The City Of Fort Worth Was Recognized For What?

Baffling incoming info from Don Young this morning. Something called the North Texas Clean Air Clean Air Coalition named Fort Worth as a Clean Air Champion and as the 2008 Working for Clean Air Fleet Operations Employer of the Year. Wow, that's a mouthful.

In foundationless type verbiage usually seen in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram the City of Fort Worth official website had the following opening sentence in their article about being an air pollution champion---"The City of Fort Worth prides itself on taking the lead in reducing air pollution."

How did someone ascertain that Fort Worth prides itself on this that or the other thing? I live in Fort Worth. I don't pride myself regarding Fort Worth taking the lead in anything, let alone reducing air pollution.

Regarding Fort Worth's air pollution, new research by The Emissions Inventory (EDF) conducted by Dr. Al Armendariz, Prof. of SMU's Environmental and Civil Engineering Dept. and announced at various university and public lectures in the past few weeks has a radically different view of Fort Worth's air pollution.

As in.....

--Toxic emissions of, NOx (Nitrogen oxide) and VOC's (hydrocarbons), directly attributable to gas drilling, are equal to ALL the motorized vehicles in the 9 county Metroplex, including Dallas.

--Barnett Shale drilling produces 262 tons per day of these pollutants.

--This does NOT include "fugitive emissions" which would at least EQUAL the NOx and VOC's.

--Nor does this include many other toxic pollutants such as, CO2 and NORM.

--This study does NOT include impacts on water supplies or other issues of human health and safety or environmental degradation caused by gas drilling.

--VOC's released into the environment can damage soil and groundwater.

--All contribute to global warming.

Does the City of Fort Worth, led by Mayor Mike Moncrief and his staff deserve recognition for cleaning up the air?

Consider this and draw your own conclusions:

--The City of FW has permitted about 300 NEW gas wells in 2008, alone.
--The city continues to issue new permits at the rate of approx. 30 per week.
--The total number of permitted gas wells in the city limits is near 1,500.
--Up to 7,000 gas wells are projected to be drilled inside the city limits of FW.
--The human population of Fort Worth is approx. 700,000.