Former Gas Industry Exec Sheffield Nelson says there is risk of frack fluid contaminating Brewer Lake...Conway, Morrilton and Conway County's water is at risk!

This week former gas industry executive Sheffield Nelson expressed his opposition to the drilling and fracking under Brewer Lake which is the fresh water supply to the Cities of Conway and Morrilton as well as the County of Conway. Arkansas Business News reports:

Nelson said the public was not notified of the activity, just as residents near Greers Ferry Lake weren't notified when seismic testing began there in February.

Nelson said he thinks Chesapeake's move could be motivated by a desire to find additional natural gas, thereby enhancing the value of its Arkansas assets before completing the sale to BHP Billiton.

"Now that Chesapeake is no longer in a public relations position, it couldn't care less" what Arkansans think, Nelson said.

Fracking will likely begin in the area soon, Nelson said, adding that there is the possibility that some drilling fluid could contaminate the area's drinking water.

For the entire article go here.

In addition a report says " Harrington Investments, Inc., an investment advisory firm specializing in socially responsible investing, announced today that it is divesting its entire holding in Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) due to the corporation’s poor environmental record and its lack of accountability to shareholders.  Recently, the Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Department cited over 40 natural gas well operators more than 900 times for “environmental health and safety” violations.   Leading this unworthy group with 109 citations was Chesapeake Energy."

Here is another blog entry by Texas Sharon about another recent violation by Chesapeake

This same Chesapeake is about to frack under Brewer Lake.  We are assured by Conway Corp. and Chesapeake that this fracking poses no  risk.  They claim that because the fracking takes place thousands of feet under the ground there is no risk to the surface water of the lake. Contamination can occur through surface spills, accidents, cement casing failure, possible existing vertical fractures to the surface, and earthquake created vertical fractures.   If a prominent former gas executive Sheffield Nelson sees potential risk and Chesapeake has had previous violations, we might want to pause and take a closer look. Why take any risk with the water supply to so many thousands of Arkansans.  Have they assessed how many abandoned water wells exist under Brewer Lake?  What about extraction and subsidence issues affecting the dam? What about the Baldwin Hills Lake Disaster on subsidence (video of disaster)?  What about the Lake Peignouir drilling disaster?

Conway Corp and Chesapeake say they will hold a public meeting about this.  That's good, but hold it at night when people can actually attend.  If you make it difficult for the public to attend it will just perpetuate the perception of subterfuge and dissembling.