Investigative journalist and environmental writer. Specialising in UK onshore oil and gas, fracking and the reaction to it.
Top stories in this Fracking Week in Politics: Government statements on the Committee on Climate Change report on shale gas Roger Godsiff on local views and Cuadrilla’s Lancashire appeals Callum McCaig on Freedom of Information and commercial sensitivity Chris Matheson on “back-door” tax breaks for fracking Lord Maude on speeding up […]
Councillors in Bassetlaw, north Nottinghamshire, have rejected the advice of officials and voted against a plan for shale gas exploration in their district. Bassetlaw’s planning committee objected, by eight to one, to an application by the IGas subsidiary Dart (East England) Ltd for a vertical exploration well at […]
Encouraging fracking is unsafe and irresponsible, according to a new report, which concludes that the biggest health threat from shale gas is its contribution to global climate change.
Shale gas development on a significant scale is inconsistent with UK carbon budgets unless three conditions are met, according to long-awaited advice to government.
The decision by North Yorkshire County Council to approve plans by Third Energy to frack at Kirby Misperton is to be challenged in court.
Campaigners against climate change from across northern England formed a symbolic thin red line outside a meeting in Manchester about UK onshore oil and gas Martin Porter, of Manchester Greenpeace, told a demonstration of around 50 people outside the city’s conference centre “Fracking is our red line” It was not […]
The search for potential shale gas sites is now underway across the UK. DrillOrDrop will be reporting later this month on seismic surveying. But first we ask: “What do companies look for above the ground?” Paul Foster, a director with the planning consultancy, Barton Willmore, explains what makes […]
Councillors are being recommended to approve plans to produce gas at a site in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, despite predicted harm to the landscape and in breach of several planning policies.
Sarah Houlston, a farmer whose land is a mile from where Third Energy has permission to frack for shale gas in North Yorkshire, told Farming UK TV last month she was concerned about contamination of her water supply. Yesterday, the company’s John Dewar responded. Here’s a transcript of both […]
The recommendation of the inspector at Cuadrilla’s public inquiry into fracking plans in Lancashire has been sent to government. The Planning Inspectorate confirmed that the report went to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark, by yesterday’s deadline.
DRILL OR DROP? 