News Is Fracking Causing Political Divides in Red and Blue States?

[D H]

There's a new lawsuit against fracking in Texas. Apparently the cranky plaintiffs don't want a fracking water tower built in their back yards and don't want the noise pollution and water pollution that will inevitably result from the subsequent fracking operations.

So is this just another lawsuit motivated by left wing opponents to fracking? No, it's not. The plaintiffs are Richard K. and Susan D. Armey; Bar RR Ranches, LLC and its owners, Rex and Renda Tillerson; et. al. Dick Armey -- he was one of the key architects of the "Republican Revolution" that changed Texas from a blue state to a red state. Dick Armey voted NO on raising CAFE standards; NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR, NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol. He has repeatedly advocated for exploring proven energy reserves and thereby keeping energy prices low.

Rex Tillerson -- He's the CEO of Exxon-Mobil. Exxon-Mobil has profited massively from fracking, but apparently not if those fracking operations involve the CEO's back yard.


The lawsuit: http://www.scribd.com/doc/208446910/Water-Tower-Lawsuit

This is a bit too hypocritical even for Forbes and the Wall Street Journal: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickung...but-frack-it-in-his-own-backyard-and-he-sues/ and http://online.wsj.com/news/articles...0001424052702304899704579391181466603804.html

 

[edward]

Over the rears I have come to realize that everyone is a NIMBY if, (it)= most anything, is actually going to be in their back yard.

 

[russ_watters]

NIMBY truly knows no political bounds, but I for one and quite happy to have a couple of nuclear plant cooling towers in view from my bedroom window.

What I like less is the piece of HVAC equipment on the roof of an industrial plant a half a mile away, currently keeping me up. Sound ordinances are what they are and there shouldn't be a need for a lawsuit unless they aren't being followed.

Someone really should explain to this guy the concept of shooting yourself in the foot though...

...on the other hand, doesn't this hurt frivolous anti-fracking protesters just as much?

 

[mheslep]

There's a new lawsuit against fracking in Texas...

In the 30 page lawsuit, there is a one sentence tangential mention of possible "noise nuisance and traffic" from fracking trucks on a nearby road (pg 17). The suit is almost entirely about the visual impact of a permanent 160' water tower under construction immediately adjacent the plaintiff's property, which the plaintiff claims are in violation of preexisting zoning and other agreements.

The WSJ reporter also states:

...Mr. Tillerson, 61 years old, moved to Bartonville in 2001 and became CEO in 2006. Since 2007, companies have fracked at least nine shale wells within a mile of the Tillerson home, according to Texas regulatory and real-estate records.

Neither the WSJ story or the lawsuit claim there will be inevitable water pollution from fracking.

The other reference is not from a Forbes reporter, but a self-labeled op/ed from Ungar, the self-labeled leftist comic book executive.

 

[SteamKing]

In a similar fight, there is an on-going campaign against constructing an offshore wind-farm in Nantucket Sound:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/23/u...fight-over-wind-farm.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

It's one of the few issues on which red and blue folks agree.