"Dozens of residents registered their opposition to the permit, but council members claimed their hands are tied."

"The Arlington City Council on Tuesday authorized the creation of a new zone for drilling and fracking in a residential area, despite objections from neighbors in the North Texas suburb.

It was the first time in nearly five years that Arlington established a new “drill zone,” according to the city’s planning department. Once drill zones are established, wells can be administratively approved without a public process.

Tuesday’s vote marked a major victory for French energy giant TotalEnergies and its North Texas subsidiary, Total E&P Barnett USA, which had tried and failed repeatedly in recent years to win the establishment of new drill zones in Arlington.

At the Tuesday evening council meeting, more than 20 people spoke in opposition to the permit, including attorneys, advocates and Arlington residents. They raised concerns regarding the site’s proximity to two schools and the impact of fracking on local air and water. Application materials said the drilling zone was 600 feet from the nearest home and 2,000 feet from the nearest school."

Dylan Baddour and Martha Pskowski report for Inside Climate News May 25, 2023. [2]