CattleDrinkDrillingWaste

This video shows Texas Black Angus cattle drinking from drilling sludge pits at two different drilling sites in Denton County. I have witnessed cattle drinking from sludge pits regularly over the past few years. Unlike most other states, Texas law does not require that sludge pits be lined or fenced, but it does require the pits be "cleaned up" within 120 days after completion of the well. There are many sludge pits in Texas that never get cleaned up. These are a threat to wildlife, livestock, soil and our drinking water.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• agriculture
• beef
• drilling waste
• dirty
• nasty
• food alert.

[deweytheswede]

The ranchers that have their cattle grazing around the pits are as much to blame. My father raises black angus beef too (not in Texas) and he would not let the cattle in the field if the well pits were like this. He would get the drilling company to come fix their problem!

[cullywilliams]

@TXsharon Yes, it is unfair! But, if they're not gonna do it, somebody has to, right? I'm not going to let my cattle drink it.

[JAT1951]

I'll bet if we toss a few politicians into the pits, they'll clean them up, but even if they don't, we've at least a part of the problem.

[TXsharon]

@cullywilliams I'm a farmer too and the though of having to build a fence around a mess I had no part in making on property that was stolen from me seems an impossible. For that matter, building a fence under any condition is not an easy task for me.

The point is--at least from my view--it's unfair to blame the victims. Also, many of the farmers here believe what industry tells them--it's harmeless salt water. It's really heartbreaking for everyone especially the animals.

[cullywilliams]

@TXsharon I'm no lawyer, but I am a farmer. It'd only need some steel fence posts and some electric fence wire. You don't need something incredibly permanent. After a while, cattle won't feel a need to go there and they'll find other things to do. I'm not strong, but steel fence posts aren't 'labor intensive' unless you're pounding them 15 inches into gravel.

[TXsharon]

@cullywilliams Sue the company??? Sounds so easy. Have you ever tried it? I know plenty who have and it is costly and life altering.  Put up a fence??? Sounds so easy. It's actually quite expensive, costly and labor intensive. Most people here aren't rich.

[cullywilliams]

@TXsharon It's not right, but two wrongs don't make a right. (the second wrong is allowing livestock to drink the pools) Why don't the ranchers put up a fence around it and sue the company for restitution of materials and time? They'd probably lose, but if they make a big enough fit to the media, the company would pay a quick restitution to keep the bad publicity down.

[TXsharon]

@cullywilliams LOL! You sure know exactly how this industry works. They make toxic messes everyday and leave them for the taxpayers and landowners to clean up. If you think that's the way it's supposed to work, then you must be Aubrey McClendon. I think the industry should be held accountable for keeping their toxic mess contained by issuing stiff fines and penalties when they don't. Maybe jail time for CEO's would clean things up.

[cullywilliams]

@TXsharon So... if I made a giant, toxic mess in the middle of you kitchen and then ran away, you'd refuse to clean it or barricade your cat from it because it's my responsibility?

[TXsharon]

@cullywilliams Thank you for that link. Most often in Texas the farmer/rancher doesn't even own the minerals so they get no royalties, they have no say about losing part of their land to the well site yet @spilbiff thinks they should pay to fence in the pad. That just shows you how incredibly arrogant this industry is.

[cullywilliams]

@TXsharon Yes. It is the drilling company's fault, or at least in South Dakota.

legis.state.sd.us/statutes/Dis­playStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&­Statute=45-5A-6

That doesn't mean that the farmer can't put a fence up to keep the cattle away.