Living with Fracking event at Ribby Hall, near Blackpool, 9 February 2019. Photo: Refracktion.com
An estimated 350 people attended an event near Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road shale gas site to discuss the impacts of fracking on residents.
The capacity audience, at Ribby Hall holiday village near Blackpool, heard from the Texan former oil and gas worker, Sharon Wilson, who now works for the US environmental group, Earthworks. She described the loss of water and air quality in her community. She said fracked gas was not a bridge fuel to a low carbon economy.
There were also presentations from Dr Tim Thornton, a retired GP from Ryedale, where Third Energy wanted to frack but has not yet had permission, and David Smythe, Emeritus Professor of Geophysics at University of Glasgow.
Professor Smythe said he had identified the critical Wakepark Fault, from a 3D geological survey, which had been missing in Cuadrilla’s documentation. But he said the regulator, the Oil & Gas Authority had withheld the survey, at the request of Cuadrilla, and the report was released only following legal action.
Dr Thornton said disadvantaged and young people who live near shale gas sites were at great risk because, he said, the government did not intend to carry out baseline or ongoing monitoring of the health impacts of residents.
There were additional presentations from local anti-fracking campaigners, Susan Holliday, chair of the Preston New Road Action Group, Barbara Richardson, of Roseacre Awareness Group, and Maureen Mills, of the Moss Alliance.
“Ministerial intention and action are two separate things”
The event’s organisers, Concerned Residents of Lancashire, said:
“It was highly beneficial and excellent timing to hold an event of this nature.
“From what we have heard and experienced so far, it seems as though ministerial intention and ministerial action are two very separate things: the climate crisis will not be solved by the introduction of a new and dirty fossil fuel industry.
“We can’t have daily reports of climate breakdown and an air pollution crisis, and carry on with fracking, regardless.
“Our health and community safety must be paramount.”
Categories: Opposition
DRILL OR DROP? 
Why Peter? All that lovely food from USA to enjoy! You know, the stuff that some would say is such low standard and then fly over to USA and gobble it up regardless.
“Alternatively”, maybe we could just free up UK land from growing cereals to convert into biofuel, and replace that with good old UK oil and gas? Country fed and extra taxation received-maybe even enough to rebuild a fishing industry infrastructure?
Wot? No French novelist’s fictional characters with Fog fixated names? No red diesel dead weasel and fog obsessions?
Surely not?
Must be another Martian?
Maybe we can actually get back to the subject of fracking at long last?
BTW it was foggy this morning….
Oh no! It must be contagious!
Doctor! I’ve contracted Martian Red Diesel Fake Fog Misinformation Malfracksia!
Easily upset, isn’t he!
“Good old oil and gas”-on subject and nice chat with Peter.
But, on the subject of food production Peter, I wonder how much more food those farmers around Sirius Minerals will be able to produce if they invest the income they will gain? (Maybe same at PNR one day?) Not an oblique sort of reference, UK food production can easily be increased if investment is there. We could even remove the feared lettuce shortage-but would need something to heat the extra glass houses, and some extra energy to produce the glass.
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Nope.
Yes, polluted air and water, climate change is happening, Changes many of us are noticing! Some wouldn’t see it if it hit them on the nose!