This came to us from a concerned citizen:

It appears that the anti-fossil fuel activists who have been working overtime to cripple the Barnett Shale and deprive North Texas of its economic benefits have found an ally: The Denton Record-Chronicle, and particularly a reporter, Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe, who covers the natural gas industry but has filed suit against the very companies she writes about.

Last week, The Washington Examiner revealed that Ms. Heinkel-Wolfe is in fact a dedicated opponent of the Barnett, the companies that work there, and the employees, families, and local governments whose lives depend on shale gas development. The article says that over time, she has "developed a reputation as something as a 'pass-through' for activists in the area interested in securing easy coverage."

It goes on to cite a story which, incredibly, actually appeared in the Record-Chronicle – stating that she is "a plaintiff in a separate lawsuit against the (natural gas) companies" that is related to the siting of a processing station. In fact, the Times reports, Ms. Heinkel-Wolfe opposed the project so strongly that she even submitted comments to state regulators in 2010, demanding that her grievances be considered "with the same weight that you give to industry."

While I defend her right to sue anybody for anything, Ms. Heinkel-Wolfe's activism has no place in journalism. As the Times also points out, the Society of Professional Journalists "maintains a code of ethics that urges reporters to • avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. '" It goes on to say that the society "asks journalists to "remain free of associationsand activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility."
Clearly, Ms. Heinkel-Wolfe is not meeting any of those standards. She has not remained free of activities that compromise her credibility. She is an advocate for environmental interests who are so extreme they'd do anything to kill the 100,000 jobs the Barnett supports and eliminate the millions of dollars it has poured into local governments to support vital services. Again, she's got the right to believe whatever she believes. But she has no right to do it in the disguise of "objective" journalism - which is exactly what she is doing.

My guess is that the Record-Chronicle would never pull Ms. Heinkel-Wolfe off the energy beat. My hope is that the paper's owner, which also owns the Dallas Morning News, will step in and do something to ensure that issues in the Barnett are covered fairly and honestly. As readers and citizens, we deserve nothing less.

Submitted by:
Terri Lowry
Little Elm, Texas

Note: This reporter has a Masters degree in journalism from the University of North Texas. She has been employed by the Denton Record Chronicle for 7 years.