resolution, like those passed by other communities in our area, would result in the oil and gas industry being unable to use hydraulic fracturing procedures under the roadways maintained with our tax dollars and would send a message to citizens in our community that hydraulic fracturing is unsafe and under-regulated.
Also, to support our the growing voices against fracking, please sign the petition to UT System against their lease to TorchLight Energy, a fracking company.
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
El Paso Residents
Hudspeth Residents
The West Texas Water ProtectionFund
El Paso Naturally
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