Reporting of the politics at national and local level of the shale gas and fracking debate
Transcripts of this week’s parliamentary questions on Drilling without consent, Alternative energy strategies to fracking Funding for the Environment Agency Flaring on shale gas sites With thanks to http://www.theyworkforyou.com 30/1/14 Question from Jim Cunningham (Coventry South, Labour) What is the Government’s policy towards permitting fracking operators to drill […]
The driller The CEO of energy exploration company, Celtique Energie, told the West Sussex County Times if his company doesn’t drill in the county another will. Geoff Davies said: “We shouldn’t be having to battle to find out what the nation has got, but we are. We’re battling […]
Legal changes to help frackingThe Daily Telegraph reports that ministers are looking at changes to the trespass laws to make it easier for energy companies to explore for shale gas. The paper says that under plans being considered by the government fracking would be allowed to take place […]
The Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson, said this afternoon (28/1/14) he wanted to see fracking wells across the UK countryside. He said fears about fracking had been exaggerated and environmental concerns were groundless. Mr Paterson was giving evidence to the investigation into shale gas by the House of Lords […]
Yesterday, Peter Lilley MP, a member of the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee told Channel 4 News that 200 wells had been fracked in the UK. Vanessa Vine, of Britain and Ireland Frack Free, told the programme that an email to her from the Department […]
West Sussex County Council has said an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) would not be needed for Cuadrilla’s new proposals at Balcombe. The company’s planning application was published yesterday (23/1/14) on the West Sussex County Council website. The application is for temporary permission for flow testing and monitoring a lateral borehole, […]
Cuadrilla has written to Balcombe residents telling them it has no plans ever to frack its oil exploration well on the edge of village. The letter, signed by company Chief Executive, Francis Egan, says the oil-bearing rocks below the site at Lower Stumble are naturally fractured. Mr Egan […]
The final cost of policing last summer’s demonstrations outside Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site at Balcombe was £3.985 million. A press release from the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne, said the total included police salaries, overtime, rest day working and support from other police forces. Mrs Bourne has […]
The energy minister, Michael Fallon, said he would do anything he could to remove barriers to shale gas exploration and increase the pace of development. He was giving evidence to the House of Lords economic affairs committee which is carrying out an inquiry into the shale gas industry. […]
A large number of environmental campaigners stood on top of the well pad at Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site at Balcombe this afternoon (19/1/14). The action came at the end of a rally outside the site, which attracted around 300 people. They included residents of Balcombe, members of last […]
DRILL OR DROP? 