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Dallas Residents Call for Gas Drilling Moratorium

By BJ Austin, KERA News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-930324.mp3

Dallas, TX – The Dallas City Plan Commission takes up a natural gas drilling permit this afternoon.

XTO wants to drill a minimum of 14 wells on a section of the old Hensley Field off Jefferson Boulevard. The Commission opted for more study after a hearing last month.

Raymond Crawford, with Dallas Area Residents for Responsible Drilling, says his group wants a six month moratorium on drilling permits. He says the city's outdated drilling ordinance could allow gas wells too close to homes.

Crawford: The current footage from gas site to a resident is 300 feet, so in this particular neighborhood where we live, that's four houses away.

Crawford says that buffer is at least 600 feet in surrounding cities with gas drilling. He says Dallas should create a task force of citizens, scientists, civic leaders, and gas industry representatives to write new rules for drilling.

Email BJ Austin