UPDATE: For the best reporting to date on this case see: Better reporting on Range Resources water contamination case in Parker County, it is a long but essential read if you are interested in this case.
I spent several hours today wading through the deposition of Mr. Lipsky by Range Resources‘ attorney. Mean, nasty and unethical must be a requirement for association with Range Resources. I don’t know Lipsky. I met him briefly at the plea to jurisdiction hearing in Weatherford. After reading the abuse this man suffered in deposition, my regard for him is high.
You can download a copy of the deposition HERE.
After all day of brutal grilling, Lipsky ends with this:
My water lights on fire. I want to know why. Okay? Just someone — the Railroad Commission definitely didn’t come there to help me find out. Everyone’s putting — hopefully, I just want, if I have to pay the money myself, which I already have, get the geologists or whatever, I just want to know what happened. I want to know if we have to leave. I want to know if we can stay. I want to know if it’s coming through the ground. We want our lives back.
How many times have I heard these words? No, you can’t stay. None of us can. They are making this whole area uninhabitable.
In case you’ve forgotten, Range Resources uses PSYOPS in our neighborhoods and they have a SLAPP suit against the Lipskys. Meet Judge Trey Loftin who ruled in favor of serial polluter Range Resources in Parker County water contamination case.
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I travel around the country almost every week. In the evenings, sitting in my hotel room, while I’m catching up on emails or reports, I have the TV on. I’ve lost count of how many commercials I’ve seen touting the importance of frack gas..excuse me, ‘natural gas’. ANGA’s latest commercials have variety of actors playing the part of ‘Americans’ from different age groups and ethnicity, all talking about ‘energy independence’ , ‘jobs’, “American resource’, ‘clean burning’ and on and on. All of which raises a question- especially for you, Industry PR mouthpieces-can you name one other company, corporation or industry that routinely takes out full page ads in national newspapers, runs TV commercials on a constant basis, or spends so much time, money and resources not so much advertising what they do, but rather JUSTIFYING it? Watch those commercials carefully..listen to the words used, and decide for your self what the frackers are really up to?
So we have a homeowner with a nice home and family, living their life, and then one day, he can set his water on fire. So he does what anyone else would likely do, is to start to ask questions. Why is this happening? What is causing this? Is my family and home in danger? Unfortunately for these folks, they put some faith in the Texas Railroad Commission, which is supposed to be actually conducting investigations and regulating this Industry. Unfortunately for Texans, the Commissioners see their job as more of a cheerleader for Industry rather than a police officer which they should be. So the TRRC shows up, have themselves a little look around, and decide after their 10 minute investigation, nothing’s wrong. The TRRC never finds anything wrong, ever. They can’t, for one simple reason: those political and campaign contribution checks to these simpletons would stop.
Industry pays big bucks for the TRRC to find nothing, do nothing and keep their mouth shut. TRRC Commissioners like Jones and Porter feel obligated to do something, so they whip out the pom poms and start cheering. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the nice homeowners aren’t getting very good answers, so they decide to find out for themselves. Enter Alisa Rich, who does some testing. Finds some serious problems with the water. Rich knows all too well the zero value in the TRRC, so she might have gone so far to URGE the homeowners to contact the EPA. The nerve of this woman! So, not knowing what else to do, the nice homeowners call the EPA. EPA arrives, and they, too find some serious problems going on. TRRC gets their knickers in a twist, and starts bashing the EPA, insisting the State has jurisdiction, not the Feds, so y’all git. The EPA does not git, and Matt Pitzarella starts working on the SPIN. Maybe makes a ‘donation’ to a certain judge in Parker County who is up for re-election. Nice Homeowner has had enough, sues Range. Range Resources, the ever-popular Good Neighbor, sues the nice homeowner and Rich. Sues Nice Homeowner because he called the real regulators, and sues Rich to shut her up. Judge realizes his hands are dirty, and finds a reason to get the case out of his court.
So let this be a lesson to y’all: When Good Neighbors like Range Resources show up in your backyard, you just better lie down and take it. That’s the lesson the TRRC and Range want you to learn. My two cents is for you to be a Stephanie Hallowich or a Ron Gulla, both of which took Range full on in PA after Range ruined their homes.
Thank you for the super comment. I saw that this case was posted on Drilling Ahead today so I thought I would invite them to view the video and decide for themselves if it is deceptive. As you might expect, it’s not going too well.
It’s hard to get a man to understand something when his paycheck depends on not understanding.~Upton Sinclair.
What the hell? Here is the link:
http://www.drillingahead.com/page/owner-of-contaminated-water-well-in-parker-county-texas-loses-in-
This isn’t over. Al Stewart is a tough, unrelenting attorney with a great team. Range Resources are an unscrupulous bunch who will gladly spend millions to protect their billions and too arrogant to see that public perception is everything. I can only hope to make it to the actual trial. (assuming that Range does not come to their senses and fold before then)
I read every word of that deposition and I fell deeply in love with Al.
If Al doesn’t get Range, Karma will.
Good blog above Tim. The frackers are ONLY UP TO Screwing us out of what we have. They will do what ever they want to whenever they want to do it so as to allow the $$$$$ to flow out of the hole. We (the peasants) have no help what so ever. I now of nothing that we can do except RUN.
PS: Also, do not spend any money for a residential home in Tx, other than what is needed for minimal survival.
There are a few areas ‘off the frackin shale’, such as where we live now. There were a handful of dry holes drilled back in the 80’s, but nothing since. If companies like Chesapeake and their Ponzi schemes don’t take them down, there’s some possibility that after they have completely ruined and tore up Fort Worth, they will find themselves in our backyards in Pilot Point/Aubrey. That said, having 33 other states getting fracked, a diminishing fresh water supply, and a growing demand, where does one go?
We stand and fight.
From our friends at Drilling Ahead:
Comment by Ryan 8 minutes ago
TXsharon:
I am sorry to break this to you make sure you are properly anchored in you computer chair. OK there has not and will not ever be ethics in the oilfield. You are fighting a losing battle WE own the board and WE play the game, you on the other hand spectate and benefit! We all know it for what it is, find a new hobby!
Oh and always remember…. every battle is won before it is ever fought!
Read more: http://www.drillingahead.com/page/owner-of-contaminated-water-well-in-parker-county-texas-loses-in-?commentId=3116006%3AComment%3A225122&xg_source=msg_com_page#ixzz1nAwPw6kY
So Range gives us another example of how abusive they by subpoenaing Sharon. Wonderful. It’s like they can’t help themselves.
Totally intimidating but just remember they aren’t getting away with it everywhere.
Tim, I’ve seen them, too, at least several times a day and I agree with Sharon — think they must be psyops, alright — only wish I could return to believing their PR — but can’t they just make my stomach turn — reminds of what I’ve known for almost a year now (Chip’s emails & postings, plus Marc Durand’s study publicized last March). Reminds me of some politicians — repeat a lie enough times and it becomes accepted as truth. NOT HERE!!!!!!!!!
The last one I saw scared me, though, it mentioned shale and drilling in Celina. Is this true? I thought that area was off the shale.
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