What is Happening to Bring About the Changes
Just in case you are not familiar with the environmental damage of drilling for natural gas, ( I focus on this particular practice because it is what our area is dealing with and is what has brought many changes)
Tucked into one of the most scenic areas of the United States in the Arkansas Ozark Mountains, surrounding one of the purest drinking water sources for over 6,000 people, is an underground treasure of immense proportions - the discovery of a natural gas reservoir called the Fayetteville Shale Play. Although the first discovery of gas in Arkansas was in 1887 in Fort Smith, with commercial development beginning in 1902, The Fayetteville Shale Play shale gas is the current focus of the natural gas and oil industry. Located on the Arkansas side of the Arkoma Basin, the gas reservoir ranges in thickness from 50 to 550 feet, and depths from 1,500 to 6,500 feet. The Fayetteville Shale play is a rock formation encompassing multiple counties in North-Central Arkansas and holding vast reservoirs of natural gas, Mississippian in age, and is the geologic equivalent to the Caney Shale in Oklahoma and the Barnett Shale in North Texas, all of which are huge reservoirs of natural gas.
With over a million wells being estimated for the Fayetteville Shale Play area, you only have to refer to the map provided by the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission (shown below) to see how devastating and environmentally disastrous this will be for this magnificent area. It takes millions of gallons of water to drill one well. The water is used with diesel mud which consists of benzene, and many other carcinogenic chemicals. With an estimated 1.8 million wells and millions of gallons of water and up per well, it does not take a rocket scientist or numerous studies (the oil and gas industry is exempt from any EIS study) and - you do the math - to predict potential pollution and environmental disaster for the lake area and sweet spot county residents. It is also estimated that there will be eight wells per section, up to sixteen wells per section and clearing of four to six acres per section of some of the most beautiful hardwood forests in the Unites States. Not to mention the drilling sites are very close to our drinking water source of a 40,000 acre man-made lake, at one time considered as one of the purest water sources in the country. Now it is in the worst condition of its life, according to the community water systems here in the area.
Arkansas has little or no regulatory recourse to monitor the activity of the oil and gas companies. ADEQ’s resources are extremely limited, or non existent and only regulate drilling fluids, containment areas and when the drilling is completed, proper disposal of chemical based drilling fluids. All else is monitored by the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission. Isn’t that like the fox guarding the chicken house? There are not enough inspectors to go around to monitor the thousands of wells going in. Since it is almost impossible for a concerned citizen to get close enough to a well to check for violations and report them to ADEQ, which is what ADEQ is suggesting, how will the public be aware of any endangerment to health, drinking water sources, livestock, or irreparable damage to the environment? Right now, we can only rely on reports of people's first hand experience and documentation.
This is one of the reasons for the coming changes. Humankind has severed its connection with Nature and the Earth Mother by living in disharmony with Her. My Ancient Grandmother tells me that drilling in any form, along with weapons of war, are the worst things that can be done to our Beloved Earth Mother. This is because She is the Womb of all Life and She is Sacred. She is constantly pregnant with life and is penetrated with machines that poke holes in Her. She is raped and then injected with toxic chemicals that flow into all parts of Her Being, Her waters, Her children, Her body. Her offspring is coming forth deformed, and sick or not at all. It also disrupts the energy flow along her ley lines. This violent assault upon Her is affecting all of us. Is it no wonder She is reacting to this violence brought upon Her by humankind?
Perhaps in observing what is happening to our Mother the Earth at this time, it will touch your heart as it has mine and move you to care about Mother Earth, Her children and each other.
We, Humankind must take responsibility for our thoughts, the condition of our home, the well being of our Mother and all living things. And because the 'thoughts' are those that live in disharmony, placing more value on money than the real world, the world of Spirit, it has come to this and set in motion the future events of transformation.
With over a million wells being estimated for the Fayetteville Shale Play area, you only have to refer to the map provided by the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission (shown below) to see how devastating and environmentally disastrous this will be for this magnificent area. It takes millions of gallons of water to drill one well. The water is used with diesel mud which consists of benzene, and many other carcinogenic chemicals. With an estimated 1.8 million wells and millions of gallons of water and up per well, it does not take a rocket scientist or numerous studies (the oil and gas industry is exempt from any EIS study) and - you do the math - to predict potential pollution and environmental disaster for the lake area and sweet spot county residents. It is also estimated that there will be eight wells per section, up to sixteen wells per section and clearing of four to six acres per section of some of the most beautiful hardwood forests in the Unites States. Not to mention the drilling sites are very close to our drinking water source of a 40,000 acre man-made lake, at one time considered as one of the purest water sources in the country. Now it is in the worst condition of its life, according to the community water systems here in the area.
Arkansas has little or no regulatory recourse to monitor the activity of the oil and gas companies. ADEQ’s resources are extremely limited, or non existent and only regulate drilling fluids, containment areas and when the drilling is completed, proper disposal of chemical based drilling fluids. All else is monitored by the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission. Isn’t that like the fox guarding the chicken house? There are not enough inspectors to go around to monitor the thousands of wells going in. Since it is almost impossible for a concerned citizen to get close enough to a well to check for violations and report them to ADEQ, which is what ADEQ is suggesting, how will the public be aware of any endangerment to health, drinking water sources, livestock, or irreparable damage to the environment? Right now, we can only rely on reports of people's first hand experience and documentation.
This is one of the reasons for the coming changes. Humankind has severed its connection with Nature and the Earth Mother by living in disharmony with Her. My Ancient Grandmother tells me that drilling in any form, along with weapons of war, are the worst things that can be done to our Beloved Earth Mother. This is because She is the Womb of all Life and She is Sacred. She is constantly pregnant with life and is penetrated with machines that poke holes in Her. She is raped and then injected with toxic chemicals that flow into all parts of Her Being, Her waters, Her children, Her body. Her offspring is coming forth deformed, and sick or not at all. It also disrupts the energy flow along her ley lines. This violent assault upon Her is affecting all of us. Is it no wonder She is reacting to this violence brought upon Her by humankind?
Perhaps in observing what is happening to our Mother the Earth at this time, it will touch your heart as it has mine and move you to care about Mother Earth, Her children and each other.
We, Humankind must take responsibility for our thoughts, the condition of our home, the well being of our Mother and all living things. And because the 'thoughts' are those that live in disharmony, placing more value on money than the real world, the world of Spirit, it has come to this and set in motion the future events of transformation.
This is a map of the state of Arkansas. Everywhere you see a yellow dot, there is a proposed well.
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