Gas Fracking Again...

[Al Agnew]

When Bobber brought this up back in February it didn't get much play here, but guys, I'm really getting concerned about this. There is a docomentary on HBO now called "Gasland" that will scare the bejesus out of anybody that cares about Arkansas Ozark streams and countryside. The same kind of fracking has just started going on big time in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, and the problems there are already beginning. It's apparently been a disaster in Colorado. Creeks that burn. Groundwater polluted. Land subsiding. Spills of the drilling fluid. Well blow-outs. Property values dropping to near nothing. People getting sick. Local roads torn up from the heavy equipment, with no requirements for the gas company people to pay for the damages.

They say most of this stuff won't happen in PA because the shale is so much deeper than the aquifers. But there, the companies were given permission to dispose of the used drilling fluid, which ends up being pretty toxic, in local sewage treatment systems that weren't designed to handle it, and the treated fluid is being allowed to be dumped into the streams. There has already been a well blow-out and release of toxic fumes. A lot of local residents are complaining about the arrogance of the companies involved and also complaining that they misrepresented the number of wells and the land needed to service each well.

I'm not as up on Arkansas geology as I am Missouri's, but I don't think the Fayetteville shale is all that deep? Closer to aquifers? Closer to direct pathways into the streams due to the karst topography?

The companies refuse to disclose the ingredients in the fracking fluids, other than water (LOTS of water, and where are they going to be getting it?) and sand. They say it's proprietary and they don't want their competition knowing the composition. I'm calling BS on that one. Sounds to me like they just don't want the public knowing all the toxic stuff in it. But the companies' operations are excluded from the Clean Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act by action taken during the previous administration (it's actually called the Halliburton Loophole, but maybe that's getting too political).

Let's see...new roads and flattened clearings of an acre or more for each well. Fluid requiring vast amounts of water (and sand, sand mining is already ramping up in north Arkansas) and with ingredients that aren't publicly known but are known to include toxins. Dangers of transporting, storing, treating, and disposing of those fluids. Chances of them getting into groundwater and streams during the fracking process. Demands on local infrastructure. Possible land subsidence. Possible well blow-outs with release of toxic gases and necessity of burning off the escaping natural gas.

Gee, what could go wrong?

[snagged in outlet 3]

I saw that show Al. I posted a link to it over on John Wilson's website and it hasn't gotten even one response. They were trying to put one of these at Cowshoals on the Little Red but the community came together to fight it.

http://flyfishingarkansasandmissouri.yuku.com/topic/6159

The corporate greed in this country is going to ruin our environment.

Snagged

[Mo Mac Man]

I watched that as well and it was very scary. What's also scary is that northern Ark and southern Mo were lit up on his map of potential site. When you find of the details, common sense tells you it will destroy everything below ground. We should all be very concerned and work to prevent this. It could literally ruin the water of entire watersheds. Watch it if you can. More than one person literally sets their tap water on fire. And it's not just sensationalize video. Of course, the drilling companies deny it. Hard to deny a flaming faucet.

[Trout Commander]

Anyone know where the video might be available online? Or at least the name of the documentary so I can look for it?

[Mo Mac Man]

It's called Gasland. It was HBO this week. here is his web site.

http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/

[Trout Commander]

Thank you MMM.

[Al Agnew]

From what I saw on the Arkansas Geological Survey map, the potential gas-producing region is a swath across the Boston Mountain section of AR and extending eastward from there. Most but not all the present permits for wells are in a big cluster in the area around Greers Ferry and southward, covering the Little Red, Cadron, and Illinois Bayou watersheds. But there are permits for wells around Big Piney Creek and the Mulberry. And the region includes the headwaters and southern tributaries of the Buffalo, as well as the upper watershed of the Kings, War Eagle, and upper White. So, potentially just about every good stream south of Crooked Creek in AR could have wells in its watershed. AR Geological Survey seems to be a real cheerleader for this from what I saw on their website. Lots of other cheerleaders, talking about all the jobs this will bring to AR. And landowners are getting good prices for leasing mineral rights. It's looking like a gold rush mentality, and unless people wake up, I suspect it's going to be difficult to slow down this train enough to at least insure the companies are doing things right--IF it's possible to do things right. AR only has a dozen or so inspectors for the whole state who can check on these guys, and they probably don't know all that much about it and also have a lot of other responsibilities.

[hank franklin]

But the companies' operations are excluded from the Clean Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act by action taken during the previous administration (it's actually called the Halliburton Loophole, but maybe that's getting too political).

There are two sets of rules in this country. One set for the rich and the powerful, the other for the little guys. The little guys have to jump through all hoops imaginable to make sure their water is protective of human health and the environment, while the rich and powerful get a waiver.

Simple as that. Thanks Al for pointing this out.

[Outside Bend]

I guess I don't understand why we can ban chip mills in the Ozarks because of unethical business practices and environmental damage, but we can't do the same for gas fracking. It seems as though the same logic would apply to this situation.

[Mo Mac Man]

If you believe all that's in the documentary (and I haven't had the time to follow up), VP Chaney was able to exempt the natural gas drillers from virtually every act ever passed that protects the environment (clean air act, clean water act, etc.). Basically there is no Federal regulation at all and it's left to the states. And as Al said, if the state has only a handful of inspectors for potentially thousands of wells, you can see how we'd loose. Could imagine the impact if the upper buffalo and upper white were contaminated? The environmental/economic impact would be staggering.