ELECTION LETTERS
The Denton Record-Chronicle welcomes letters to the editor pertaining to the Nov. 4 general election. All regular submission rules apply. Letters concerning statewide races and local propositions on the Nov. 4 ballot must be received in this office by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24. None will be published after Friday, Oct. 31.
Not afraid to debate
Despite Dianne Edmondson’s claim in her Oct. 14 letter to the editor, Frack Free Denton did not withdraw from a debate to be co-hosted by the Denton County Republican and Democratic parties the evening of Oct. 14. Nor, as she implies, have we refused to appear at Republican-hosted events.
To date, we have participated in four debates or forums, including one before Denton County Republicans, and one this past Saturday before the League of Women Voters.
We are scheduled to participate in at least three more, including one — again — before the Denton County Republicans.
We are not afraid to debate. Before this election is over, we will have debated three times more — on one issue in one city — than our gubernatorial candidates have debated on all policy issues for the whole state.
But in this one instance, we required that the backers of Denton Taxpayers for a Strong Economy — either Randy Sorrells or Bobby Jones — personally stand up for their principles and debate a member of our board. Instead, they tried to delegate that task to a trial attorney and then publicly announce our participation as if we had agreed. We did not agree.
Frankly, the way this whole thing transpired is representative of why Denton wants a fracking ban.
Industry, and its advocates, ignored the rules it didn’t like, and then tried to bully its way into getting what it wanted.
Not this time. And not come election time, either.
Cathy McMullen, president,
Denton Drilling Awareness
Group/Frack Free Denton
Next mistake
In February of this year, three gas wells exploded in Dunkard Township, Pennsylvania. These wells were among the many wells that are part of the fracking boom in the Marcellus Shale.
The explosion and resulting fire killed one worker, required a half-mile radius safety perimeter and it required five days for the flames to extinguish themselves. It took two weeks to fully regain control of the wells. Now, imagine this drilling disaster in Denton, next to a school or your home.
Oil and gas companies are hurrying to make as much money as fast as they can. Many of these companies have a long history of cutting corners when profits are at stake. Mistakes have been made in the past, and more will be made in the future.
Oil and gas companies consider catastrophes like this merely a cost of doing business
Do you want their next mistake to be in your backyard?
Gary Ardis,
Oak Point
Make a difference
Thank you very much for the extensive election coverage in the Denton Record-Chronicle with editorials encouraging citizens to register to vote, excellent articles on issues that will be on the Nov. 4 ballot and finally, urging all registered voters to vote.
League of Women Voters’ forums on the proposed bond issues and hydraulic fracturing, covered by the Denton Record-Chronicle, were well attended.
Early voting is Oct. 20-31 and Election Day is Nov. 4.
State and local voters guides will be available at recreation centers in the city of Denton and libraries throughout the county.
Voter turnout in Denton is more than embarrassing and only our residents can do something about that. Make a difference — vote.
Sue Smith, president,
League of Women Voters of Denton
Benefits to voting yes
Short story: Through no preference of mine, I benefit temporarily from a fracked gas well on my land. However, I shall gain long-range benefits when we vote yes to the ban on fracking.
Long-range story: Having lived in many places, I’m clear that Denton is my favorite.
Here, the arts flourish and the intellect is nourished by researched facts, and many hearts are fed more by warm relationships than by the greed of the bottom line. Here, many care about the Earth’s future and sustainable energy is taken so seriously that we get 40 percent of our energy from wind power.
Much of what I value already exists here.
So why am I so sure that fracking sabotages the future of my dreams for Denton?
Depleting water: Fracking uses fresh water in its process, even in places like Denton where it is a diminishing resource.
Derailing creative energy: Texas is the state with the most potential for turning wind power into energy.
Envision a state rich in entrepreneurs who put their creative energies into providing sustainable resources from sun and wind, rather than protecting resources that have adverse effects on the environment.
Endangering health: Often anecdotal and hard to prove, data is nevertheless steadily growing that toxicity is found in ground, air and water.
When we ban fracking, this city, by taking care of itself, will also become a model for other communities struggling with these issues. Do the right thing. Vote yes.
Jean Tunnell,
Denton
Vote to ban fracking
Peggy La Point’s letter to the editor [DRC, Oct. 2] regarding her “more than a decade” involvement to create a useful tree preservation code, not only made me sorely regret the trees lost while the city studied and recommended, but to also make a connection to the recent fracking controversy.
Fracking advocates would have us believe that we just need to give the city time to “study and recommend” oversights for responsible fracking (as if there were actually such a thing).
Wake up, residents of Denton. This city can’t even protect trees — our major source of oxygen.
Why on earth would you trust the city to act swiftly to protect our residents from fracking in their very backyard?
Today, it’s someone else, next year, it might be your backyard. If that happens, don’t complain unless you voted to ban fracking.
Danna Zoltner,
Denton
