Lake Somerville State Park Nails Creek Unit, Rocky Point Area, Looking South
Most of us are aware that Trump’s administration often takes unconventional steps to pursue its often dangerous or illogical agenda. Despite low oil and gas prices (and limited demand for those products), widespread opposition, the COVID-19 pandemic, and protests over systemic racism and the awareness that climate change and pollution are racial violence, the Bureau of Land Management of New Mexico is moving forward with proposed fracking under Lake Somerville, including areas that directly impact the state park, known as Lake Somerville State Park Nails Creek Unit.
Nevertheless, one proposed area for leasing, Lake Lewisville in Denton County, was removed by the BLM after multiple cities (including Denton and Dallas) political leaders like Michelle Beckley and conservation groups including the Sierra Club, formally opposed its inclusion.
On Wednesday June 25, the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that they are cancelling their sale of public land in Lake Lewisville of North Texas for fracking. BLM made the discreet announcement on their website:
“Please note that ... Parcel 6679 (Lewisville Lake) has been removed from the sale. Due to this acreage being removed and acreage corrections of parcels 6674 and 6675, the total sale acreage has changed. Refer to the sale notice for the final acreage associated with each parcel.”
Representative Michelle Beckley, the State Representative for Texas House District 65, which encompasses the earthen dam of Lake Lewisville, as well as several cities that depend upon the lake for water supplies and recreation, released this statement in regards to BLM’s decision:
“What a success! I want to thank everyone for getting involved, sharing this story, and writing letters of protest. You matter – you making your voice heard matters, or else they would not have pulled the parcel under Lake Lewisville after only 3 days of public comment. This is just evidence that every person can make a difference in their community.”
Different Verse, Same as the First
Unfortunately, BLM has not cancelled their sale of public land near Lake Somerville in Central Texas. This proposal would allow third-party oil and gas companies to use directional drilling to frack right under a section of public land in Lake Somerville, near Giddings, Texas. The actual lease would take place online on August 26th, unless we can stop it.
Drive just east of Giddings on Highway 290 - about an hour east of Austin -- and then turn north on Route 180, and you will run into Lake Somerville and the Nails Creek Unit. It is on the Western side of the Lake, and I have been there multiple times with my family, and with the Boy Scouts for hikes, fishing and campouts. I drove out there again last week with my family and I can confirm that the very place they are proposing to drill is directly in the area where families boat, fish, swim and hike.
Lake Somerville State Park, Nails Creek Unit, Looking North
There are 6 parcels within or around Lake Somerville, totaling 427.47 acres. Some of the parcels overlap Lake Somerville State Park and Trailway, run by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Yegua Creek Park, which is run by the Army Corps of Engineers. The parcels around Lake Somerville are adjacent to or very near residences (within a mile or less). The EA notes horizontal drilling and fracking would likely occur on these parcels, meaning they would be viewed from folks in the park itself. The Lake Somerville parcels are along the Eagle Ford shale.
Both Senator Lois Kolkhorst, and the City of Brenham, as they and their communities are reliant on the public waters, also expressed their opposition to the proposal.
Senator Kolkhorst wrote in her letter of protest,
“While I have been a staunch advocate for oil and gas drilling in Texas, the Lake Somerville parcels included in this sale notice could unnecessarily pose a credible risk to the drinking water of thousands of my constituents. The environmental assessment fails to paint a meaningful picture about the risks to public health. It fails to adequately analyze the effects of leasing parcels in or near Lake Somerville on environment and water resources vital to the region. It also fails to disclose site specific methods that would mitigate significant flow reductions from the new activity resulting from the leases. Further, it does not completely account for the impacts on vegetation and soil resources near Lake Somerville, including the total amount of land that could be cleared, how much erosion and sedimentation could result, and the resulting impact to soil, air, and water quality. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, I am gravely concerned that the proposed leasing may result in the contamination of groundwater and surface water around Lake Somerville. To ensure the public health for thousands of Texans, I urge you to exclude the parcels named above near Lake Somerville from the August 26, 2020 Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale.”
We agree with Senator Kolkhorst and that is not always the case. It is outrageous that BLM is going forward with this lease auction with such a short comment and protest deadline and virtually no notice to the communities affected, when communities are focused on getting through the pandemic. Expansion of oil and gas drilling should be the last of the government’s priorities right now, especially given the collapse in oil and gas prices.
You can see all of the information on BLM’s lease sale here, which includes a link to the EA, as well as the protest letters.
What’s next?
Map of Lake Somerville
It is still possible that BLM could cancel the lease sale due to the opposition from cities, Senator Kolkhorst, several individuals that live near Lake Somerville and the conservation organizations. If BLM chooses to move forward there is an appeal process that Sierra Club and others may explore.
In the meantime, let’s thank both Senator Kolkhorst and Rep. Beckley for stepping up to defend the lakes and their constituents for the right to clean drinking water and frack-free recreation. We encourage you to urge other political leaders to let the Trump Administration and the Bureau of Land Management to cancel the lease.