Allow fracking in national parks, says Environment Agency chief

Outgoing EA’s chairman dismisses campaigners’ claims over impact
http://bit.ly/1pE9KQ1

Government changes the system for offering energy companies oil and gas exploration rights

Larger chunks to be licensed to entice fracking companies to invest
http://bit.ly/1q7XBSJ

Labour to Support the Government to allow fracking under homes without house owners permission

http://bit.ly/V6mSzS

Wales Against Fracking Day

July 5th 2014

Russia secretly plotting with environmental groups to halt fracking in UK – warns pro-fracking NATO chief!

Declines to give further details…
http://bit.ly/1nktOQm

UNISON urges home energy checks to reduce the need for fracking

http://bbc.in/1vm2ur6

Thousands of wells in Pennsylvania ‘may be leaking methane’

http://bit.ly/1oOa4eK

Fracking should not go ahead at the expense of the environment – MP’s warn

http://bit.ly/1i3uEFf

Welsh Affairs Committee

Select Committee Announcement

PUBLICATION OF REPORT

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL BENEFITS OF SHALE GAS FOR WALES MUST NOT COME AT EXPENSE OF ENVIRONMENT

In a report published today, Monday 16^th June the Welsh Affairs Committee says shale gas represents an opportunity for Wales but that it must not come at the expense of Wales’s natural environment.  Both the UK and Welsh Governments must consider environmental risks, including the traffic and noise caused by commercial shale gas operations as well as the visual impact and other environmental risks associated with fracking.

The Government forecasts that nearly 70% of the UK’s gas supply will be imported by 2025. It isvital that the UK identifies new sources of gas if it is to safeguard the UK’s security of supply.

Shale gas production across the UK is currently at the exploratory stage and there is no good data yet on the amount of shale gas in Wales.  Should considerable reserves of shale gas be present—as industry representatives predict—it could be a decade before a viable shale gas industry is created in Wales.

The Committee’s key conclusions and recommendations are:

• The UK Government and the Welsh Government should work with commercial companies and others to provide a reliable range of estimates of shale gas available in Wales. This should be published by the end of 2014.
• Both the UK and Welsh Government should assess the overall impact of shale gas supply on the level and mix of energy produced in Wales and the UK.
• The Welsh Government should begin now to consider how the employment opportunities presented by shale gas production could be maximised. This should include a detailed examination of the skills required by the industry and the extent that Wales already has people with those skills.
• The UK Government must provide further information about how local communities in Wales will benefit, financially or otherwise, from shale gas operations in their area.
• Both the UK Government and the Welsh Government must ensure that the regulatory and planning framework gives due weight to the traffic and noise caused by commercial shale gas operations, in addition to the visual impact and other environmental risks associated with fracking.

·  The issue of treatment, transportation and disposal of wastewater is a growing concern: toxic and radioactive water must not be allowed to contaminate water courses.

·   The Government should consider the case for minimising ground-level shale gas operations in sensitive areas in Wales, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and National Parks. It must set out how it would ensure that development does not compromise designated sites, in particular those in environmentally sensitive areas.

• Commercial companies should pay for an independent Environmental Impact Assessment at the exploratory stage of any significant shale gas development.

David Davies MP, Chair of the Committee, said:

“Shale gas offers a wealth of potential benefits for Wales, in terms of energy supply, economic benefits and employment. We know there is some environmental risk: the UK and Welsh Governments must demonstrate that everything has been done to assess and mitigate that risk – both to the environment and Welsh people’s enjoyment of it – before we move forward and maximise the benefits for Wales.”

Investing in Fracking is ‘high risk’

http://bit.ly/1kXEKqk

British citizens are being used as fracking guinea pigs – Dame Vivienne Westwood

http://bit.ly/U9J1g1

Centrica decision underlines uncertainty of the viability of fracking

http://bit.ly/1jaJkgq

Greenpeace demonstrate against the proposed change of trespass laws at David Camerons home

http://ind.pn/1rZX5YH

Green and Plaid urge government not to make fracking easier

http://bit.ly/1rZX4DT

Lets Talk About Fracking

A major new campaign has been kicked off under the banner “we need to talk about fracking” with over 150 celebrities, scientists, and campaign groups endorsing calls for a fundamental rethink of the government’s shale gas strategy.
http://bit.ly/OMFvFI

David Cameron Faces Tory Backlash Over Fracking Set For Southern England

Warns Lord Howell – yes that’s the same peer who said that fracking should take place in the ‘desolate’ north.
http://huff.to/1tDUW04

Search for shale gas heads east as IGas plans fracking in East Midlands

Funded by French companies – where fracking is banned naturally
http://bit.ly/1ojiHJs

Fracking groups vow ‘fracking bribe will be opposed’

http://bit.ly/1mykECm

‘Fracking zeal overshadows perfect energy solution’

http://bit.ly/1puyl5Q

Govt unveil plan to allow fracking under homes without owner consent and release report on oil in Southern England

Opponents accuse government of trying to bury the news by releasing details on the same day as local elections take place.

http://bit.ly/1hdBn9B

Poll shows fracking support falling below 50%

http://bbc.in/1lHVb7t

Fracking could cost thousands of votes, warns Lord Howell

http://bit.ly/1jfPMYf

Frack Free Sunday

Highbury Stadium, Fleetwood FC – 1 June
Happy Mondays,Toyah Wilcox, Big Country,The Troggs, Alabama 3 and Bad Manners set to perform
http://bit.ly/1lKmFth

‘Two thirds of UK Could be Opened Up for Fracking’ – Ministers set to announce

National parks, urban commons and cities across the UK are to be opened up for fracking
http://bit.ly/RDkPl0

First British shale gas ‘to fuel homes next year’

Cuadrilla Chief suggests that homeowners hostile to fracking beneath their homes should only be entitled to minimal compensation – if any.
http://bit.ly/1qtRs4i

The closer you live to a fracking site the greater the health risks – Physicians, Scientists and Engineers for Healthy Energy

http://bit.ly/1nyJi8C

YouGov Polls finds 74% opposed ‘fracking right plan’

http://bit.ly/Q9baRQ

Will our roads be less safe with the increased traffic created by fracking?

http://cbsloc.al/1mxEBwb

Lords Committee expected to say that fracking development is being held up by environmental legislation

http://bit.ly/RnpmaU