Update September 22

Fellow Democrats,

The Texas Democratic Party will be hosting a fundraiser in Dallas County on Saturday September 28.

Fundraiser for the Texas Democratic Party 
with Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts 
& Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa

Saturday, September 28th 
at the Omni Dallas Hotel Trinity Ballroom One
555 South Lamar Dallas, TX 75202
Grassroots Reception 6:30 - 8:00 PM

Click here to RSVP

The TDP is aggressively trying to help areas of Texas that have not been worked or ignored to become more competitive so that we can turn the state blue.  But it takes a lot of money to make this happen.  I hope you will consider joining us next Saturdayand/or becoming a Sustaining Member of the Party. Go to  http://goo.gl/l2F7iZ  to sign up as a Sustaining Member.

The next Dallas County Executive Committee Meeting will be held Monday, September 23^rd, at 6:30 pm at the CWA hall.  At the meeting, you will be able to fill out an application for Precinct Chair. All existing Precinct Chairs will need to apply for the 2014 term. We have many Precinct Chair positions open in SD-16 also.  If you are interested, either of us would be happy to talk to you about serving as Precinct Chair. Precinct organization will be critical in 2014 to getting the vote out.

The next SDEC meeting will be held in Galveston on October 12.  Various rule changes have been proposed by the Rules Committee for consideration.   One important proposed rule change involves moving the Precinct Convention from the same day as the Primary to the date of the Senatorial Convention.  Another proposed rule change would allow Precinct Chairs to be appointed when the existing Precinct Chair has not been fulfilling his or her duties.  Several other proposed changes will be considered designed to revise our rules to comport with newly enacted state election laws.

In addition, we may be asked to vote on proposed resolutions to appear on the Democratic Primary Ballot in March.  Resolutions have been proposed dealing with a number of hot-button issues important to Texans such as:  marriage equality, global climate change, marijuana legislation, the Employment and Non-Discrimination Act, repeal of the death penalty, repeal of the Trans-vaginal Sonogram Law, affirm reproductive rights, legislation to deal with the effect of the Citizens United case, support for the Paycheck Fairness Act, opposition to Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking) and support for a living wage.

As always, we welcome your questions and input on these important upcoming matters. 

 

On another note, we are looking for candidates to run for office to the Texas State Legislature, if you or someone you know would make a great State Representative or State Senator, please let us know and we will be happy to speak to her/him and introduce them to others who may wish to help recruit them.  We are currently looking for candidates in HD 102, 113, 114 and 115, along with SD 16.  We cannot change the state unless Democrats run.  It is important to have candidates (and precinct chairs) to help drive up the vote for what will hopefully be Wendy Davis’ race for Governor.

Democratically yours,

Janice Schwarz and David Griggs

SD-16 Committee Representatives

DC Bus Trip to Rally Against Tar Sands Pipeline

Please respond directly to Rita Beving if interested.

From: Rita Beving <antiquerita@aol.com>
To: antiquerita@aol.com
Sent: Sun, January 27, 2013 3:45:59 PM
Subject: IMPORTANT: Want to go to DC and tell the Pres- no more tar sands?
Dear All,

As many of you know, I work the tar sands issue on Keystone and the Seaway tar sands pipelines with a variety of groups. There is a possibility that we will be organizing a bus to leave from Dallas and Austin to go to the Sun. Feb. 17th rally against the Keystone Pipeline, leaving on Thur. or Friday before the event. There has been an offer of this trip partially underwritten by Sierra/350.org.

This is billed to be the LARGEST tar sands/eco rally ever to get Obama to deny the northern segment of Keystone, and send a message if he is serious about the environment and climate change as noted in his inaugural speech. This may also be our opportunity to tell the Texas legislature that we don't like Keystone, that we want the Seaway's tar sands pipeline twinning stopped, and we need TX legislators to protect us with new laws on tar sands pipelines.

Please respond ASAP if you are remotely interested, as it will be interest that determines if this bus even happens. I need to tell the national groups holding this money in the next 72 hours if we have interest while we try and get logistics, etc.

If you respond-- this is not a commitment, but we need to know if folks want to/have the time to go. Know that if you go, that you will need to miss work at least Friday, Feb. 15 and Monday, Feb. 18.

We will figure out departures, etc. based on the response, and people's availability. We will also see if there is time to do something fun in DC aside from the rally.

This is all in the planning process, but here are two options as I need to price this bus early tomorrow (Mon) am.

A) We may originate in Dallas, stop in Austin for a press event to support our Texas landowners, pick up a few more folks, and continue onto DC. People from all over the state are welcome to join us on this bus trip-- we will need to work out the logistics.

B) Additionally, if there is the time to stop in East Texas on the way to DC, I will also check out that possibility... and conversely, if there is only interest from North Texas, we may work out a trip directly from the DFW area with a press hit on Seaway before we depart.

Thanks, and start getting back to me as soon as you see it. Forward it to your friends, colleagues, other orgs, etc. who may have folks who may want to join us.

Rita

National Day of Service and SDEC Update

National Day of Service is this Saturday January 19. Please see below for opportunities to get involved!

1)    Last year Metrocrest Democrats collected jars of peanut butter for the Metrocrest Food Bank. It was such a success they are doing it again.  Please ask everyone you know for a jar of peanut butter - drop it off at one of the 3 locations noted below between now and January 18. There is no need to call first, there will be a box or bag on the porch for you to place the peanut butter in. Let us know if you would like to help deliver it on the 19th. Drop-off locations: Val Smith 2120 Nob Hill, Carrollton; Greg Robinson 4026 Crestpark, Farmers Branch and Marsha Fishman 1275 Bradford, Coppell 75019. Contact - Marsha Fishman, marsha4obaba@tx.rr.com.

 

2)    In 2011, the Preston Hollow Democrats, working with the Preston Royal Library Friends, completed the update of the landscaping on the front and west side of the Preston Royal Library. Once again Preston Hollow Democrats will help clean-up the leaves and such around the front of the library. Coffee and light snacks will be served. Bring your own rake or similar gardening tool. PRESTON ROYAL LIBRARY is located on Royal Lane, West of Tollway in Dallas.  We will be working from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Now it's time for Spring clean-up. See you on Saturday, January 19th!

Contact – Katherine McGovern, ksm1119@sbcglobal.net

3)    Saturday Night Live at AIDS Interfaith Network (National Day of Service – Health) We will join the DFW Sisters in sponsoring a meal, goodie bags, and entertainment for approximately 40 clients of Dallas' AIDS Interfaith Network. You can volunteer by providing potluck items, paper plates, plastic utensils, napkins, socks, underwear, cold-weather gloves and hats, and/or toiletries. We also need 6 people to help set up, serve the meal, entertain, and clean up. Mary Warren is organizing this event.  Go to https://donate.2013pic.org/page/event/detail/4v74r to sign up. The event will be taking place from 3:00 to 7:00 pm.

 

4)     Upgrading Trails at Cedar Ridge Preserve

Please join the Dallas Sierra Club, Audobon and other friends of the environment for a National Day of Service Outing at the Cedar Ridge Preserve in Dallas to help upgrade some of the beautiful walking trails. The address is 7171 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75249. Its a great morning workout, and the scenery is exceptional. No tools are required, (maybe gloves) just show up and be ready to lend a hand or two. We'll work from 9 AM to 12 or so, and then walk around the preserve and admire the wildflowers and fauna! Bring some water for sure. Its on Saturday the 19th of January, 2013! Please see their website at www.audubondallas.org/cedarridge.html for directions and info. Their number is 972-709-7784 See you then! If you wish to carpool, then let me know, and we'll arrange a meeting spot. Start your new year right and stay green, people! Trip rated: Easy. Organizer: Ginger Bradley of Sierra Club. Send Email 469-223-7902

 

SDEC Update

 

As you know, the 83rd Texas Legislative Session started last week. The SDEC Legislative Committee, which David chairs, with the help and support of the TDP staff, will be monitoring the filing of bills in the next few weeks. As in the past, the Legislative Committee will recommend positions for and against certain legislation to the full SDEC for approval. The Party staff will be specifically monitoring legislation that affects candidates, election processes, and matters that impact Party affairs and governance. However, the committee will also be looking at other important bills dealing with issues which impact positions taken in our Platform. We are seeking your input on specific legislation or issues which need to be addressed about which you may have knowledge. Because of the short time frame for filing bills, please send in your comments soon to one of us so that your input can be shared with the Party staff who can in turn share with potential legislative sponsors.

 

David also serves on the "TDP Task Force for Common Sense About Gun Violence." He is the only SDEC member on the task force, which is composed of experts from law enforcement and gun groups, as well as Democratic elected officials from across the state. The task force had its first meeting in Austin last week, and will be meeting again at the end of the month. The purpose of the ad hoc group is to develop messaging for the Party to counter the GOP reaction with a comprehensive, common sense approach to the horrific events in Connecticut. The task force will also make recommendations for legislative solutions. If you have suggestions or ideas which you wish to be considered by the task force, please let us know.

 

As you know, there is no such thing as campaign season being over.  The work continues, even during odd numbered years.  Janice serves on the Campaign Committee which will be meeting on Saturday January 26.  The meeting will focus on minority outreach and candidate recruitment.  If you have ideas on either topic that you would like shared with the TDP, please respond back to us.

 

If you are planning to make the trip over to Washington, D.C., tickets are still available for the Inaugural Ball and other official events. Below is the link that includes all available tickets and RSVP information.

www.2013.org/Events

Democratically yours,

Janice Schwarz and David Griggs

Stop Fracking in the City of Dallas

Today through tomorrow noon, the Dallas Sierra Club is sponsoring a massive call-in to Dallas Mayor Mike Rawling's office to ask that the following SUP vote get withdrawn tomorrow (Thur.) at the 1:30 pm City Planning Commission hearing at Dallas Council Chambers (6th floor).

Despite a vote on Dec. 20th by the Dallas City Planning Commission to deny the Trinity East's Special Use Permit (SUP) without prejudice back to City Council, it is now back on the docket again. We have now since discovered that there would actually be a gas processing plant as part of this permit close to a school, a golf course, and a soccer complex where children and the community recreate.

It doesn't matter if you live in Dallas-- please call as these emissions will affect the entire Dallas air shed...the toxins from it will affect people for miles. This will affect DFW's ability to come into compliance with it's state air plan.

Call the Mayor's office at 214.670.4054 or fax him at 214.670.0648 as the Chair of the Planning Commission serves at the Mayor's pleasure and ask him to intervene in this process.

Next call the Chair Joe Alcantar of the Planning Commission at 214.670.3086 and make the same comments (you will get Yolanda- his assistant's answering machine) or copy your fax to him at 214.670.4210.

Points to be made:

A) This issue was decided in December and should not be revisited.

B) That this permit would expose a nearby soccer complex, golf course, and a school with other neighboring areas to deadly toxic emissions as there would be a gas processing facility built- this is far worse than just gas wells alone.

C) Fugitive emissions such as hydrogen sulfide, formaldehyde, and methane exposure from such a compressor station would be a result of this SUP being granted. This will hurt Dallas' ability to come into compliance with its state air plan.

D) There is a new natural gas ordinance being considered, what is the rush to initiate such a precedent as there is no going back once this is granted?

Finally, as if a 2nd vote and the new development that this will include a gas compressor isn't bad enough, the public is being DENIED the right to speak tomorrow. This is not a DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. This should not happen.

I serve on the North Texas Clean Air Regional Steering Committee at NTCOG for the region. These gas processing plants do not only emit greenhouse gases, but there will be significant amounts of deadly and carcinogenic formaldehyde, methane, and hydrogen sulfide exposure with Dallas City limits. These are neurotoxins. These fugitive emissions are also precursors to additional formation of more pollution.

Thanks for anything you can do, if you can come tomorrow, show up. Thanks, Rita

Below is a press release with more info. Get more details below from a press release.

Trinity East's permit for natural gas "drilling" in floodplains is really a permit for a "Gas Processing Facility" that will immediately rank as the tenth largest air polluter in the City of Dallas.

For Immediate Release: For More Information: 9 am January 8th, 2013 Jim Schermbeck 806-787-6567 (Dallas)--- Under the guise of "gas drilling," Dallas City Hall and industry are pressing for approval of a permit that would locate a gas refinery only 600 feet from the new Elm Fork soccer complex, and immediately give birth to one of the ten largest air polluters in the City of Dallas, as well as one of its most toxic. "There's a huge toxic Trojan Horse hiding in what the City and Trinity East describe as just a gas drilling permit," charged clean air activist Jim Schermbeck of Downwinders at Risk. "In fact, the Elm Fork permit allows for the building of a gas refinery that houses at least three giant compressors as well as an entire acid gas removal unit that strips off hydrogen sulfide, one of the most dangerous substances in the gas patch." A motion to "reconsider" the Dallas City Plan Commission's 7-5 December 20th rejection of the Elm Fork permit and two other Trinity East gas sites is being advocated by CPC Chair and Mayoral appointee Joe Alcantar at this Thursday's meeting. If successful, the "reconsideration" would require the CPC to hold a second hearing and re-vote on the permits less than a month after denying them. Opponents say the move is an act of desperation on the part of the Mayor and City Manager to protect a secret deal that was made between the City and Trinity East when the company first paid for mineral rights leases on city owned land. In interviews, the Mayor himself has said that a "deal was cut."Residents say the public was left out of that deal. But after making calls to City Hall, Schermbeck is convinced that no one in Dallas city government is aware that the "gas drilling permit" being proposed by Trinity East is actually a permit to build a large gas refinery in the Trinity River floodplains. "They're in way over their heads. City attorneys are still describing this as a drilling permit, but that's not what takes up most of the acreage on this site - it's all about the refinery." During the December 20th City Plan Commission hearing on the permit, Trinity East representatives stated that the three proposed compressors alone - huge locomotive sized diesel-powered engines that produce thousands of horsepower in order to move gas through pipelines - would release 25 tons of air pollution each every year for an annual total of 75 tons. That number would immediately place the facility among the city's ten largest air polluters according to the latest state emission totals from 2010. It would join power plants, asphalt and roofing materials manufacturers, and chemical plants as one of the city's biggest "stationary sources" of pollution. Dallas' Own Ship Channel: Part of the kind of equipment Trinity East will need for its acid gas removal unit. However, Schermbeck thinks Trinity is low-balling their total air pollution impacts by not including other on-site refinery sources like its battery of storage tanks and "acid gas removal" operation that's designed to strip dangerous hydrogen sulfide off of natural gas streams through a series of acid baths and heat. Hydrogen Sulfide is a harmful and toxic compound. It is a colorless, flammable gas that can be identified by its "rotten egg" odor. This invisible gas is heavier than air, travels easily along the ground, and builds up in low-lying, confined, and poorly ventilated areas. It acts as a chemical asphyxiant through inhalation exposure and its effects are similar to cyanide and carbon monoxide, which prevent the use of oxygen. The equipment to strip off Hydrogen Sulfide from raw gas is large, complicated and dangerous. Site plans show a 200 foot long "pipe rack" with at least 20 "point sources" or stacks, apart from the compressors, where pollution could be released into the atmosphere. "This isn't a facility you want near parks or kids," said Schermbeck. "Yet, the City of Dallas seeks to put it just 600 feet away from its new huge soccer complex that's meant to attract thousands of kids for hours every week." Such a gas facility also challenges regional smog goals at a time when air quality is worsening in DFW. A 2012 study by the Houston Advanced Research Center found that "routine emissions from a single gas compressor station can raise ozone levels by 3 parts per billion (ppb) as far as five miles downwind, and sometimes by 10 ppb or more as far as 10 miles downwind." The Trinity East numbers don't reflect the release of greenhouse gas pollution either, which could be enormous from a facility the size of the refinery being proposed. Gas processing plants can release 20 to 80,000 tons of greenhouse gases a year. By comparison, the entire inventory of greenhouse pollution from all Dallas industrial sources in 2005 was 25,000 tons a year. None of this information was brought up at the December 20th CPC hearing on the Elm Fork permit because the permit request in its current form was only a couple of weeks old when it went to the CPC and the compressors were a last-minute addition to an older, pending request. Citizens were lucky to get a crowd to even show up five days prior to Christmas, and Schermbeck believes no one at Dallas City Hall bothered to notice that one of the so-called drilling permits was a refinery permit. "Because it had no expertise of its own, and it was ignoring citizens, City Hall was completely reliant on the company's version of what the permit was for, and Trinity East probably didn't want to admit they were stuffing one kind of permit inside of another. The City didn't perform its due diligence. The result is that it's been completely played by the company."Schermbeck recounted that he could find no one at City Hall who had any idea of how Trinity East arrived at their "25 tons a year" air pollution figure, knew what kind of specific pollutants that tonnage included, or, most importantly, thought it would be good to know this information before the city handed the company a permit to operate an inner-city gas refinery. "Mayor Rawlings and the City Manager seem content to give Trinity East a blank check to pollute Dallas air," he said. A closer look at the refinery site plans also reveals equipment that is fundamentally at odds with the way Trinity East and the gas industry has been portraying what kind of gas Dallas has underneath it. Up to now, gas operators have been saying Dallas gas is "dry"and without a lot of extra hydrocarbons found in "wet gas" further west. But the acid gas removal units and Glycol conductors proposed for the Elm Fork refinery are built for wet gas. Schermbeck suggests that perhaps either the City has been mislead about the nature of the gas it owns or the nature of the Trinity East site. He theorized that instead of the Dallas refinery being built for dry Dallas gas, it might be aimed at wet gas coming from the west. "Dallas would get none of the royalties, but all of the pollution."

Environmental Issues that need our support!

Fellow Democrats - Please see below on we can easily get involved in influencing our decision makers.

1) Fracking in the City of Dallas - , we all through that this dragon had been slain just before Xmas but now Dallas Zoning Commission is going to bring this up for the 2nd time though it was voted down with prejudice. This is due to pressure from the top undoubtedly.So we need folks to go to the Zoning Commission again as they only get one appeal on: Thur., January 10 at 1:30, Dallas Council Chambers. They will reconsider Trinity East's proposal. Let's end this once and for all with at least Zoning.

2)The Sunset Commission is due for a decision on staff recommendations Wed., January 9th. Though many of us have given input, NOW is the time to BLITZ the Sunset Commission with increased pressure to get something done on issues we care about.

Email the entire Sunset Commission at sunset@sunset.state.tx.us to put pressure on the reforms you want them to consider be it fracking, eminent domain, tar sands, etc. Personalize it with where you live and why it's important to get these changes done.

Please see below the revised 2-page  Public Citizen's and Sierra Club's recommendations for the Railroad Commission by Issue per the Sunset staff report. Ideas Texas OGAP have been incorporated as well.

Below is the list of the 12-member Sunset Commission but know that if you send to the Sunset address above it will include the two public representatives I don't have emails for:

Rep. Dennis Bonnen, Chair dennis.bonnen@house.state.tx.us

Senator Robert Nichols, Vice Chair robert.nichols@senate.state.tx.us

Rep. Rafael Anchia (Dallas) rafael.anchia@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Byron Cook (Corsicana) byron.cook@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Harold Dutton (Houston) harold.dutton@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Four Price (Amarillo) four.price@house.state.tx.us

Casandra Ortiz (public-San Antonio) NA- use sunset address above

Senator Brian Birdlwell (Granbury) brian.birdwell@senate.state.tx.us

Senator Joan Huffman (Houston) joan.huffman@senate.state.tx.us

Senator Dan Patrick (Houston) dan.patrick@senate.state.tx.us

Senator John Whitmire (Houston) john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us

Jan Newton (public- Boerne) NA- use sunset address above

For those who couldn't come to the Sunset Advisory Commission hearing at the Capitol on Dec. 19th, but want to hear testimony, you can access the entire hearing on the Capitol website. Approx. 5 hours into the tape is when the 3 pipeline industry reps testified after all of us re: Railroad Commission- very interesting to which I sent an 8-page rebuttal. You can download a free version of Real Player on the legislate website to hear this archived video testimony.

3) There's going to be a meeting this Monday, the 7th, at Timberglen Rec Center at Midway and Timberglen Roads, to get public input on timelines for items to be included in the City of Dallas's Local Solid Waste Management Plan. One of those items is a possible ban on plastic bags. The city staff wants public comment as to whether a bag ban should be one of the first items taken up in the Plan or whether it should be considered for implementation later in the Plan. There are other topics such as apartment recycling (which isn't currently done) that staff wants to hear about too--should that be pursued sooner or later, sooner being within the next two years. The notice said there would also be a "Local Solid Waste Plan Seminar" at city hall on Saturday, January 26th. The meeting on Monday is from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. and the one on the 26th is from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Democratically yours,

Janice Schwarz and David Griggs

 

Support these Sunset Reforms for the Railroad Commission
The Texas State Legislature needs to issue the following reforms for the Railroad Commission:
Issue 1. Change the RRC’s Name and Address Conflicts of Interest
A. Change the Name of the Commission ie. Texas Oil & Gas Commission or Texas Energy Resources and Extraction Commission (TEREC)
B. Limit the solicitation/receipt of campaign contributions by a Commissioner or any candidates to an 18-month around an election (instead of throughout their six-year term) and campaign contributions should be set at $2500 maximum.
C. Prohibit a Commissioner from knowingly accepting contributions from a party with a contested case hearing before the RRC.
D. Require the automatic resignation of a Commissioner that announces candidacy for another elected office.
E. Require theCommission to use the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) to conduct independent
hearings for contested gas utility and enforcement cases rather than utilize internal judges.
F. Require the RRC to adopt a recusal policy in rule, including a requirement to explain the reason for any recusal from a decision in writing.
G. Move natural gas ratemaking over to the PUC as OPUC could then represent consumers on gas issues.
Issue 2. Eliminate cap on Oil & Gas Regulation and Clean Up Fund
A. Eliminate the $20 million cap on the Oil and Gas Regulation and Cleanup Fund.
B. Abolish the Oil Field Cleanup Fund Advisory Committee.
C. Establish a fund to collect fees to help clean up fracking waste water/or clean up air emissions from oil and gas
operations. The fund could be structured similarly to Texas Emission Reduction Program (TERP).
D. Mandate that a Texas Spill Liability Fund be created for tar sands or dilbit crude as tar sands crude pipelines are currently exempt from paying into the US Spill Liability fund due to a federal IRS exemption.
Issue 3. Improve Pipeline Safety Program Fee Structure to Ensure Public Protection
A. Authorize the Commission to create a pipeline permit fee to help support its Pipeline Safety Program.
B. Fees should offset the cost of administering its Pipeline Safety Program, including administration costs and benefits.
Issue 4. Improve Enforcement Processes via Statutory Direction, Including Inspections
and Accountability
A. Require the Commission to develop an enforcement policy to guide staff in evaluation and ranking oil and gas-related violations.
B. Require the Commission to formally adopt penalty guidelines.
C. Permitting/Authorizing/Accountability of Common Carrier
• Create a real process within the RRC to review and adjudicate petitions for common carrier status. • Require a process change within the RRC to require notice of a pipeline’s application for common carrier status to landowners, establish the right to contest common carrier status, and create an opportunity for a hearing before SOAH regarding determination.
• Update the Commission’s T-4 form to delineate tar sands/dilbit crude from other oil products.
D. Inspections
• Develop comprehensive and binding inspection protocols.
• Establish minimum inspector-to-well and annual inspections-to-well ratios.
• Pay inspectors competitive salaries to retain high quality personnel and ensure competent inspections
E. Enforcement
• Assess higher minimum/maximum penalties to deter repeat violators. Fines should be raised to $25,000 per

violation per day.
• Establish and enforce a penalty policy to collect penalties equivalent to the value of the economic benefit that oil and gas operators gain from noncompliance
• Ensure violations are consistently enforced.
E. Accountability and Public Access
• Collect comprehensive data regarding citizen complaints including facilities of concern, nature of complaint and resolution.
• Publish comprehensive oil and gas enforcement data online, in a publicly accessible, easy, searchable
format with data available by operator.
F. Adopt the "Fracking Bill of Rights" to ensure that Texas communities and their residents will be afforded
a basic set of protections backed by the full extent and force of law
Issue 5. Discontinue Commission’s Promotion of Propane
A. Eliminate the Commission’s authority to promote propane with its accompanying fee.
Issue 6. Improve Damage Prevention Oversight on Interstate Pipelines
A. Authorize the RRC to enforce damage prevention requirements for interstate pipelines.
B. Require the Commission to develop an enforcement policy to guide staff in evaluation and ranking oil and gas-related violations.
C. Require emergency response plans for pipeline operators be submitted and reviewed before and not after pipeline operations are allowed to begin transport.
D. Authorize the Commission to require full disclosure of tar sands or dilbit composition for emergency responders.
E. Require a more stringent testing and evaluation process of pipelines to be repurposed for tar sands or dilbit crude due to its unique, chemical composition which imparts a highly toxic substance substantially more viscous, acidic, and sulfuric than conventional crude.
Issue 7. Improve Safeguards for Mineral Owners re: Mineral Pooling/Hearings
A. Authorize a party affected by forced pooling to request a hearing within the county where the well is proposed to be drilled.
B. Direct the Commission to develop a fee schedule for increased charges associated with refiling previously
withdrawn applications for forced pooling or field spacing exceptions.
Issue 8. Improve RRC’s Reporting
A. Continue requiring the RRC to submit its report on the Oil & Gas Regulation and Cleanup Fund to the Legislature
B. The RRC should also produce/submit quarterly and annual enforcement reports to the Legislature and it should
be publicly available and easily accessible on the website
ADDITIONAL REFORMS
Additional Fracking Reform Needs to Be Adopted
A. Require the RRC to fine facilities with improper flaring. Such facilities should also be required to shut down until defective operations can be corrected.
B. Mandate the Commission to require green completions (a closed loop system that minimizes flaring and air
emissions) and require the use of water-based drilling fluids in development operations.
C. Phase out the high-cost severance tax exemption. Continued exemptions are not needed as it is now the norm in Texas.
D. Mandate that the RRC track the entire lifecycle of both solid and liquid waste from operations to ensure its proper handling and disposal.
E. Require that fracking operations be permitted for water withdrawals. Water withdrawals should be metered, docu- mented, and the amount of water at every stage should be reported to the TCEQ and made publicly available.
F. Require that oil and gas operations have a statewide standard minimum setbacks from homes, businesses, schools, and parkland without the exception of variance to protect human health and property.
G. Set noise limits statewide (including unincorporated areas) on fracking sites and compressor stations, unless already established by city ordinance.
H. Ensure the RRC mandate that the abandonment of pipelines is addressed by the pipeline operator before being
permitted to operate. A bond should be required by the pipeline entity to ensure that abandonment be remedied due to an operator ceasing operations or its existence as a business.
Uranium Mining Exploratory Permits Need to Be Transferred
A. Transfer in-situ uranium mining exploratory permits to the TCEQ. There is no rational reason for one agency to look at exploratory permits and another for mining permits. The same agency should be in charge of both

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4

 

1.                Phone bank at Marsha Fishman’s home for President Obama.  RSVP: marsha4obama@tx.rr.com 1275 Bradford Coppell phone 214.284.4671  3:00 PM until 8:00 PM.

 

2.                Block walk for Carol Kent.  10am and 1 pm.

 

3.                Katherine McGovern’s campaign is hosting a GOTV phone bank, 2 - 6 pm at Campaign HQ, 513 W. State Street, Garland. We will be calling democrats in CD32 who have not voted and urging that they vote for McGovern & Straight Democratic. RSVP: McGovern@McGovernforCongress.com.

 

4.      Your last opportunities to volunteer for the re-election campaign of President Barack Obama begin on Saturday. For the last 4 days of the campaign, November 3rd - 6th, OFA will have specific "Staging Locations" in Dallas County that will serve as centers of Get Out the Vote (GOTV) operations. I will be directing the location at Greater Cornerstone Baptist Church, 8350 Forest Lane. We will be calling voters in Florida and urging them to get out and vote for President Obama. Most volunteers will be making phone calls; however, we will need data entry volunteers; "comfort captains" who supply food and drinks; and runners who carry materials between the OFA office and the Staging Locations. Here's a link to sign up for the final four days.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 5

 

1.      Phone bank at Marsha Fishman’s home for President Obama.  RSVP: marsha4obama@tx.rr.com 1275 Bradford Coppell phone 214.284.4671   9AM to 8PM.  Call Marsha to let her know what time you will be there.

2.      Canvassing out of the Carol Kent campaign office.  All day.

3.      Coordinated Campaign will be hosting a block walk at 5PM out of the Carol Kent Campaign HQ.  We also need drivers to pick up walkers from Skyline High School.  Please contact Jeff at service@democracytoolbox.com to RSVP.

 

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 6 – ELECTION DAY!!!!

 

1.      Contact your favorite campaign to Poll Greet, Canvass, Phone bank, take riders to the Polls!

2.      Phone bank at Marsha Fishman’s home for President Obama.  RSVP: marsha4obama@tx.rr.com 1275 Bradford Coppell phone 214.284.4671   Contact Marsha directly for hours.

 

Watch Parties!!!

 

1.      Join the Dallas County Democratic Party on Election Night, from when the polls close (7:00 p.m.) until Democratic victory is confirmed.

President Obama will be reelected and Dallas County will stay BLUE: a DCDP repeat, a three-peat, and in 2012, a four-peat!

There will be free food, a cash bar and a parking garage on site.

See you at the Hyatt Regency (Landmark Ballrooms C and D)!

 

2.      Election Night Watch Party at Carol Kent HQ.  Hosted by Carol Kent for State Representative, Rich Hancock for State Representative and Katherine McGovern for US Congress.  Big screen for watching election results.  Plenty of food but BYOB.  RSVP molly@votecarolkent.com.

 

3.      Please join Stonewall Democrats of Dallas, DFW Pride Movement AKA Dallas Black Pride, LULAC 4871 Rainbow Council, Dallas Stonewall Young Democrats and Human Rights Campaign for the inaugural Dallas LGBT & Ally Election Night and Victory Watch Party at the Round Up Saloon!

Door will open at 7:00 pm and go until we have a President Elect!

This is a FREE EVENT, there will be appetizers and all screens including the large stage screen will have poll results showing. The bars will be open!

 

4.      Election night watch party at Siena Pasta and Pizza - 780 South MacArthur Blvd Coppell (NE corner of MacArthur and Belt Line) 6:30 pm It's not a big restaurant so please RSVP if you plan to come. They have 3 TVs - I hope we can fill the place! marsha4obama@tx.rr.com

 

Go to www.barackobama.com for the latest and greatest volunteer opportunities in your area. Phone banks for the President are happening in all neighborhoods and every day. You are also able to call from home for the Obama campaign using their virtual phone bank. Go to www.barackobama.com to sign up to call from home.

Democratically yours,

 

Janice Schwarz and David Griggs