Reporting of the politics at national and local level of the shale gas and fracking debate
Labour’s climate change spokesman, Barry Gardiner, today visited Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road shale gas site near Blackpool, where fracking is imminent. He also went to Altcar Moss, a site near Formby earmarked for fracking by Aurora Resources.
Most of the notes about a recent meeting between a minister and the shale gas industry have been redacted “in the public interest” or because they contained confidential information, a government department has said.
The leader of Conservative-controlled Derbyshire County Council has said government plans designed to fast-track shale gas will cut local authorities out of decisions with the biggest impact on communities.
Senior experts have signed a letter calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the health impacts of fracking.
A government report which concluded that shale gas extraction increases air pollution was unpublished for three years and then released just after ministers approved fracking in Lancashire.
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 government has made changes to national planning policy on onshore oil and gas even though most of the people who took part in a consultation disagreed with them.
Regulators of fracking were accused today of a “dereliction of duty” in their oversight of shale gas proposals in mining areas.
Fracking Week in Parliament The government dismissed another call this week for an update of the review of research on the health impacts of shale gas extraction.
Two consultations opened this afternoon on government proposals to fast-track decisions on shale gas developments in England.
DRILL OR DROP? 