LITTLE ROCK — A prominent Arkansas conservationist says companies developing the natural gas deposits in the Fayetteville Shale of north-central Arkansas need to improve some of their practices if Arkansas is to remain the Natural State.
Debbie Doss, chair of the Arkansas Conservation Coalition, wrote a report issued Thursday by the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, a group promoting social and economic justice.
The report says risks of natural gas production include environmental pollution, harm to wildlife and landscape disturbances. The report gives a general overview of the risks involved in natural gas drilling, along with recommendations for how to mitigate those risks.
Some of the recommendations include better communication with landowners, including disclosure of chemicals being used, stronger measures to protect water and air quality and required regular inspections at each gas well.