Texas family awarded nearly $3 million for illness caused by natural gas fracking

A family claiming they were sickened because of pollution from hydraulic fracturing operations near their home should be awarded $2.95 million for their troubles, a jury ruled on Tuesday.

The Parr family had sued Aruba Petroleum Inc. in 2011, alleging the oil and gas producer exposed them to hazardous gases, chemicals and industrial waste that seeped into the air from 22 wells drilled near the family’s 40-acre plot of land, which sits atop the Barnett Shale.

The jury returned a 5-1 verdict saying Aruba “intentionally created a private nuisance,” awarding $275,000 for losses on property value, $2 million for past physical pain and suffering, $250,000 for future physical pain and suffering, and $400,000 for mental anguish.

“They’re vindicated,” David Matthews, one of the Parr’s attorneys, wrote on his firm’s blog Tuesday. “I’m really proud of the family that went through what they went through … It’s not easy to go through a lawsuit and have your personal life uncovered and exposed to the extent this family went through.”

A statement provided to ThinkProgress from Aruba on Wednesday lamented the jury’s verdict, but did not indicate whether it would appeal.

“The facts of the case and the law as applied to those facts do not support the verdict,” the statement read. “Aruba is an experienced oil and gas operator that is in compliance within the air quality limits set by the Texas Railroad Commission and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.”

Shady wrote:Good afternoon Folks.

On the face of it,fracking seems like a good idea and good alternative to the other fuel scources & I've read many articles both for & against it.

But I just help but listen to those numerous members of the public up north who made 999 calls when small Earth tremors occured whilst fracking tests were in progress in their area.

Of course the authorities denied any link between the two but the whiff of lies filled the air.

And I hope they don't frack in Cornwall because the county is riddled with honeycombs of abandoned tin mine shafts & tunnels.

Shady wrote:Good afternoon Folks.

On the face of it,fracking seems like a good idea and good alternative to the other fuel scources & I've read many articles both for & against it.

But I just help but listen to those numerous members of the public up north who made 999 calls when small Earth tremors occured whilst fracking tests were in progress in their area.

Of course the authorities denied any link between the two but the whiff of lies filled the air.

And I hope they don't frack in Cornwall because the county is riddled with honeycombs of abandoned tin mine shafts & tunnels.

Exxon Mobil's CEO has joined a lawsuit to stop construction of a water tower near his home that would be used to in the fracking process to drill for oil.

While fracking -- hydraulic fracturing of rock to release pockets of oil -- has raised complaints from environmentalists around the country, Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson's opposition to a project in his own neighborhood is interesting, given how deeply Exxon Mobil is involved in the process.

Tillerson appeared at a Town Council meeting in Bartonville, Tex., the wealthy enclave near his Dallas home last November to join in the protest over the water tower, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Sassy wrote:And just think, Dear Dave has given them carte blanche to frack under virtually every house in the UK!!!!

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Shady wrote:Good afternoon Folks.
On the face of it,fracking seems like a good idea and good alternative to the other fuel scources & I've read many articles both for & against it.
But I just help but listen to those numerous members of the public up north who made 999 calls when small Earth tremors occured whilst fracking tests were in progress in their area.
Of course the authorities denied any link between the two but the whiff of lies filled the air.
And I hope they don't frack in Cornwall because the county is riddled with honeycombs of abandoned tin mine shafts & tunnels.

Says a lot when one of its biggest advocates in the U.S. suddenly doesn't want it in his own neighborhood     

Exxon Mobil's CEO has joined a lawsuit to stop construction of a water tower near his home that would be used to in the fracking process to drill for oil.
While fracking -- hydraulic fracturing of rock to release pockets of oil -- has raised complaints from environmentalists around the country, Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson's opposition to a project in his own neighborhood is interesting, given how deeply Exxon Mobil is involved in the process.
Tillerson appeared at a Town Council meeting in Bartonville, Tex., the wealthy enclave near his Dallas home last November to join in the protest over the water tower, The Wall Street Journal reports.

NIMBYISM rears its ugly head.....again

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/02/exxon-mobil-ceo-rex-tillerson-local