Natural-gas and oil production soaring in Utah

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Natural gas production has hit a new record in Utah.

The Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining says drilling in March alone produced enough gas to supply half a million homes for a whole year.

The rush to production shows no sign of ebbing. The agency says the new pace had production running at 35 billion cubic feet for March, the most recent month figures were available.

Oil production also set a record at 1.7 million barrels in March, eclipsing a previous record in May 1994.

The conservation group Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance reacted to the news by saying it's not putting a dent in production by challenging some drilling.

Utah officials most recently reported that gas drilling in 2007 set a production record.