We, the
residents of Grand Prairie, Arlington, of DFW and all of North Texas along with
friends of the Trinity Trail strenuously object to FEMA and the City of Grand
Prairie forcing GHA gas company to move its tanks from the east end of Lower
Tarrant to the lot just east of the Good Link Trail at Lower Tarrant. You say
that the original plan for elevating tanks on their existing property is not practical
in case there is a 100-year flood that covers the land with 6-8 feet of rushing
water. Yet just across the county line, Viridian built dozens of homes inside
of the same class of flood zone. We can see plainly on the FEMA map that there
are all sorts of existing structures inside this flood plain where the GHA has its
collection center.
We
are offended that you would consider this land benign to an industrial
development. Construction equipment has
already knocked down most of the large oak trees on the property. Putting tanks
and gravel all over that property will turn that land that used to be a
beautiful neighbor to the Good Link Trail connecting Mike Lewis and C.P.
Waggoner Parks into a wasteland.
We also
question your cooperation with local business in the community. Imposing an expensive, and in our view,
elective facility relocation cost onto GHA at a time when gas prices are down
and they have little hope of recovering the cost anytime soon is, in our view,
irresponsible and hostile to small business.
Grand Prairie needs to build a reputation of having business-friendly
policies as well as those that ensure the tranquility of residents.
The
Good Link Trail is also scheduled to connect the greater Trinity Trail in Fort
Worth to the Trinity Trail in Dallas. The recreational interests of the parks
will be better served if FEMA, GHA, and the City of Grand Prairie find a way to
keep their industrial use of the property where it is instead of moving it next
to the Good Link/Trinity Trail.
We
implore you to cease the destruction immediately and return to committee to
explore other options for the safety of this Barnett Shale tank farm.
My family and I walk the trail often. Please do not move the tanks closer to the trail. Thank you.