Abbott signs bill preventing cities from passing fracking bans, oil and gas regs

[TexasTowelie]

AUSTIN – Texas cities can no longer pass fracking bans or any other type of oil and gas regulations.

As expected, Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday signed a bill that prohibits local governments to pass oil and gas ordinances, like the fracking ban Denton voters approved in November.

“This bill is so incredibly important,” Abbott said at the signing ceremony for House Bill 40, the so-called “Denton fracking bill.”

“For one, it does a profound job of helping to protect private property rights here in the state of Texas, ensuring those that in their local property they are not going to have the heavy hand of regulation,” Abbott said.

Read more: http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2015-05-18/abbott-signs-bill-preventing-cities-passing-fracking-bans-oil-and-gas-regs#comment-371332

[louis-t]

1. It has begun.....

[elehhhhna]

3. they are removing the heavy hand of representative democracy

And I think we should start fraking the Woodlands and River Oaks.

That would be a hoot.

[SusanCalvin]

4. If only. nt

[Gothmog]

2. This was expected

Abbott is an idiot who is in the pocket of the oil and gas industry

[DhhD]

5. City of Dallas has a fracking ban. What happens when frackers remove water from under

the Austin Chalk under downtown Dallas, under those skyscrapers, and we have a 5.6 earthquake due to more fracking and subsidence?

Houston has sank several inches due to subsidence over the last decade or two.

Everywhere south and east of the Balcones Fault structures and the North American Continental Craton, are slipping and tipping southeastward due to subsidence. Frackers are drilling their own water wells leaving the aquifers in the basins at a much lower level so the land above subsides over time. Don't forget about the failed rifts and rifts valleys near the boundary of the carton under the Dallas Fort Worth area.

Who will be responsible for the damages? My guess is the State of Texas and taxpayers will pick up the overhead losses so energies companies can rake in the profits.

Will Denton County remain Red/Republican after the next election of Texas Legislators?