FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality announced Tuesday that it is stepping up efforts to monitor the natural gas production efforts in the area known as the Fayetteville Shale.
The group says it will add four inspectors, one inspector supervisor and one enforcement analyst to monitor natural gas drilling, production and disposal activities in the Fayetteville Shale Play Area.
The area stretches across north central Arkansas.
The new hires are funded by a $1,090,000 grant from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. According to a news release, the grant was provided for the purpose of providing environmental protection activities in those areas conducting natural gas drilling.
"Everyone is concerned about impacts on land and habitat, and we believe we've addressed those concerns by providing funds to hire these inspectors," said Scott Henderson, AGFC deputy directory for special projects.
The volume of natural gas produced in the Fayetteville Shale formation increased from 2.4 billion cubic feet in 2005 to more than 500 billion cubic feet in 2009. 2010 production is on track to beat 2009, with more than 300 billion cubic feet produced in the first six months of the year.