A Dallas jury has awarded a Wise County couple $3 million in their case against Plano-based Aruba Petroleum.
Bob and Lisa Parr accused the North Texas gas drilling company’s hydraulic fracturing operations contaminated their 40-acre ranch in Decatur. The family claimed the pollution made them sick, as well as their pets and livestock. At times they were forced to evacuate the property, they said.
“They’re vindicated,” said David Matthews, a Houston attorney representing the family. “It takes guts to say, ‘I’m going to stand here and protect my family from an invasion of our right to enjoy our property.’”
The Wise County drilling site was within the Barnett Shale, which became one of the country’s most prolific natural gas plays after the advent of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling techniques.
Attorneys for Aruba argued during the trial in Dallas County Court that there are more than 100 natural gas wells within a 2-mile radius of the Parrs’ property.
For full details of this case, verdict and comments from all the lawyers involved, please read Dallas Morning News energy writer James Osborne’s terrific piece at: