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 […]
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 […]
An environmental campaigner described this morning (23/1/14) how a police officer held him in a headlock during a struggle at the anti-fracking protests at Balcombe. Zachary Hewitt was giving evidence at his trial at Brighton Magistrates Court. Mr Hewitt, 23, of Bexhill-on-sea, is accused along with another campaigner, […]
A police officer monitoring the crowds at last summer’s Balcombe anti-fracking protests told a court this afternoon (22/1/14) how he was punched in the chest by a young woman demonstrator. PC Mario Ciaramella, usually based at Worthing Police Station, was giving evidence at the trial of three environmental […]
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 […]
Anti-fracking groups from across the UK, gathering in Balcombe this afternoon (19/1/14), were told they had to win the battle against shale gas. The Green MEP and French farmer, Jose Bove, told a rally outside Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site in the village: “Losing is not an option. For the […]
Environment Data Services (ENDS) Report revealed today (17/1/14) that the Environment Agency has had its budget cut by £10m more than expected. The Environment Agency (EA) will receive £397.4m of revenue funding from the government for the year 2014-15, down from £467m in 2013-14. According to ENDS, the […]
The Lancashire Evening Posts reports that Cuadrilla Resources has pledged to be “a good neighbour” and pay a community benefit of £100,000 for each exploration wellhead where fracking takes place in the county. The paper reports that the Community Foundation for Lancashire will run a pilot scheme managing community […]
The Guardian reported that Britain has defeated European Union attempts to set legally binding environmental regulations for the shale gas industry. According to the paper, David Cameron has led intense lobbying against the proposals, arguing that existing rules are strict enough to keep fracking safe and that new rules would delay investment and increase […]
DRILL OR DROP? 