Imagine That! Denton, TX Residents Worry City Gas Drilling Task Force Skewed To Industry

[hatrack]

Denton residents who were involved in the push for stronger gas drilling regulations last year say they fear the city’s proposed drilling task force is skewed in favor of the industry.

The proposed six-member task force — five people and a research firm — includes two people whose jobs are industry-funded. Other members include the city’s gas well administrator, an environmental researcher and an urban planner. Some advocates for stronger regulations said they’d hoped to see more independent experts and neighborhood-friendly voices on the panel, which will advise city leaders on the second phase of an ordinance overhaul.

“The primary makeup is oil and gas industry-related, whether they are subsidized by the oil and gas industry or whether they do testing for the oil and gas industry,” said Hatice Salih, who called for a drilling moratorium last year during an unsuccessful run for the City Council. “Obviously this group was put together to come up with ideas and ordinances and provisions that are going to be friendly to those industries.”

Key city officials were out of the office this week and unavailable to answer questions about the proposed task force, including whether the city would pay any members for their work, city spokesman John Cabrales said.

EDIT

http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_task_force_0707.430ef7e24.html

[damntexdem]

1. Well, many of us aren't no much worried that it is as convinced that it is.

No, our worry is about the fracking that will likely be fracking with our community.

And it is a nice university town (of about 100k) at the (current) north end of the DFW Metroplex.