This morning I got a comment from Anonymous. I believe it being the same Anonymous which I blogged about last night regarding me being clueless regarding how it is water is being taken from the Trinity River by natural gas drillers.This morning Anonymous said...
I personally believe that you should take the time to find the field supervisor and discuss w/ them as a whole of what you think is going on at the Trinity River-there are permits posted...if you have issues pick up the phone and call Express Energy and then let the Manager over that division explain what is REALLY going on! You also didn't take the time to go look at the permits that are posted on the pumps....where are THOSE pictures?! You also didn't include the picture once the plastic was replaced BEFORE the job was started. Educate yourself before pointing fingers, if you need that education on what is actually going on then go work a day in the field w/ these guys and maybe then you will better understand it all.
Anonymous says there are permits posted on the pumps and that the plastic oil barrier with the holes has been replaced. I'd taken the pictures of the pumps 2 days ago. I saw no permits. I did not believe the plastic oil buffer had been replaced.
So, I took off out of here, braving the extreme cold, to take pictures off all sides of one of the pumps. And to see if the plastic had been replaced.Well, imagine my shock when I found there were no permits posted on the pumps. And it was easy to find tears, voids and problems with the, obviously unreplaced, plastic oil buffer. Anonymous now has absolutely no credibility and is obviously either a propaganda shill for the City of Fort Worth or the gas drillers. Or both.
And in a further Orwellian Big Brother element. Just as I'd finished taking my pictures and had put the camera away, a white Express Energy truck popped into view at the top of the levee, just as I started to climb back up there. A guy got out of the truck, walking towards me. I said howdy.
He then whipped out his phone. I continued walking. Fast. I reached into my pocket and got out my camera, turned it on, turned around and took a picture, but all I got was the truck. The guy on the phone must have gone down the bluff to check on the pumps.
But, he was back on the top of the levee, just as I was again putting my camera away. I saw he was still on his cell phone. I then got out my cell phone and, as I quickly walked back to my vehicle, I called my operative at Home Base and told the operative to stay on the line til I was safely out of there. I told my operative if I gave the word, to call 911, and tell the police you were seeing a bunch of guys beating up someone at the Beach Street Boathouse.As I continued walking, the guy in the Express Energy truck sped by at high speed on the paved Trinity Trail that forbids motorized vehicles. By the time I was a couple hundred feet from my vehicle I saw 2 more trucks pull in. One pulled in right in front of my vehicle.
When I reached my vehicle the first Express Energy truck was blocking me from behind, the other from the front. That first guy I saw was still on the phone, as was I. I acted like I was counting something and said the license number of one of the trucks to my operative on the phone.
The first guy then signaled the other to back off. I zoomed out of there and hurried back here. The first picture, above, was that picture I told you I took of the truck. The next 2 pictures are views of sides of one of the pumps. I'm going to show you several views, covering the entire pump, showing you that Big Brother Anonymous lied. There are no permits posted.
Another pump view.
And another. Seeing any permits? Me either.
Still no permits. Why would Anonymous lie so flagrantly? A lie so easily exposed.
A hole in the plastic oil barrier that Anonymous claims has been replaced.
Notice how the plastic oil barrier does not quite cover the entire area under the pump that I took pictures of on all sides.
A rather large hole in the plastic oil barrier.How did that Express Energy guy know to speed down the no motorized vehicle trail to check on a guy doing something there? Or am I just being paranoid and it was all a very weird co-incidence? The guy looked very hostile, to me, and certainly did not return my very friendly "Howdy," instead whipping out his cell phone.
Jovo, the Petro Scientist, pointed me to some other very strange Orwellian weirdness, but I've no energy right now to deal with that. I am still way too hyper-adrenalized by my strange encounter with Express Energy. That I have to get ready to go on my Ice Cold Bro-Date on the Tandy Hills.
You're a voice crying in the wilderness. Hey keep it up, you never know, it might do some good.
ReplyDeleteNot true Twister. There are more and more voices. We are getting louder. In the wilderness sometimes the hunter becomes the huntee - hear that Express? What about you Water District?
ReplyDeleteWere you trespassing?
ReplyDeleteDY---
ReplyDeleteYes. I was trespassing. On public land, on a public trail, in a public park.
That's what I thought, it was public domain that dear Durango trodded on. Maybe Anon knew the permits weren't posted, but didn't think you had the moral fortitude to call his bluff! Express Energy? Me thinks me smell a rat, eh?
ReplyDeleteThat's some aggressive intimidation! I'm linking to this on my blog.
ReplyDeleteHey, never wonder why they are lying. If their mouth is moving, they're lying.
For everyone trying to protect the Trinity as their source of water, some of the drillers in Wise County tell us they drill to the Trinity to pump out their water for fracking etc so that our Denton Creek water supply is not disturbed. Stories stories everywhere and lies abound.
ReplyDeleteI called the Trinity Ground Water Conservation District when a neighbor called me concerned that the mineral right owner, Herb Wright, who retained water rights in his lease, was drilling water wells and selling water to Aruba Petroeleum. The Trinity Ground Water Conservation District in Fort Worth, knew where I was already here in Wise County and said I should be concerned with loss of water.
When I addressed this possibility of loss of drinking water with the landman after he knocked down our fence and bulldozed our property without notice and waiting until no one was home, he said not to worry. They suck the water out of the Trinity, not Denton Creek (our drinking water well source)
Is this supposed to be a comfort? I think at some point we will all be fighting for the same diminishing water supply. Trinity, Denton Creek, whatever....
P.S. I reported the water well drilling to the Trinity Ground Water Conservation District on 09/14/2009. They said they would send out investigators the following day, 09/15/2009.
Our property was bulldozed on 09/16/2009 after we left for the day.
Coincidence???
Dango! That's kind of scary!!! I'm glad you're okay and that nothing happened to you. I think a pretty decent amount of people would have been upset to know something worse had happened to you.
ReplyDeleteNow, just so you know, on public land, and even on private land, the laws are this: if you can see it, you can photograph it. The ability to photograph something in the public eye is covered under the 1st Amendment. If they demand your film or what have you, you are under no legal requirement to do so. If they become hostile, you should call the police and have them come out to you. That can be aggravated assault or battering. Trust me, I don't think these companies want that kind of press. If they want to forcibly take your pictures from you, then you must TRY to get a name (we already know the company) and make sure you get any details you can. As soon as you turn over that film for fear of your life, call the police and file a report. You are then fully within your rights to sue for defamation of property and all kinds of other things. Dango, you're so brave!!! I am a bit of a chicken-wuss when it comes to these kinds of things.
PS: I love that you're using Orwellian terms because I happen to LOVE 1984 and use it often as a point of reference.
Jovan,
ReplyDeleteYou must have had an EXCELLENT English teacher, because I too...LOVE BIG BROTHER!!!
Unfortunately, we never got around to 1984 out in Wink, but it was my Little Brother who turned me onto that book back in the early 90s when he came down to New Orleans to live with me.
He'd always comment, "That was a Big Brother moment..." And of course...I'd want to know why. I've never stopped asking why and I hope I never do.
George Orwell's books were a huge part of my AP English classes. My G/T teachers always talked about him as well. I think everyone in Texas should read 1984. Might make people think a little harder about the government of Texas and more specifically, O&G companies with their doublespeak. Before you know it, we'll all be part of the outer party in an ingsoc world. O&G fails to remember that just like in 1984, and as history shows, the average, middle-class person is the most dangerous. They aren't keeping us happy with cigarettes or victory gin so they better be prepared.
ReplyDelete