Cuadrilla’s shale gas site at Preston New Road, 18 July 2018. Photo Danny Vc Llew
By Chloe Farand, DeSmog UK.
The UK government is recruiting a shale gas commissioner to “facilitate communication” with residents and promote what is sees as the benefits of a new fossil fuel industry. The position was announced days before the government gave the go-ahead for fracking to start in Lancashire.
The new role of shale commissioner has been described by the government as “an independent appointment” which will have no powers of enforcement or investigation but will aim to
“improve local understanding of shale gas operations by directing concerned local parties to relevant and impartial fact based information”.
The commissioner will act as a go-between for the industry, regulators and residents, “communicating the evidence base for shale gas” and “facilitating open and transparent communication with local residents”.
The job application states that the two-year role will require up to eight days of work a month with applications for the role closing on Sunday (29 July 2018. The advert was posted on Monday July 23 2018.
Despite more than 18 months of active campaigning by anti-fracking protesters, energy minister Claire Perry has issued the first fracking consent since new regulatory measures were introduced.
Shale gas firm Cuadrilla has been granted permission to start fracking at its Preston New Road site in Lancashire, with the company expected to begin work in the next few weeks.
This comes as the government launched a public consultation over whether to remove the need for planning applications for non-fracking shale gas proposals and to take decisions on shale gas production away from local councils.
In a statement yesterday, Ms Perry said shale gas had the potential for “further enhancing our energy security and helping us with our continued transition to a lower-carbon economy”. She added it had the capacity to “deliver substantial economic benefits, both nationally and locally, as well as through the creation of well paid, high-quality jobs”.
In a recent government survey published in April, nearly a third of respondents (32 percent) said they were opposed to fracking, compared with 18 percent who supported it. Nearly half of respondents (47 percent) said they neither supported nor opposed. The same survey found support for renewable energy peaked at 85 percent.
“Joke job application”
In Lancashire and North Yorkshire, anti-fracking activists described the government’s move to try and win over communities as a “lost cause”.
Claire Stephenson, from Frack Free Lancashire, described the job application as “almost a joke job application, filled with absurd spin”.
“The fact that the ‘skills required’ include communication, media and marketing, suggest this role is nothing more than a hollow PR exercise.
“How dare the government presume to be able to speak on behalf of our concerns, considering they’ve spent the last several years assuaging the industry, blatantly changing the goalposts to suit them, whilst treating communities with utter condescension and oppression.”
Becky Daniels, an anti-fracking activist who has lived at a protest camp near the Preston New Road site for over a year with her three children, told DeSmog UK:
“The relations between the local people and those who are trying to enforce fracking are at an all time low. We do not trust them because they cannot prove to us that fracking is safe.
“This new role will just be another person in a chain that we have to work through to get our point across to the government.
“Some people might feel much safer to know that there could be a go-to point of contact to speak about their concerns. But not for the rest of us who have realised for a while that this industry is toxic and dangerous.”
Reacting to the news the government granted permission for Cuadrilla to start fracking at the Preston New Road site, Ms Daniels said:
“None of us have lost hope here and we are still standing strong and united against the industry.”
Russell Scott, a freelance journalist and member of the anti-fracking group Frack Free Ryedale in North Yorkshire, said the hiring of a shale gas commissioner to facilitate communication with local residents was “desperate”.
“This is another move by the government to try and convince an unwilling British public to accept that fracking isn’t dangerous or a threat to our environment.
“We can no longer kick the can down the road – climate change is a real threat, supported by scientific facts. Do we need any more warnings before we figure out that we must tackle this problem without further procrastination rather than commit to a new form of fossil fuel extraction.”
Edited version of a post which first appeared on DeSmog UK
Categories: Politics
DRILL OR DROP? 
Interesting that EU and UK dont want fracking but yet they want to buy US L,NG from fracking. Just doesn’t make aense.
https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2018-07-25/europe-to-become-massive-buyer-of-u-s-lng-trump-says?__twitter_impression=true
So, TW; according to the latest gov survey, 85% of the people of the UK support renewables for energy generation; so no, we don’t want another fossil fuel, particularly the dirty shale with all its negative impacts; LNG will come to the UK as we trade, we sell something, we buy in LNG; interestingly it seem imported LNG is this governments preferred option.
Well I support renewables and fracking and they aren’t mutually exclusive.
That’s an oxymoron
Interesting that EU and UK don’t want fracking but yet they want to buy US LNG from fracking. Just doesn’t make any sense.
It’s call trading. It’s how the world works.
https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/europe-middle-east/europe/european-union
The UK chooses to have a diverse range of oil and gas suppliers to add to our 20 billion barrel home grown North sea reserves.
No need to rip up the countryside to produce a new dirty, expensive, hit and miss fossil fuel industry when we have such diverse energy security already in place.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44978242
“British oil and gas giant BP is buying $10.5bn (£8bn) of US shale assets as the higher oil price makes new extraction techniques more attractive again.”
Shale is dead John……..
Unfortunately however Paul Tresto it is US shale and not UK shale. So the frackers cant claim the glory for UK shale on this one.
Ah but US shale is nothing but a giant Ponzi scheme, investor rip off, no money in it etc etc. according to the antis. So perhaps they will also be incorrect about the commerciality of UK shale???? I used to work with Bob Dudley when he was a young engineer. He has certainly done well…
Our trade balance is not in very good shape to justify your rationale and argument. We import more than export. Especially energy.
If you mean the UK that’s a matter of opinion; it would be helpful if you would put some evidence to your random statements TW.
Yes, Sherwulfe-we trade.
When we buy in that gas, or oil, we are vulnerable to the swings of currency and as most pressures on Sterling are negative at the moment that is a really sound idea-NOT. Ohh, and by the way, that imported gas and oil produces tax for the countries producing it-like Norway-who then have one of the best health services in the world and can afford to invest in alternative energy as well.
No wonder with your version of economics we have Food Banks around the country.
Fracking Propaganda Minister!
Research Lord Haw Haw?
World War 2.
[Comment removed by moderator]
Yep, Peter. First job will be to produce an independent information platform. Suspect it will be called FAB-fracking around Britain! (The alternatives should keep Paul busy!)
F.A.I.L.E.D. F.R.A.C.K.I.N.G. L.I.E.S.
F.A.I.L.E.D. = Facile Abuse Insane Lies Ending Democracy
F.R.A.C.K.I.N.G. = Frantic Rant Assault Cackling Kakistocracy Imposter Needs Greed.
L.I.E.S. = Losing Invading Energy Scam
A teacher who has problems communicating! (I remember them.) Keep the message simple-less is more. FAB is catchy, easily remembered what it stands for.
No wonder the two thirds are not convinced. Think they dozed off.
F racking’s
A bsolutely
B army
Perhaps they got overwhelmed by the 85%?
That’s better Sherwulfe. Much more succinct and memorable. Only weakness is it is not factual but a statement of opinion. Expected from the antis.
The 85% is just the majority of meat eaters saying they like vegetables as well. (It was not an either or question.) Bit more research on market research required.
B.A.F.
Barmy
Army
Frackers
Not sure that would achieve much for the antis PhilC. The Barmy Army is a well loved British institution world wide, showing other cultures the best of British, whilst maintaining the image that the British do things their own way.
I think Grasshopper has it over the Master at the moment! Don’t tell him-without a TV that would not mean anything!
sorry Martin you
B lahh, blaaah
O verused
M uttering
B abble
E mpty talk
D rivel
again…..