Town of Flower Mound, Texas - Environmental Resources

2121 Cross Timbers Road
Flower Mound, Texas 75028
972.874.6000

For service requests or questions, email
townhall@flower-mound.com
or call 972.539.SERV. After hours, please call 972.539.0525.

Environmental Resources

Oil and Natural Gas Well Drilling

The Town of Flower Mound has produced and acquired a significant amount of information regarding oil and natural gas well drilling including history, ordinances and regulations, external agency reports, and meeting presentations.

Oil and Natural Gas - Flower Mound Drilling History

Flower Mound’s first Oil and Gas Well Drilling ordinance was adopted in May 2003. The ordinance included provisions addressing safety, noise levels, setbacks, and environmental impacts. A gas well ordinance must take into account the rights of all property owners, including mineral owners and land owners, relative to establishing surface setbacks and providing balanced regulations for responsible gas well drilling. Considered one of the most stringent in North Texas, the ordinance was used by several cities as a template in the creation of other municipal Oil and Gas Well Drilling ordinances. The Oil and Gas Well Ordinance timeline provides a chronological overview of the ordinance adoption process and history.

Oil and Natural Gas Ordinance/Regulations

A stakeholder group was appointed in May 2005 to review the ordinance and recommend revisions. The group held several public meetings and made a proposal to the Town Council in May 2007. In order to expand the community input process, the Town hosted several additional public forums after receipt of the stakeholder group recommendation. The Town Council accepted public feedback through a dedicated email account and held two work sessions, two public comment meetings, and a public hearing prior to adopting Flower Mound's current ordinance in March 2007.

The Flower Mound Oil and Gas Well Ordinance Amendments Summary describes many of the more prominent revisions that were included in the current ordinance.

The Flower Mound Oil and Gas Drilling Ordinance Comparison Chart contrasts the Town’s initial ordinance and the current ordinance in relation to a variety of setback, mitigation, and environmental factors.

Current Drilling Environment

The Gas Well Status Report provides a timely overview of the current drilling environment in Flower Mound including case numbers and names, project descriptions, and meeting dates.

The Restricted Gas Well Drilling Areas map illustrates setback requirements in various locations throughout Flower Mound.

The Typical Completion Method for Groundwater Protection Chart illustrates standard produced water disposal methods in Flower Mound.

Reports From Outside Agencies

Flower Mound Releases Second Independent Air Sampling Report

Flower Mound contracted with an independent professional services firm (Kleinfelder Central, Inc.) in January to conduct ambient air sampling at several locations within the Town. The agency released a comprehensive air study report in March that outlined test results for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and Tentatively Identified Compounds, including benzene and carbon disulfide.

The organization conducted additional tests at 12 locations in May that utilized the Environmental Protection Agency’s testing methods and adhered to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Short-term Effects Screening Levels and newly-adopted Air Monitoring Comparison Values (AMCV). The agency indicated that the observed concentrations appear to be consistent with background ambient air concentrations reported in similar urban environments, and with results from previous samplings conducted in Flower Mound. The report further stated that a limited number of VOCs were noted at concentrations above detection limits but below the AMCVs, and the ambient air testing results were not indicative of significant releases or fugitive emissions from nearby gas well activities. In addition, the report also indicated that the changing nature of the exploration, production, and transmission activities may necessitate periodic evaluation to provide additional confirmation

The Texas Commission on Environmentally Quality has announced plans to place an autoGC air quality monitor in Flower Mound by the end of the summer. This technology will allow for 24-hour monitoring via the Internet. Therefore, residents can monitor the air quality in Flower Mound. For additional information, please view the entire Ambient Air Quality Evaluation report.

Kleinfelder Ambient Air Sampling Report

Based upon direction provided by the Town Council, the Town of Flower Mound contracted with an independent environmental testing agency (Kleinfelder Central, Inc.) in January to conduct ambient air sampling at several locations within the Town. Samples were collected at eight locations throughout Flower Mound. The agency released a comprehensive air study report and final data table on March 11, 2010, that outlined test results for 57 chemicals/compounds, 40 Volatile Organic and 17 Tentatively Identified, including benzene and carbon disulfide. The complete Ambient Air Evaluation Report, a map of the testing locations, and a exposure level comparison chart are available for download. Kleinfelder staff attended the March 25, 2010 Town Council and gave a presentation to Council and citizens.

TCEQ Air Sampling Reports

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) conducted air sampling tests on January 13, 2010 at various gas well locations within Flower Mound. The Town contacted TCEQ and requested the tests in December 2009. The site visits and sampling consisted of TCEQ representatives taking weather data and wind speed, using an infrared monitor to check for emissions, checking for total volatile organic compounds at the site. The TCEQ released a preliminary e-mail summary of the Jan. 13, 2010 air quality monitoring activity on Jan. 20, 2010 detailing the locations and times in which monitoring occurred, the types of tests and readings, weather conditions, and equipment utilized.The preliminary analysis produced results indicating no detectable concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOC - benzene, toluene, methane, etc.) at the two test locations in Flower Mound. Additionally, infrared cameras did not detect emissions from the compressor engines and heater units other than those associated with normal operations. The TCEQ conducted an additional round of testing on Jan. 21, 2010 that involved canister sampling. On March 23, 2010, the TCEQ released the final laboratory analysis results of the Bunn Unit report testing and the Wilson Compressor report testing.

In response to methane concerns reported on March 3, 2010, the TCEQ conducted an investigation and collected air samples on March 4, 2010, at the reported location. The laboratory analysis results did not indicate that any of the major compounds exceeded TCEQ screening levels. View the 100314 and 100315 reports to review the laboratory results for the two samples.

Texas Department of State Health Services Texas Cancer Registry Study

The Town of Flower Mound received a report on March 24, 2010 from the Texas Department of State Health Services indicating there was no evidence of a cancer cluster in Flower Mound. The report, dated March 8, 2010, outlines the results of a 2010 cancer rate study the agency conducted in Flower Mound. The report and a related Texas Department of State Health Services press release are attached for your review. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services report and press release:

Since benzene has been shown to have an association with leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the investigation studied Childhood Lymphoid Leukemia, Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In addition, Childhood Brain/CNS Cancer and Breast Cancer were included in response to separate requests.

The chances of a person developing cancer as a result of exposure to an environmental contaminant are slight. Most experts agree that exposure to pollution, occupational, and industrial hazards account for fewer than 10 percent of cancer cases.
It takes time for cancer to develop, between 10–40 years can go by between the exposure to a carcinogen and a diagnosis of cancer.
There was a slight elevation of female breast cancer, which is consistent with the population growth in the area and likely higher mammography use compared to Texas overall. Currently, research does not show a link between breast cancer risk and environmental pollutants, and there isn’t any established scientific link between breast cancer and benzene, the contaminant of chief concern to the Flower Mound community.

Texas Department of State Health Service’s Texas Cancer Registry also released a 2008 study and 2009 study investigating occurrences of cancer.

Seismic Testing and Produced Wastewater Gathering System

The Town of Flower Mound has received a number of inquiries regarding seismic testing and produced wastewater gathering and storage systems. To ensure accurate distribution of information regarding these issues, the Town has prepared a fact sheet that addresses the most commonly received questions, and a presentation that was presented to the Flower Mound Town Council on Oct. 5, 2009. The Council publicly discussed the issue and provided direction to staff. Please download the fact sheet and presentation for more information regarding these two issues.

Environmental Resources

Oil and Natural Gas Well Drilling

Oil and Natural Gas - Flower Mound Drilling History

Oil and Natural Gas Ordinance/Regulations

Current Drilling Environment

Reports From Outside Agencies

Flower Mound Releases Second Independent Air Sampling Report

Kleinfelder Ambient Air Sampling Report

TCEQ Air Sampling Reports

Texas Department of State Health Services Texas Cancer Registry Study

Seismic Testing and Produced Wastewater Gathering System

Dowloadable Documents

Reports from Outside Agencies

Presentation from the June 21, 2010 Town Council Meeting

Presentations from the March 25, 2010 Town Council Meeting

Presentations and Maps from the Nov. 2, 2009 Public Hearing

Presentations from Oct. 15, 2009 Town Council Work Session