Would Be Frackers Back Off.....For Now....

The vast (18,000 acre) Banning -Lewis Ranch sits to the east of Colorado Springs. Once planned as a large subdivision, that folded when the developer refused to pay for water lines to th existing homes and other amenities. Those home owners, you might say, looked before leaping.

Next came Houston's Ultra Premium which announced some months ago it planned to frack for oil and gas raising the hackles of every right-minded resident. We projected ahead to see our drought ravaged water resources smacked by 5-6 million gallons for each fracked well, even as carcinogenic chemicals were pumped into our water supply. While some dopey right wing nut bloggers proclaim this response is being "touchy feely", it's actually a pragmatic response ....especially when one considers the terrible future costs to health. None of us wanted to see our beloved land despoiled even as our health was wrecked with impunity.

The good news now is that Ultra has pulled up having done a few "test wells" and seeing them come up unsatisfactory.  Ultra tangled with the city in court, seeking unsuccessfully to get out from under an annexation agreement that regulated the ranch’s development. But after poor test well results, Ultra said it would shelve its oil and gas drilling efforts for now waiting to see if another Texas-based company that’s drilling in the county has better results. (We HOPE not!)


What happens if that company also decides that drilling in the area isn’t worthwhile? Who knows and Ultra isn't saying. According to Ultra's Exploration VP:

“We have made no decisions regarding the future of Banning Lewis Ranch,”

Anyway, we the citizens of El Paso County and Colorado Springs hope all other test wells come up dry or unproductive so these Tex-ass leeches leave our area permanently.

If luck holds maybe they can take their filthy frack wells to the environs of Miramar FL ----in Pastor Mikey's neck of the woods, and drill there. Since he's such a braggart 'tough guy' I am sure he wouldn't mind flaming  water taps, a little benzene in his water and breathing air that reeks of kerosene even as the ear splititng sounds rumble all night long....causing his mutt 'Reb' to wail and howl like a just- spayed banshee.

I mean, he's a supposed tough guy (KP- duty former Marine) after all, not 'touchy feely' like those of us who give a shit about our environment and quality of life!