Don't Allow French Conglomerate Total to Frack Next to Arlington Toddlers!

Mayor Ross, City Council Members, and Planning and Zoning Commissioners

A year after Arlington City Council rejected their attempt to frack near Mother’s Heart daycare center and several homes, French fracking company Total is once again applying for a permit from the city to drill for gas at the same AC360 site next to Mother’s Heart.

Make no mistake: putting gas wells near daycare centers exposes our children to serious potential health risks, including:


We can’t risk exposing children in our community to more toxic pollutants. Tarrant County already has the highest rate of childhood asthma in the nation and a high rate of birth defects.

Allowing drilling near Mother’s Heart and the surrounding neighborhood would subject a community of color that is already facing many challenges to increased health risks from pollution. The gas wells would operate in a neighborhood with primarily residents of color and high poverty rates. These are the same populations who are at a greater risk of suffering economic and health impacts from the pandemic and disproportionately suffer from the impacts of oil and gas pollution.

When we mobilized a letter campaign against Total’s efforts to drill near Mother’s Heart last year, the Mayor and City Council made the right decision to reject the permit in a 6-3 vote. They recognized the public health risks and that the drilling would disproportionately harm little children and community members of color in Arlington.

Our elected officials know fracking is bad for the community - As one city council member told the news outlet Reveal, “As a council, we are aware that fracking is not a desirable activity any longer in a city.”

We need you to tell City Council and the Mayor to say NO to allowing Total to frack near the Mother’s Heart daycare and to reject any new permits at drill sites next to daycares!

If you live in Arlington, add your name and address to the petition now! Please also consider explaining why you believe Arlington toddlers should be protected from fracking pollution by adding your own custom comment to the petition.

Once you’ve signed the petition, share it widely with your friends and family members in Arlington.


Sponsored by

To: Mayor Ross, City Council Members, and Planning and Zoning Commissioners
From: [Your Name]

We have learned that Total has applied once again for a Special Use Permit to drill gas wells and hydraulic fracture at the AC360 site behind Mother’s Heart Learning Center, a daycare serving young children, and several dozen homes in east Arlington.

Last year, City Council listened to hundreds of community members concerned about the public health impacts and prioritized the safety of Arlington children by voting 6-3 to deny Total’s permit application at the same site.

We the undersigned strongly urge you to honor the last council’s decision to protect our children, and again deny Total the permit to drill at the AC360 site and to commit to rejecting any new gas well drilling and hydraulic fracture permits near daycares in Arlington.

If permitted to drill new gas wells at the AC360 site, Total will be exposing children at the Mother's Heart Learning Center to numerous and dangerous toxic emissions.
The daycare lies just north of the drill site. The drill site’s tank batteries are clearly visible from the playground. The playground is directly north and downwind of the drill site. Toxic emissions will blow over the fence and put the children in harm's way.

Allowing drilling near Mother’s Heart and the surrounding neighborhood would subject a community of color that is already facing many challenges to increased health risks from pollution. The gas wells would operate in a neighborhood with primarily residents of color and high poverty rates, the same groups that send their children to Mother’s Heart. These are the populations who are at a greater risk of suffering economic and health impacts from the pandemic, and disproportionately suffer from the impacts of oil and gas pollution.

Although the City of Arlington mandates a 600 ft. setback from homes, schools, daycares, and other protected uses, public health research has shown that 600 ft. is highly inadequate and presents potentially severe health risks. Studies have shown the dangerous chemicals that escape during the fracking process worsen air quality and pose health risks for those exposed: especially children, pregnant women, the fetus, the elderly, and the sick, and recommend one mile setbacks for little children from drilling.

Make no mistake: putting gas wells near daycare centers exposes our children to serious potential health risks. Studies show that gas well drilling is associated with increases in preterm births, low birth weight, and congenital heart disease. Studies in Texas have shown higher rates of childhood asthma associated with drilling and fracking. Similar research studies have shown significantly increased odds of hospitalizations in children with asthma near drilling and fracking sites. A Yale research team also demonstrated that carcinogens involved in fracking operations have the potential to contaminate both air and water in nearby communities in ways that may increase the risk of childhood leukemia.

We can’t risk exposing children in our community to more toxic pollutants. Tarrant County already has the highest rate of childhood asthma in the nation and a high rate of birth defects.

In addition, emissions from fracking are linked to an increase in ground-level ozone and higher ozone levels are linked to higher mortality from lung and heart disease. The Dallas Fort Worth region has not been in compliance with federal ozone or smog standards for decades.

With over 30,000 Arlington children attending school and thousands more attending daycare near drilling sites, expanding gas well drilling near Arlington children will only increase the danger to their health, their futures, and the ability of our community to thrive.

We ask that Arlington prioritize the health and safety of our children by denying the permit to drill near Mother’s Heart and by allowing no more new gas wells near daycares.

With a NO vote you can protect Arlington's children from the health risks associated with gas well drilling and fracking. We strongly urge you to vote NO.

Thank you for your consideration.