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Denton Fracking Referendum Collection | University of North Texas Special Collections

By H. LaRock and Dayna Greene

Collection Overview

Title: Denton Fracking Referendum CollectionAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
Predominant Dates:2014
ID: 01/AR0861
Extent: 1.0 Boxes
Arrangement: The physical materials in Series 1 of this collection are foldered according to political stance on the Denton Fracking Ban and material type. Note that Series 2 and 3 consist solely of web-based materials available in the UNT Digital Library.
Date Acquired: 05/00/2015. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Denton (Tex.) -- Oral history, Hydraulic fracturing

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Abstract

This collection is comprised of web-based articles, born digital audio files of oral histories and their born digital transcripts, and physical ephemera related to the Denton Fracking Ban. Correspondence, posters, newsletters, and bulletins are all present.

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Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection covers events and activism leading up to Denton's November 2014 vote to ban hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as "fracking." UNT Special Collections collected the materials to document the significant political debate and subsequent vote that resulted in Denton becoming the first Texas city to ban fracking.

Series 1 offers physical examples of posters, bulletins, and newsletters from created by groups on both sides of the issue. Series 2 is composed of born digital audio files of oral histories conducted by students in Dr. Priscilla S. Ybarra's English 4650 class in Fall 2015. Transcripts of these oral histories, in a born digital text format, were created by UNT Special Collections staff. Series 3 provides links to news articles and opinions written in regard to the ban that were captured in a web crawl by UNT Libraries in Fall 2015. Series 2 and 3 link to digital resources available in the UNT Digital Library.

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Collection Historical Note

While the ban itself was short lived, the grassroots movement, anti-fracking activists, and the oil and gas industry are still an ever-present force in the Denton community. University of North Texas professor Dr. Adam Briggle played an integral role in organizing and mobilizing anti-fracking voters during the events of 2014 and, as of 2017, still advocates against hydraulic fracturing.

The fracking ban quickly became a divisive subject in the Denton community. Fracking is defined as a process in which shale gas is extracted by pumping heavily pressurized water into small drill channels to fracture the surrounding rock. With nearly 300 gas wells-some near playgrounds, hospitals, and occupied neighborhoods-many citizens became concerned by the environmental and health-related impacts hydraulic fracturing has. Groups opposing the ban argued that fracking is a multibillion dollar industry and not only violates property owners' rights but hypothesized that the ban would only serve to strengthen oil and gas industries in foreign countries.

On November 4, 2014 Dentonites voted and made history. Overwhelmingly 58% of the population voted in favor of the bill and Denton became the first city in Texas to ban fracking. However, not even twelve hours later two lawsuits were filed against the City of Denton by the Texas Land Office and the Texas Oil and Gas Association to repeal the ban. In May of 2015, Texas Governor Greg Abbot signed House Bill 40 (HB40) which gives exclusive jurisdiction over the oil and gas industry to the state and effectively prohibits any ordinance/initiative/regulation banning hydraulic fracturing by individual cities. On June 17, 2015 the City of Denton was forced to repeal the fracking ban as per HB40.

The Texas General Land Office, one of the groups involved in suing the City of Denton after the ban, is one of the oldest operating state agency in Texas. Their primary role is managing state lands and "maximizing state revenue through the prudent stewardship of state lands and natural resources" (The Texas General Land Office). The Texas Oil and Gas Association boasts approximately 5,000 members, both independent and major producers, and serves to represent petroleum interests in the state (TXOGA).

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Subject/Index Terms

Denton (Tex.) -- Oral history
Hydraulic fracturing

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Administrative Information

Repository: University of North Texas Special Collections
Accruals: 2015-026, 2016-021
Access Restrictions: This collection is not restricted.
Use Restrictions: Reproduction and publication of materials in this collection are subject to the policies of the UNT Special Collections department. Copyright restrictions may apply.
Physical Access Note: This collection is stored off-site and requires a minimum of 24 hours notice prior to use.
Technical Access Note: Portions of this collection are only available via web browser. Please contact the UNT Special Collections department for more information.
Acquisition Source: UNT Libraries web crawl, Dr. Priscilla Ybarra, Erin O'Toole
Acquisition Method: Gift.
Preferred Citation: Denton Fracking Referendum Collection, University of North Texas Special Collections

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Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:


Series 3: Web ArchiveAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 1: Folks, Jeffery. "The science is settled: Fracking is safe," American Thinker, 2014-09-21Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 2: Sakelaris, Nicholas. "Does Vladimir Putin want Denton to ban fracking?," Dallas Business Journal, 2014-09-10Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 3: Sakelaris, Nicholas. "Frustrated Denton councilman sees fracking ban as the only option," Dallas Business Journal, 2014-09-23Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 4: Sakelaris, Nicholas. "Fracking debate gets personal one week before historic Denton vote," Dallas Business JournalAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 5: Sakelaris, Nicholas. "Denton residents start petition to ban fracking in the city," Dallas Business Journal, 2014-02-19Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 6: Sakelaris, Nicholas. "Are Flower Mound kids in danger of getting cancer?," Dallas Business Journal, 2014-04-04Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 7: Denton Citizens for Responsible Urban Drilling, 2010Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 8: Briggle, Adam. Denton Drilling, 2011-2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 9: "Denton council votes against fracking ban; Issue goes to voters this fall", CBSDFW.com, 2014-07-15Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 10: Casey, Tina. "Fracking’s slow motion train wreck revealed in new report," CleanTechnica, 2014-10-27Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 11: Barnett, Marissa. "Industry spending big to keep fracking out of Denton," Dallas Morning News, 2014-10-29Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 12: Osborne, James. "In Denton, tension mounts ahead of fracking ban vote," Dallas Morning News, 2014-10-29Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 13: “Sounding Off: Southern Denton County readers tell us how they would vote on the fracking issue,” Dallas Morning News, 2014-10-16Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 14: Barnett, Marissa. “Denton voters to consider state's first ban on fracking,” Dallas Morning News, 2014-09-23Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 15: Barnett, Marissa. “Energy companies, environmentalists fund Denton fracking fight,” Dallas Morning News, 2014-10-17Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 16: Matthews, Merrill. "Merrill Matthews: Fracking ban vote is much bigger than Denton," Dallas Morning News, 2014-10-15Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 17: Silverstein, Amy. “Denton Homeowners Are Suing to Stop EagleRidge's "Loud and Constant" Fracking Operation,” Unfair Park: The Dallas Observer Blog, 2014-03-12Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 18: Silverstein, Amy. “Denton Didn't Ban Fracking Last Night, but Voters Will Get a Chance to in November,” Unfair Park: The Dallas Observer Blog, 2014-07-16Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 19: Mathis, Emily. "Frackers Have Launched an Aggressive Campagin to Kill Denton's Drilling Ban," Unfair Park: The Dallas Observer Blog, 2014-10-13Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 20: Heinkel-Wolfe, Peggy. "Chamber: Vote no to fracking ban," Denton Record-Chronicle, 2014-09-05Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 21: Heinkel-Wolfe, Peggy. "Fracking debate draws cash," Denton Record-Chronicle, 2014-10-07Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 22: Heinkel-Wolfe, Peggy. "Forum on fracking ban draws crowd," Denton Record-Chronicle, 2014-10-11Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 23: McPhate, Christian. "EPA seeks input on safety of strontium," Denton Record-Chronicle, 2014-10-25Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 24: Briggle, Adam. "City better positioned than industry fearmongers claim," Denton Record Chronicle, 2014-10-25Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 25: "Vote 'No' on fracking ban," Denton Record-Chronicle, 2014-10-18Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 26: Denton Taxpayers for a Strong Economy, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 27: Dermansky, Julie. "Supporters of Fracking Ban Face New Wave of McCarthyism in Denton, Texas," Desmog Blog, 2014-10-22Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 28: Denton Directory, DeSmogBlog, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 29: "Don't Frack With Denton" Facebook pageAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 30: Frack Free Denton "Great Coffin Race" Facebook event, 2014-10-25Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 31: "Frack Free Denton" Facebook pageAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 32: "Frack Free Denton" Facebook page postsAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 33: "North Texans for Natural Gas" Facebook page timelineAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 34: "Frack Free Denton" WebsiteAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 35: "RELEASE: Infrared videos show Denton oil and gas air pollution still unaddressed by regulators," Frack Free Denton, 2014-10-21Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 36: "Frack Free Denton" BlogAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 37: "Fracking ban divides Denton," Fuel Fix, 2014-11-03Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 38: Gorman, Peter. "Bad Air Day," Fort Worth Weekly, 2014-10-01Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 39: "Denton Gas Well Emissions," Google MapsAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 40: "Vote for the Fracking Ban" Instagram post, environmenttexas Instagram page., 2014-10-18Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 41: "Denton city council extends fracking moratorium," Khou, 2014-09-10Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 42: Horn, Steve. "How Putin Became a Central Figure In The First Ever Vote To Ban Fracking In Texas," Mint Press News, 2014-10-17Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 43: "Subchapter 22- Gas Well Drilling and Production," Denton, Texas Development Ordinances, 2017-07-12Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 44: "Denton ready for legal fight if fracking ban OK'd," Dallas-Fort Worth Fox News, 2014-11-02Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 45: Fisher, Joe. "Pro-Fracking Camp Outspending Opponents in Denton, TX," Shale Daily, 2014-10-08Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 46: "North Texans for Natural Gas" websiteAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 47: "Join Us- North Texans for Natural Gas" web pageAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 48: Knopp, Joshua. "Fracking ban will hurt industry, not Denton," North Texas Daily, 2014-10-22Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 49: Wedding, Paul. "Fracking company receives waiver for suspension two months before potential ban," North Texas Daily, 2014-09-10Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 50: LaFerney, Dalton. "High carcinogen levels detected in Denton park," North Texas Daily, 2014-10-14Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 51: Watson, Kristen. "Social media aids Frack Free Denton," North Texas Daily, 204-10-14Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 52: LaFerney, Dalton. "UNT filmmaker chronicles fracking in Denton," North Texas Daily, 2014-08-26Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 53: Krauss, Clifford. "In Texas, a Fight Over Fracking," New York Times., 2014-10-08Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 54: Roden, Kevin. "Search results for 'fracking'," Roden for Denton, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 55: Roden, Kevin. "Could a Frack-Free Denton Result in an Economic Boom?" Roden for Denton, 2014-07-14Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 56: Roden, Kevin. "Roden for Denton Blog," Roden for Denton, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 57: Neeley, Josiah. "Denton and Other Texas Cities Shouldn't Ban Fracking," Texas Public Policy Foundation, 2014-10-20Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 58: TXSharon. "Blue Daze Drilling Reform" blog, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 59: TXSharon. "Study: Higher concentration of gas wells means more hospital visits for residents," Blue Daze Drilling Reform, 2014-10-12Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 60: TXSharon. "Today was a bad news day for fracking," Blue Daze Drilling Reform, 2014-10-22Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 61: Curran, Rob. "Denton, slacker capital of the America southwest, grows up," The Guardian, 2014-11-04Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 62: @AndyOdom7. "The paid pro-Fracking folks are off by themselves at the polling place," Twitter, 2014-10-25Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 63: @BPRisingTide. "Blackland Prairie Rising Tide" Twitter accountAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 64: @BSEEC. "Ed Ireland, Ph.D." Twitter accountAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 65: @cardboardcaleb."So thankful to be able to vote," Twitter, 2014-11-04Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 66: @cathy_mcmullen. "Cathy McMullen" Twitter accountAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 67: @cathy_mcmullen. "Please come & sign petition," Twitter, 2014-04-27Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 68: @CindySpoon. "Whoa! Pro-fracking astroturf group," Twitter, 2014-10-14Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 69: @CindySpoon. "UNT students marching against fracking," Twitter, 2014-10-27Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 70: @DentonRC. "City of Denton releases statement on proposition," Twitter, 2014-11-04Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 71: @FishCreek1269. "First it was the Russians," Twitter, 2014-11-11Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 72: @frackfreedenton Twitter accountAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 73: @frackfreedenton. "Reminder, folks, Denton Texas Fracking ban," Twitter, 2014-10-27Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 74: @frackfreedenton. "Today's the day," Twitter, 2014-11-04Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 75: @GarrettGraham1. "We began shooting our new documentary today," Twitter, 2014-10-11Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 76: @GarrettGraham1. "Folks erected this mock Fracking rig," Twitter, 2014-10-27Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 77: @iamevesapple. "Coffin racing to pass the ban," Twitter, 2014-10-25Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 78: @inforush. "This sign blew into my yard last night," Twitter, 2014-10-13Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 79: @TarunGirish. "Early Voting!" Twitter, 2014-10-27Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 80: @TXSharon Twitter accountAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 81: @TXSharon. "Yet another homemade sign," Twitter, 2014-10-13Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 82: @TXSharon. "And here is another homemade Fracking ban sign," Twitter, 2014-10-13Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 83: @TXSharon. "Poisoned by the shale?" Twitter, 2014-10-27Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 84: @TXSharon. "Spreading drilling waste across from UNT Apogee Stadium," Twitter, 2014-10-28Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 85: @TXSharon. "Responsible drilling can put fracking pits like these in Denton," Twitter, 2014-10-28Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 86: @YFNDentonista. "Rec'd a pro-fracking letter from TWU," Twitter, 2014-10-25Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 87: Graham, Garrett. "Puppets for the Planet: Won't You Be My Neighbor?" Vimeo, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 88: Graham, Garret. "Don't Frack With Denton Teaser Trailer," Vimeo, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 89: Baker, Max. "If adopted, Denton fracking ban would face legal tests," WFAA, 2014-11-03Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 90: Zoom, Doktor. "Texas Loves 'Local Control' Until City Votes To Ban Fracking," Wonkette, 2014-11-10Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 91: Smith, Sean. "Eagle ridge blow out denton tx," Youtube, 2013-04-22Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 92: Hall, Phil. "Property Rights Argument against the proposed drilling  ban in Denton, TX," Youtube, 2014-10-18Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 93: Hall, Phil. "Economic Argument Against the Denton Drilling Ban," Youtube, 2014-10-09Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 94: Peterson, Traci. "Potential well water contaminants highest near natural gas drilling, UT Arlington study says," UTA News Center, 2013-07-26Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 95: Krauss, Clifford. "In Texas, a Fight Over Fracking," New York Times, 2014-10-08Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 96: Phillips, Tom. "Denton City Council Remarks", 2014-07-15Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 97: The Perryman Group. "The Adverse Impact of Banning Hydraulic Fracturing In The City of Denton on Business Activity and Tax Receipts in the City and State," The Perryman Group, 2014-06Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 98: Perry, Mark J. "An amazing chart of an amazing job-creating state; we all owe a debt of gratitude to 'Saudi Texas' and the shale boom," AEI Ideas, 2014-10-21Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 99: "Barnett Shale Energy Education Council" website, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 100: "Barnett Shale Energy Education Council" resources web page, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 101: "New Economic Impact Report Finds Hydraulic Fracturing Ban Would Cost City of Denton Millions of Dollars," Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, 2014-07-14Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 102: "Denton Drilling Awareness Group" website, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 103: "Denton County Republican Party" website, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 104: Edmondson, Dianne. "Frack Free Denton Afraid to Debate Ban?" Denton County Republican Party, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 105: "Earthworks" website, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 106: Graham, Garrett. "Don't Frack With Denton," Garrett Graham website, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 107: Silverman, Lauren. "Denton City Council to VOte on Fracking Ban Tuesday," KERA News, 2014-07-14Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 108: Fehling, Dave. "Don't Frack on Me: Local Challenges to the Right to Drill," KERA News, 2014-07-29Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 109: "Denton tagged articles," StateImpactAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 110: Schneider, Andrew. "In Texas, Traffic Deaths Climb Amid Fracking Boom," NPR, 2014-10-12Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 111: Buchele, Mose. "North Texas Town Could Become First In The State To Ban Fracking," NPR, 2014-10-27Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 112: Hughes, David. "Drilling Deeper," Post Carbon Institute, 2014-10-27Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 113: Shaletest Environmental Testing. "Project Playground: Cleaner Air For Active Kids," Shaletest, 2014-09-00Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 114: "Dirty, Dangerous, and Run Amok," Beyond Natural Gas, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 115: Mosqueda, Priscila. "Denton Residents Propose Fracking Ban," Texas Observer, 2014-02-19Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 116: Malewitz, Jim. "Denton Fracking Ban Could Spur Wider Legal Clash," The Texas Tribune, 2014-07-25Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 117: Buchele, Mose. "Fracking Fight Puts Denton in National Spotlight," The Texas Tribune, 2014-10-21Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 118: Malewitz, Jim. "Denton Bans Fracking, But Challenges Almost Certain," The Texas Tribune, 2014-11-05Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 119: Horn, Steve and Tempus, Alexandra."How Putin Became a Central Figure in the First Ever Vote To Ban Fracking in Texas," This Changes Everything, 2014-10-15Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 120: Briggle, Adam. "Why Denton should ban fracking," TribTalk, 2014-10-03Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 121: Frack Free Denton. "Frack Free Denton" campaign broadcast, UStream, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 122: FrackFreeDenton. "Recorded live on my iPhone," UStream, 2014-10-20Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 123: "Railroad Commission of Texas Mission Statement," The Railroad Commission of Texas, 2014Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 
Item 124: Porter, David. "Letter To Secretary John Kerry," Railroad Commission of Texas, 2014-09-08Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
 

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