It is with great remorse that I have to break my own rules of keeping politics out of kayaking, but I cannot just sit idly, while such another travesty unfolds. I am happy to forward any comments or letters to OCWUT, the Mayor, and your council person if delivered to the kayak shop by 4 p.m. tomorrow (Monday), which is the deadline for public comment. December 20, 2014 To: Mayor Mick Cornett, OCWUT, and Councilor Meg Salyer, I am emphatically opposed to Pedestal Energy’s plan to locate an oil and gas drilling and fracking operation at Lake Hefner and the surrounding parkland, an area often touted as the crown jewel of the park system. I am a citizen of Oklahoma City, living at 2737 NW 14 St., and operate one of the largest recreational kayak stores in the nation, OKC Kayak, LLC (220 N. Western Ave.), walking distance from City Hall downtown. We historically have leased lake property within yards of the proposed drilling site for recreational paddling purposes, and speak on behalf of the tens of thousands of kayakers, canoeists, standup paddle boarders, and recreational sailors that use the lake reservation. I have worked directly with consultants hired by the City to create a sensible master plan for the proposed area, to ensure that the wants and needs of the user groups were being appropriately met. Let me start by saying, I value the importance of the oil and gas industry to our City and the state of Oklahoma. My issue with the proposal is the placement of the wells not just on public property, but in direct proximity to the lake and trails, offering a chance for disastrous consequences in the event of failure. Most would consider a well site to be a permanent eyesore next to one of the best parks in the state. No amount of fencing or blinds negates the fact that there will be less usable parkland and a deleterious scar dotting the most visited trail in the city (OKC parkland is already less than 50% of that of most major cities nationwide). With the advancement of directional drilling, I could envision a scenario where drilling is conducted offsite, while still allowing royalties paid to OCWUT for mineral rights underneath the lake, without the inherent risk to property values, recreation, and our water supply. We have laws preventing people from putting a toe in water and ordinances making it illegal for a car tire to touch the dry lake bed, yet it is not considered a risk to locate an industrial site two football fields distance away? I have often seen the lake rise to a level where it is crossing the road into Hobie Point. That said, I am asking for a review of bathymetric high water line data, to ensure that this proposal is even compliant with state and federal laws. While the best case scenario revenue projections amount to less than 25 cents a month per citizen of Oklahoma City, no dollar amount of revenue can justify tarnishing this regional treasure. As a business owner, I, and many others make determinations based on quality of life for my coworkers, friends, and customers. Blatant disregard for the recreational users of the lake signifies that decisions will be made based solely on short term financial gain. This is not a good selling point for other businesses that are thinking of relocating to our city. I would wager a guess that Lake Hefner receives a broader demographic of users (not to mention the sheer numbers that visit each year), than any other recreational entity the City has invested in to date. The argument of “Hey, we are going to generate some cash for improvements at the lake,” doesn’t hold up either. Most users would rather roller blade on gravel than to see an oil production facility located so close to their playground and neighborhoods. The shear outrageousness of such a folly is generating press and ridicule nationwide. This leads me to question why such a proposal has gone so far (behind closed doors) in the detailed negotiating process despite strong public sentiment against such activity. We need greater transparency, and neutrality on the part of OCWUT and the City regarding this and future proposals, rather than directly advocating for special interests. Ignoring strong public sentiment and taking measures to see that appropriate public comment is minimized is a dangerous precedent which surely will open the City to legal and other fiscal repercussions as well. Let’s not spend our time and limited resources trying to help a private business make a buck for what amount to peanuts in potential rewards. Please vote against this proposal. Dave Lindo, OKC Kayak LLC
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 18:18:30 +0000
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