It's Earth Day. It's good that there is a day to remind some that it is important to be kinder to Mother Earth. However that "some" are already in the choir singing about environmentalism and conservation. Hopefully more join the choir each Earth Day each year. The real work though happens the other 364 days of the year. That's especially critical now in the State of Texas which is sponsored by the oil and gas industry and whose legislators for the most part are bought and paid for by the oil and gas industry.
Forget the will of voters in local municipalities. In last November's election, the people of Denton, Texas voted to ban fracking in their town. Now House Bill 40 is racing through the legislature. That bill will ban bans. According to Nicholas Sakilaris: "The controversial bill gives the Texas Railroad Commission authority to preempt city laws when it comes to subsurface oil and gas operations, including hydraulic fracking." Read Bill that would ban fracking bans breezes through the Texas House.
What you should also read is the public relations propaganda put out by the Texas Oil and Gas Association. (Let's call them "Lola" as in "whatever Lola wants, Lola gets.") Be sure that you watch the video. George Orwell could not have done better.
Despite the above bad news, the El Paso Commissioners Court seems poised to pass an anti-fracking resolution. Judge Veronica Escobar favors it and the matter will come to a vote at next week's meeting.
elpasonaturally has just learned that the ordinance favoring Clear Channel's wish to continue their light pollution has been postponed for four weeks. That's great news because it means more time to email your City Council Representative. Just remember to do it.
You can continue to get updates here at elpasonaturally naturally.
Marcia Turner reminds us that our action is needed TODAY.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21st, City Council will discuss and vote on item 17.1 on the agenda. This item reads as follows:
17.1.
An Ordinance amending Title 18, Chapter 18.18 (Outdoor Lighting Code) Of the City Code by amending Chapter 18.19.310 (Nonconformance) to add an exception for upward directed sign lighting for off premise signs and by amending Chapter 18.18.120 (Externally Illuminated Sign Standards) to provide for an exception for upward directed sign lighting. The penalty being as provided in Section 18.02.111 (Violations And Penalties) of the El Paso City Code.
Marcia reports: "'off premise signs' means billboards. Clear Channel is asking for an exemption from our Outdoor Lighting Code (Dark Sky Ordinance). They are requesting permission to continue using upward directed lights on their billboards.
"They are also requesting a one year extension to change their lights to LED. LED lights produce the same amount of light pollution as the current lights, but will save the company money."
Clear Channel has had 10 years to comply with the current dark sky ordinance. 10 Years!
You can email your City Council Representative and tell her or him to vote NO. Verbiage for your email can be found HERE in red. Or you can just express your disapproval of item 17.1. Tell them "NO LIGHT POLLUTION. Clear Channel must comply."
Your representaive's email is as follows:
District 1 Ann Morgan Lilly lillyam@elpasotexas.gov
District 2 Larry Romero romerol@elpasotexas.gov
District 3 Emma Acosta acostaea@elpasotexas.gov
District 4 Carl Robinson robinsoncl@elpasotexas.gov
District 5 Michiel Noe noem@elpasotexas.gov
District 6 Claudia Ordaz ordazc@elpasotexas.gov
District 7 Lily Limon limonl@elpasotexas.gov
District 8 Cortney Niland nilandcc@elpasotexas.gov
The Mayor Oscar Leeser morenotl@elpasotexas.gov
Tell your friends to email their representatives also. Give them the link to this post at www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com.
To learn more about light pollution and the benefits of "dark sky" read Paul Bogard's The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light." Just click on the book icon at the top of the right column.
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A message from EPCC Environmental Specialist, Mayra Cordero-Villalobos:
El Paso Community College Recycling Program in conjunction with KEPB and many other wonderful organizations will be celebrating Earth Day in the month of April.
We are aware of the importance of reminding people, not only about recycling, but conserving all our resources as well as taking care of our health, in one word: SUSTAINABILITY! That is why we would love for EVERYBODY to join us at these FREE great events. Attached and below is the flyer.
Don’t forget to bring old clothes, which will be donated to people in need, and electronic waste, this includes any TV's, appliances, computers, printers, cell phones, home phones, anything you can plug into an electrical socket to RECYCLE and everybody participates in the door prizes such a 40’’ TV, gift cards, and free food!
We look forward to work together for a GREENER & healthier community!
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Dear El Paso Elected Officials,
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
