By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-874285.mp3
Dallas, TX –
A new group addressing Barnett Shale gas drilling is planning a region-wide kickoff meeting next month.
About 60 people attended the first organizational meeting of the North Central Texas Communities Association in Fort Worth this week.
The group's Esther McElfish says it's time to pool resources to solve some serious problems.
McElfish: Whether it's air quality, water, the pipelines, restrictions on eminent domain, it's multi-faceted. And people have just been overwhelmed. The many people who have dealt with this issues have decided to come together so that we can work on some positive solutions.
McElfish says the first issue is the pipeline route on Carter Avenue in Fort Worth. Initial plans called for it to run under the front yards of 30 homes. Negotiations between Chesapeake Energy, TxDot and others "may" place the line along I-30 instead.
The next Communities Association meeting will be January 7th