Hydraulic Fracturing Revisited
David Casaletto
Although I have only been writing articles for Ozarks Waters for a few months, the one on Hydraulic Fracturing by far generated the biggest response from you, our readers! While this form of mining has been used for 60 years and while the natural gas mining in shale deposits is newer, it still has been happening in Arkansas for a number of years. It just seems that it did not make it on a lot of radar screens until recently.
I have had some requests to update the article. One was from an employee with Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). It seems the map I used did not include all the areas that fracking is taking place in Arkansas. Please see the new map below for additional areas both in the eastern and western parts of the state.
Western (left) and Eastern (right) Fayetteville Shale Maps
In my list of potential environmental problems, I left off the mining for the sand that is used to mix with the water and chemicals to be injected into that shale deposits. The sand flows into and holds the cracks open after they are created allowing the natural gas to make its way into the pipe and to the surface.
Just last week, I was forwarded some pictures of a sand mining operation that allowed runoff into the nearby creek. After citizen complaints to and an investigation by ADEQ, a news release on December 14, 2010 from ADEQ states they are seeking an injunction and a $250,000 fine against the mining operation. The ADEQ inspector found a levee had failed at the site allowing industrial wastewater into East Lafferty Creek, a tributary of the White River, resulting in a fish kill. It also says that another citizen complaint and inspection on December 3rd found another release had taken place to East Lafferty Creek resulting in a noticeable change in appearance to the creek and increased turbidity with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission finding 59 dead fish.
Sand mining operation runoff impacts local creek.
Budgets are tight and it is impossible for our regulatory agencies to be everywhere at once, but we can be their eyes and ears and report these environmental problems. As ADEQ Director Teresa Marks commented at the recent AWAG conference, "We" (concerned citizens) are the eyes and ears that ADEQ (and other regulatory agencies) depend upon to help find and deal with these situations.
Natural gas and other domestic energy sources are needed and important to each of us but the corporations providing us with this energy must operate in such a way as to protect our natural resources and the environment.
Quote of the Week
There is hope if people will begin to awaken that spiritual part of themselves, that heartfelt knowledge that we are caretakers of this planet.
~Brooke Medicine Eagle
Current News Articles
