Denton voters approved a ban on new hydraulic fracturing permits Tuesday, in a historic vote that made theirs the first Texas city to crack down on the practice better known as fracking.
Close to 60 percent of voters in Denton, which sits atop a major natural gas reserve, voted in favor of the ban in Tuesday's referendum. The measure passed by about 4,500 votes, with nearly 25,000 citizens voting, the Denton County Elections office said.
A packed crowd at a watch party at Dan’s SilverLeaf in downtown Denton erupted around 9:30 p.m. just after Denton Mayor Chris Watts announced the ban had all but passed.
"Hydraulic fracturing, as determined by our citizens, will be prohibited in the Denton city limits. The City Council is committed to defending the ordinance and will exercise the legal remedies that are available to us should the ordinance be challenged," Watts said. "The City Council is committed to continuing the review of our gas well ordinance to ensure the utmost health, safety, and welfare of our residents, and we will continue to work with industry representatives to ensure full compliance with our gas well drilling ordinance."
Anti-fracking advocate Cathy McMullen, who heads the group Denton Drilling Awareness, hugged fellow activists with tears of joy as it became clear the ban would pass.
McMullen and her group had circulated a petition early this year to get the fracking ban on the ballot, after drilling had occurred within 250 feet of homes in the city's Vintage neighborhood last fall.
“No more flaring 200 feet from a child’s bedroom. Those days are over, over,” said McMullen. “I think the voters have spoken loud and clear.”
McMullen and other leaders gathered at Dan's SilverLeaf Tuesday night said this is likely not the end of their fight, though. Opponents of the ban, including leaders in the gas drilling industry, have vowed to sue the city if the ban did pass.
Adam Briggle of the Drilling Awareness Group said they are ready to stand by the city council and fight for the ban to stick.
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Scores of cities in other states have considered similar bans over health and environmental concerns. But the proposal in Denton was a litmus test on whether any community in Texas — the nation's biggest oil and gas producer — can rebuff the industry and still thrive.
Fracking involves blasting a mix of water, sand and chemicals deep into underground rock formations to release trapped oil and gas. Fracking opposers say the processes pollutes the air, contaminates drinking water and could cause earthquakes.
