Arlington (TX) Residents Demand a Public Hearing for New Drilling
Arlington City Council and Mayor
.png)
City staff in Arlington, Texas, are planning to approve 6 new methane gas wells at French fracking giant Total Energies' Truman site without notifying the neighborhood or holding a public hearing.
The site, located at 310 N. Collins St., is surrounded by neighboring homes, a mobile home park, and an apartment complex in a vulnerable, underserved community of color. Kooken Educational Center and AISD Athletics and Visual and Performing Arts Centers are nearby.
Data indicates that of the affected residents near the proposed wells, more than 80% are people of color, half do not have a high school diploma, 2/3rds do not meet federal poverty guidelines, and 10% of the residents are children under 5.
Exposure to fracking is linked to birth defects and to a tripling of childhood leukemia risk.
The community around Truman is already in the highest percentile for Air Toxics Cancer Risk (95-100th percentile) nationally. Permitting these new gas wells will compound the existing pollution, health, and economic burdens this neighborhood already faces, making this an egregious case of environmental injustice.
Take action now to help protect Arlington’s most vulnerable residents. Tell Council not to rubber stamp these permits in a backroom deal, but rather to have a public hearing with a transparent and open process before making any decisions. Council should allow Arlington residents to submit their comments and relevant research before making any final decision regarding these permits.
Personalize Your Action Letter
• Note if you live in the affected neighborhood or visit the nearby athletic, education, or performing arts center.
• Mention if your family is affected by asthma or other ailments exacerbated by pollution.
Thank you for taking action to keep our community safe.
Ranjana Bhandari, Executive Director
Liveable Arlington
Sponsored by
To:
Arlington City Council and Mayor
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
I have recently learned that City staff are about to approve Total Energies’ application to frack twelve new methane gas wells at 310 North Collins St. in Arlington without giving the neighborhood proper notice or a public hearing.
The drilling site is located near the AISD Athletics Center, the AISD Center for Visual and Performing Arts, and the Kooken Education Center. This means these wells will be placed in a site close to where children study, recreate, and play.
It is my understanding that Arlington has one of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the nation. Additionally, according to a recent Yale study, children 2-7 years of age face 3 times the leukemia risk when they live near fracking operations. To think that city leaders would add to this childhood health problem in our area is quite disturbing.
Furthermore, the Truman site is a low income, community of color. Numerous homes, apartments, and mobile home parks are adjacent to this site. The idea that city staff would approve a permit which will only add to the poor air quality, health and economic hardships of this neighborhood is a matter of environmental injustice.
Therefore, I urge you to immediately halt this permitting process. City staff should issue a notice and the opportunity of a public hearing so the residents’ voices can be heard. Arlington residents deserve an open and transparent government. That’s the least you can do for the community.
Thanks you for your consideration and understanding,
Sincerely,