Fracking In Texas

Janise Miescke 5/6/2017 Assignment 3 When Money Speaks Louder than Obligation Texas has always been one to hold the belief ‘everything is bigger in Texas’.

It has always held dear the hearts of ‘the bigger the better’ slogan. This idea has been made crystal clear with recent legislation made to ban, the bans made by local governments on fracking. There is many controversies with this, and for good reason too. Even with such controversial legislature the governments still hold on the fact that our government is set up in the unitary system where “liberty always trumps local government” even if it does hurt the people. Some would even go as far to say ‘is it really a good idea to have a unitary system if the government seemingly abuses its power

for monitory gain?’ On the other hand others may suggest that the flipside may be catastrophic if we were to switch to a confederal government. Our state could fall pieces.

The major issue at hand is what is the best solution to where the people win, politicians do not have the opportunity to be corrupt.

With the recent ordeal with Denton’s fracking induced water pollution many are shook to the core with the realizations that there nothing they can do to change the states ruling. Meanwhile, the state knows that they are dancing on the fine line of “pose[ing] a bigger risk of enacting laws that infringe on individual rights” (Renaldi). Especially with their ruling to ban the ban of fracking. Despite the direct harm to the people of Denton. Denton had over 14,000 signatures to end the harmful fracking. 1 “There seems to be an attitude that big state government knows better than the citizens of a city. 2 I just think — conservative or liberal — that is something you don’t do in Texas” ( Roden). In many ways, this was another way the state showed their ever-growing superiority over local governments. They said their reason was because the ban posed ‘infringement’ over private property even with the city ban. However there’s a law that states “ Junked vehicles. Municipal ordinances that provide for the abatement and removal

from private or public property or a public right-of-way of a junked vehicle or part of a junked vehicle as a public nuisance must contain specified provisions. See Texas Transportation Code § 683.074.” as well as the law that states ”Graffiti removal ordinances. “Municipal graffiti removal ordinances are subject to certain mandatory requirements. See Texas Local Government Code § 250.006. “ (Marrium) Both of these state laws are made for the reason of nuisance. Junked cars and Graffiti doesn’t harm anybody especially if it’s on their own private property. In many ways that’s very hypercritical of the state especially with the states roots being in limited government. The fracking was hurting many people. People were unable to consume their water, cook with it because it was directly making people sick, bathe, and so much more. Denton’s people where rightfully upset because they were paying for something that was doing more harm than good. It would be foolish to not look for initiatives as to why the state government quickly passed the legislature. 3 “According to a recent report by Texans for Public Justice, the energy and natural resources industries were the number 1 financial contributors to non-judicial Texas politicians in 2014. 4 31 Texas senators received $1.7 million, an average of $56,000 each. 144 Texas representatives received $3.8 million, an average of $25,000 each.”(Vox). This is a major disappointing reality for many governments not only in Texas but all over the world. Money talks, no matter how a government is be set up to make that not true. Bills can be in office for a very long time and many die out. However, with money incentive the state bill will pass long before the local law ,that doesn’t coincide with the wishes of the state, can take action.
As one can see no government is perfect ours widely included.

With a large number of people come natural flaws. There’s things that need to change and these would be one of them. If it hurts many people money shouldn’t even be in the question. Fracking creates lots of revenue for our state however, it shouldn’t go so far to where it hurts the health and our states agricultural wellbeing. In other words come up with something else to solve these issues.

Citations:

1. 5 2015, Matt Rinaldi March 12, Jim Henson, Texas Tribune Pollster and Director of the Texas Politics Project, and Wayne Thorburn, Author; Former Executive Director of the Texas Republican Party. 6 "Liberty trumps local control, by Matt Rinaldi." TribTalk. 5 N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2017.

2. "City of Denton Fracking Ban Initiative (November 2014)." Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia, n.d. Web. 06 May 2017.

3. 6 "Local Control Archives." TexasVox: 5 The Voice of Public Citizen in Texas. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May

2017.
4. Marrium, Roger D. https://www.municode.com/webcontent/statelawpamphlets/TX.pdf
5. Phillips, Ari. 2 "Texas Governor Signs Bill That Makes Local Fracking Bans Illegal." ThinkProgress. 6 ThinkProgress, 19 May 2015. Web. 06 May 2017.
6. Price, Asher. "Texas lawmakers look to courts as they make new run at bag bans." Mystatesman. 5 N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2017.