January 2014 fracking timeline
31/1/14 The Crown Prosecution Service reveals that 35 charges arising from the Balcombe anti-fracking protests have been dropped before reaching trial. More
Dramatic action needed to make media pay attention to climate change, campaigner tells court
13/2/14 A climate change campaigner locked himself to the top of a water tanker leaving Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site at Balcombe to persuade the media that the anti-fracking protests were not petering out. 66-year old Robert Basto, who has a PhD in physics, told Brighton Magistrates Court that […]
Caution in government about Cameron’s shale gas revolution
4/2/14 David Cameron’s message “We going all out for shale” doesn’t appear to have support in all parts of his government. The business secretary, Vince Cable, told today’s Guardian “Shale gas is a long-term possibility – no more than that.” He said the real future for oil and […]
A fracking week in Westminster
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 […]
Fracking news round up: trespass laws, public opinion, economic impact and taxes
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 […]
What Cuadrilla told us on community benefit, Sussex drilling sites and community consultation
http://www.InvestigatingBalcombeAndCuadrilla.com has been trying for nearly a fortnight to get answers from Cuadrilla to some simple questions. Cuadrilla responded this afternoon and the answers are below, unedited. Will Balcombe be able to take advantage of the community benefit scheme? This single well exploration activity that Cuadrilla has been undertaking […]
Two anti-fracking campaigners found guilty of assaulting the police at Balcombe protests – one found not guilty
Two environmental campaigners, Timothy Harris and Kaity Squires, have been found guilty of assaulting police at last summer’s anti-fracking protests at Balcombe. They were both conditionally discharged for 12 months and each ordered to pay £300 costs. Another campaigner, Zachary Hewitt, was found not guilty on the same […]
No Environmental Impact Assessment for Cuadrilla’s new proposals for Balcombe
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, […]
Police officer “lost his temper” at anti-fracking protests – court hears
Two people who attended the anti-fracking protests at Balcombe spoke this afternoon about how they went to the aid of a fellow demonstrator who they thought was being assaulted by a policeman. Kaity Squires, 20, from Portsmouth, and Timothy Harris, 29, from Crewkerne in Somerset, were giving evidence […]
We will never frack at Balcombe – Cuadrilla
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 […]
DRILL OR DROP? 