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October 21st, 2015 
Awake Goy 
Susanne Posel ,Chief Editor Occupy Corporatism | Co-Founder, Legacy Bio-Naturals
October 20, 2015
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin (UTA) conduced a poll, asking Texans if local governments should be able to ban citizens from voting to ban hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Not surprising the majority of those polled said that bans on fracking should the right of the citizens.
Fifty – seven percent of poll participants agreed that cities should be able to ban fracking, according to the UTA Energy Poll .
Texas Governor Gregg Abbott is in favor of local governments securing control over the allowance of fracking in cities across the state, and signed HB40 to ensure that the state, not the people, have total control over regulatory powers.
In fact, HB40 was inspired by the struggle of Denton residents had with trying to ban fracking in their city.
Abbott claimed the ban on the fracking ban does “profound job of helping to protect private property rights,” ensuring that “those who own their own property will not have the heavy hand of local government deprive them of their rights. HB 40 strikes a meaningful and correct balance between local control and preserving the state’s authority to ensure that regulations are even-handed and do not hamper job creation.”
The oil and gas industry has contributed $1,519,469 to Abbott, helping to win his place as governor of Texas, which has turned out to be a sound investment.
The false-security clause in the bill refers to a “safe harbor” provision that actually protects fracking efforts for 5 years because they are “considered commercially reasonable”.
Cities such as Fort Worth have more than 2,000 active gas producing wells and more development is expected without hindrances from residents.
In order to prevent Denton residents from enacting their ban on fracking, the Texas Oil and Gas Association (TOGA) and the Texas General Land Officer (TGLO) filed injunctions against the municipality.
Perhaps not surprising, the authors of this bill have direct ties to the oil and gas industry.
State Representative Drew Darby currently “ receives income from Leclair Operating, a petroleum company in Abilene, and has assets in Kachina Pipeline Inc. valued at more than $25,000.”
The Texans for Public Justice explained State Representative Jim Keffer “who heads the House Energy Resources Committee, holds an interest in the Emerald Royalty Fund, which specializes in mineral rights. His broad stock portfolio includes shares in more than a dozen oil and gas companies, according to a 2011 filing with the Texas Ethics Commission. He received nearly $73,000 in the 2011-12 election cycle from the industry.”
House Representative Phil King has received an estimated $35,000 from oil and gas industry corporations, and sits on the House Energy Resources Committee.
House Representative Senfronia Thompson has received $23,750 from the energy and natural resources industry. Oil and gas gave Thompson $5,750.
House Representative Rene Oliveira was given $69,600 from the energy and natural resources industry in 2012 alone.
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