7/2/14 Less than a third of people support fracking for shale gas, according to the latest survey of public attitudes commissioned by the Department for Energy and Climate Change. Just 27 per cent of the 2,110 people surveyed said they supported “extracting shale gas to generate the UK’s […]
10/2/14 The onshore oil and gas industry appears to be shying away from public debate, despite making promises to engage with local communities. Member companies of the UK Onshore Operators Group (UKOOG) have signed up to a Community Engagement Charter, which pledges “openness and transparency in everything we […]
3/2/14 Greenpeace reported today that a group of Sussex residents have formed the first legal blockade to stop a drilling site. The charity says solicitors acting on behalf of the residents have written to the Energy Secretary, Ed Davey, and the exploration company, Celtique Energie, to say they […]
An anti-fracking campaigner heard today (30/1/14) that his human right to freedom of speech through protesting did not give him a right to wilfully obstruct the police. Keyon Bayandor, 25, from Bristol, denied obstructing PC Michael Butler at the Balcombe protests on August 1st last year. But he […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
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, […]
DRILL OR DROP? 