Arlington leaders ‘hate’ approving natural gas drilling expansion. They blame

Every time he’s required to vote on a natural gas drilling permit, Arlington City Council member Raul Gonzalez feels his stomach tie up in knots. Depending on how close the new gas wells are to a school or homes, dozens of residents turn out to voice concerns about the impact of drilling on public health, quality of life and climate change. 

During a February council meeting, Gonzalez voted against TotalEnergies’ permit request to expand drilling in east Arlington. 

“I care about the people — we all do,” Gonzalez said. “But sometimes you’ve got to be the one that votes no. I’m not afraid to do stuff. I just feel like God put me here, I got to do what’s right.” 

When the issue returned to council in March, Gonzalez and Nikkie Hunter voted against Total’s application. However, when it came time to vote on a second permit allowing four new gas wells to be drilled, Gonzalez decided to approve. 

Like the majority of his fellow council members, Gonzalez came to the conclusion that the city’s hands are tied by House Bill 40, a 2015 state law that prohibits cities from banning fracking or implementing regulations on drilling that are not “commercially reasonable.” Arlington has rules for noise control, landscaping, equipment and the required distance between drilling and protected buildings, such as homes, schools and hospitals. 

“What the state did, they took local control away from us. That’s the key to almost everything the state has done recently,” Gonzalez said. “It’s disheartening.” 

House Bill 40 is at the center of debate over how much control Arlington officials have over gas drilling within city limits. City leaders say the law restrains their ability to deny permit applications from gas companies that could file costly lawsuits if turned down. However, some residents and environmental activists argue council members could take more action to regulate gas drilling without violating the law.

Crews working for energy giant TotalEnergies operate a natural gas drilling site in west Arlington, pictured on Oct. 31, 2023. The drill site is within walking distance of a 7-Eleven gas station and homes near the intersection of Green Oaks Boulevard and Interstate 20. (Haley Samsel | Fort Worth Report)

Ranjana Bhandari, executive director of environmental advocacy organization Liveable Arlington, said House Bill 40 has become a “convenient bogeyman” for city leaders who want to avoid true enforcement of Arlington’s gas drilling ordinance. The law contains clear language allowing the city to establish reasonable distances between drilling and residents, she said. 

Previous councils denied TotalEnergies’ permit requests in 2020 and 2022, and Total Energies did not file suit as a result, Bhandari said. Arlington is facing a lawsuit from Bhandari’s organization and two residents who say city officials failed to follow their ordinances when…