Sunday, May 04, 2008

Will Gas And Greed Ruin Fort Worth ?


It hasn't been too many years ago that the downtown area of Fort Worth was in trouble. Most people were doing their shopping in malls in other areas of town, and after dark, the downtown looked more like a ghost town than a thriving city. But city officials and developers got together to re-vitalize downtown. Sundance Square was developed, and gave a shot in the arm to the whole downtown.

With a re-modeled convention center at the south end of downtown, a plan for a community college at the north end of downtown along with the Trinity River Project, and Sundance Square between them, it looked like Fort Worth was finally turning the corner. The downtown area was once again attracting both shopping and entertainment dollars. It was becoming a fun place to go.

That's what makes this story so puzzling. Just as Fort Worth's downtown is becoming a viable, fun and increasingly beautiful place, it looks like the greed for gas dollars may ruin it all. Contracts have now been signed that will allow the drilling for natural gas under Sundance Square, and other downtown landowners are negotiating to do the same.

The wells would be located at the edges of downtown, with one of them just a few blocks from the Convention Center and Interstate 30. Another would be located near the new community college and Trinity River Project. Is this really the kind of thing they want visitors to Fort Worth to be greeted by -- the dirty and dangerous drilling sites?

The landowners say they were careful to pick the "cleanest" drilling company. That's a bit like picking the cleanest mudhole. All drilling sites are dirty and dangerous, and our Republican-dominated Texas Railroad Commission cannot be counted on to make the drillers obey the few laws that exist.

It was bad enough that contracts for drilling were being signed in residential districts all across Fort Worth. Now with the drillers going after downtown also, it looks like things are getting out of hand. It looks like greed is now more important than civic pride and responsibility.

Although my job has moved me to the Panhandle, I lived over 20 years in Tarrant County and grew to love Fort Worth. It is one of Texas' greatest cities.

I just hate to see them taking a giant step backwards after all they have accomplished.

2 comments:

  1. As much as I like having the check from the oil company in my hands, I dunno if I'd feel so happy about it if my land was in downtown rather than worthless scrub-covered hill country land. I have no problem with someone drilling a well on my property -- that's good money out of worthless land -- but if my land was worth something? Hmm...

    - Badtux the Gassy Penguin

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  2. It makes me so sad to see what's happening in Fort Worth. I grew up and lived there until 12 years ago. Maybe we crossed paths sometime.

    About that scrub in hill country: I hope you don't need any water there. Look what happened to these folks:
    Water Foul

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