Griffithville - A company that collects wastewater from natural gas companies drilling in the Fayetteville Shale has been ordered to shut down a second operation after inspectors linked it to fish kills and water pollution in White County.

Environmental regulators ordered Fayetteville Shale Land Farms LLC to shut down its Central Arkansas Disposal facility near Griffithville.

Friday's emergency order from the state Department of Environmental Quality says inspectors following up on a December 4th complaint found a large unlined waste treatment reservoir at the site that had not been granted a permit.

According to the order, a large pipe emptied black fluids, apparently from the facility, into the reservoir and the reservoir discharged into Raft Creek. Tests showed levels of chloride and total dissolved solids associated with drilling fluids.

The order said a fisheries biologist with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission observed three fish kills in waters northeast of the reservoir and connected to Raft Creek by wetlands. Also, to the south of the reservoir, the creek joins other waterways and enters the Steve Wilson Raft Creek Wildlife Management Area.

A company spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment.



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