General Coverage

 

Permian Drillers' $100 Million Pledge. According to Axios, “Oil companies active in the Permian Basin are jointly pledging $100 million over several years toward education, infrastructure, housing needs and workforce training in the region at the epicenter of the U.S. production boom. Why it matters: The weekend announcement from the Permian Strategic Partnership is a recognition that the oil surge is also creating problems in the region. The influx of workers and development has strained local roads, public services and caused housing shortages in the part of Texas and New Mexico that’s now producing roughly 3.6 million barrels per day and climbing. By the numbers: This Reuters piece on the effort has some snapshots of the region’s problems amid the boom, including... Drug charges in Midland, Texas, doubled between 2012 and 2016. Traffic accidents in Ector County jumped 29% last year. Who they are: The group of over a dozen companies includes Chevron, Shell and the Exxon unit XTO Energy, as well as large independent producers like Anadarko and Pioneer Natural Resources, and drilling services giants Halliburton and Schlumberger. What’s next: The group says it’s opening an office and announcing leaders and staff in coming months and convening meetings with local stakeholders. They want to aid, not duplicate, the work of governments and civic groups. ‘Building new roads, recruiting new doctors and teachers and developing new neighborhoods will require years of work, substantial resources and sustained cooperation among many entities,’ the group said. ‘But we share a sense of urgency with our communities to find both interim and long term solutions.’” [Axios, 11/19/18 (+)]

 

Opinion Pieces

 

Editorial: Y’town Voters Again Reject Anti-Fracking Ballot Issue. According to Youngstown Vindicator, “Six months after they said no to amending the Home Rule Charter to ban fracking in the city, Youngstown residents underscored that decision with an even stronger rejection in the Nov. 6 general election. Yet, proponents of this unmitigated abuse of the electoral process aren’t willing to try their hand at some other self-aggrandizing ploy dressed up as public policy. Consider this comment from Susie Beiersdorfer, a member of the Committee for the Community Bill of Rights, which backed the issue: ‘We’re not finished fighting the corporate state. We’re not finished exposing the corruption in campaigns with huge money pouring into this every time. We’ll continue to fight for our community.’ Let’s break down Beiersdorfer’s statement to get to the heart of what’s driving the advocates of this ill-conceived, unnecessary special-interest issue. She contends that the anti-fracking campaign is about fighting the corporate state. Really? It is noteworthy the main opposition to this charter amendment for the eight times it has been on the ballot – no, it isn’t a misprint: eight – has come from the Mahoning Valley Jobs and Growth Coalition. The coalition is made up of local businesses, labor organizations, elected and community leaders and economic development entities that are committed to rebuilding the city of Youngstown and its economy.” [Youngstown Vindicator, 11/18/18 (-)]

 

 

 

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