Drill or Drop – By Ruth Hayhurst on May 6, 2016 •

Costs of dealing with waste water from fracking could be significant and make shale exploitation uneconomic in the UK, according to leading academics.

A report published by the Natural Environmental Research Council this week said there was “huge uncertainty” about how much waste water would be produced by UK fracking and how it would be cleaned or reused.

It concluded there was unlikely to be enough industrial waste treatment capacity for an operational shale gas industry and there was “a pressing need” for research and development of new technology.

It also identified information gaps on the impact of fracking on human health, emissions, earthquakes, public opinion and water quality.

Drill or Drop Article Here:

The full report here:

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Nanny McPhee (Actress Emma Thompson) dropped in to bring a little film star magic to help anti-frackers with their campaign on the Fylde.

Video: follow the link below;

A-list celebrities Emma Thompson and her sister Sophie visited the proposed shale gas drill site off Preston New Road, Little Plumpton, to lend their support and bake a few cakes for the Lancashire Nannas campaign.

Full story here:

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The first commercial LNG cargo to be shipped to Europe from the US Lower 48 docked at the port at Sines in Portugal in the early evening of April 26 for delivery to Portugal’s Galp. The cargo is expected to be the first of many into Europe.

Creole Spirit, which can hold up to 174,000 m³ of LNG at -161^oC, left Cheniere’s Sabine Pass LNG export facility in Louisiana a week ago. It is  Cheniere’s 6^th shipment but the first headed to Europe. The ship docked at Sines a little after 7pm UK/8pm local time, according to tanker tracking sources

Full story here;

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Blackpool Gazette: Tues 15th March 2016

Plans to develop a shale gas industry on the Fylde has come under fire politically.

The Liberal Democrats have voted at their Spring conference to ban fracking because it would go against the country’s duty to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

And Blackpool South Labour MP Gordon Marsden has said the public inquiry into Cuadrilla’s two bids to test frack at Roseacre and Preston New Road should be rejected and not railroaded through by the Conservative Government.

The Lib Dem motion was moved by county councillor Bill Winlow (Preston West)who said it was a myth that shale gas could act as a bridging energy before the country moved to renewable systems.

He said: “The regulatory powers for this emergent industry are diffuse and dispersed with three external regulators: DECC, Health and Safety Executive, Environment Agency as well as the local authority – all of whose budgets have been radically cut”.

“By now we should have had an industry specific regulator for hydraulic fracturing with, assurance that local planning control would be maintained. But, there is no adequate regulatory control in sight.

“The local planning system is problematical because local decisions on fracking can only be made on strict planning grounds. What is more, county councils have responsibility for public health, but must defer to national regulators (the Environmental Agency and the Health and Safety Executive, both of which are underfunded) on health and environmental grounds when considering fracking.

“So fracking can be forced upon us against local opinion and often against advice from our public health colleagues.

“As a nation we need to adopt an energy policy based primarily on renewables and energy efficiency, which supports the implementation of the Paris agreement.”

But the Lib Dem move was criticised by a prominent Blackpool businessman and member of the North West Energy Task Force which is backing fracking.

Steve Pye, chief executive, of Small Business TV, said: “The Liberal Democrats stood on a platform at the last election supporting development of shale gas. The Royal Society, which was commissioned by a Lib Dem energy secretary of state to look into this issue, found that shale gas can be developed safely in the UK.

“As Sir Ed Davey, the former Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary said this weekend, the UK must continue to develop its domestic natural gas resources as we make the transition to renewable energy technologies and a lower carbon future. Sir Edward also added that the risk of not developing means ‘[we might] have to ask Vladimir Putin for gas and I don’t want to depend on the Kremlin’.”

MP Gordon Marsden said in an open letter – to mark this Wednesday as the last day of the public inquiry at Blackpool Football Club – that the fracking appeals must be rejected by minister Greg Clark.

He said: “The public inquiry must respect the wishes of people living in Lancashire and categorically reject Cuadrilla’s plans to frack on the Fylde Coast. Anything else would make a mockery of the Government’s claim to champion localism and devolution to areas like ours. Large numbers of local people including farmers, business owners, health professionals, and myself have publically voiced their disapproval to fracking. Concerns about safety, the impact on our countryside, people’s public health and our local tourism industry.

“That’s why Coun Jennifer Mein, leader of the county council, was absolutely right to point out to the Government the democratic decision of people in Lancashire, and to override it would deeply undermine local democracy and the people of Lancashire. And after a new bill on fracking from my colleague Geraint Davies MP, there are now further concerns emerging with data on fugitive methane emissions that shows fracking is two-and-a-half times worse than coal from a climate change perspective.”

The full text of the report in the Blackpool Gazette here…….

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Lancashire residents opposed to fracking gathered in Blackpool today (11 March ) as the inquiry into fracking at two sites in the Fylde neared its close.

Today was the penultimate day at the six week appeal by Cuadrilla against Lancashire County Council’s refusal of permission for fracking at Roseacre Wood and Preston New Road. Closing submissions were heard from Preston New Road Action Group and North West Friends of the Earth – opposing fracking – alongside Cuadrilla supporters the North West Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.

Pat Davies from Preston New Road group said:

“We have been fully present throughout the last five weeks of the Inquiry to ensure that at all times the Inspector was made aware of the strength of public opposition to this appeal.

“Lancashire has spoken and the decision has been made by the most appropriate authority, our elected local planning council.

“We rely on the inspector to again assess the evidence including new evidence on unacceptable noise and severe visual impacts, and propose to the Secretary of State dismissal. This decision must not be overturned, and we will not stop until we obtain justice for our community.

“The voice of this community must and will be heard.”

Barbara Richardson from Roseacre Awareness Group said:

“Over the last five weeks we have presented expert, professional testimony on fracking impacts including noise, traffic, landscape, recreation and amenity, aswell as heard over a hundred community members speak against fracking. It has been very obvious that there is huge opposition from residents, local businesses and politicians.

“Our future should not lie in the hands of a Westminster politician, Greg Clark, who knows little of our community or the social and economic situation in Lancashire, and has already revealed his support for fracking.

“We believe in local democracy and call on Greg Clark to honour the wishes of our community and councils and send Cuadrilla packing.”

The inquiry concludes on Wednesday 16 March, with closing statements from Roseacre Awareness Group, Lancashire County Council and Cuadrilla. Communities opposing the plans will gather from 1.30pm outside Blackpool FC to show their united opposition to fracking, and appreciation for Roseacre Wood and Preston New Road residents who have dedicated themselves to the inquiry and the fight for a frack free Lancashire.

NOTES
The evidence heard over the last five weeks includes:

Lancashire County Council’s highways officer Neil Stevens told the inquiry that traffic to Roseacre Wood was underestimated and the roads unsuitable, and that “safe and suitable access cannot be achieved”. (1)

Dr Andrew McKenzie, a noise witness for Lancashire County Council, said that operations at Preston New Road would cause unacceptable noise impacts for residents living near the site, and could cause annoyance, stress and sleep disturbance. (2)

Alan Watson a waste expert and engineer giving evidence for Friends of the Earth, told the inquiry that Cuadrilla had significantly underestimated the impact of flowback waste and the ability to treat it, and found a discrepancy in planning documents showing volumes of wastewater could be four-fold what Cuadrilla had stated. (3)

Professor Kevin Anderson from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change said that carbon emissions from the two sites were equivalent to 18 months car travel in the Fylde, and it would be “irresponsible” to explore for its own sake when production would be impossible within the UK’s carbon budgets.(4)

The inquiry also heard from dozens of residents near the Preston New Road site (5) and Roseacre Wood (6) including a passionate speech from 13 year old Morgan Marshall.(7)

Refs
1.http://drillordrop.com/2016/02/23/top-10-points-about-traffic-at-roseacre-wood-cuadrilla-fracking-inquiry-day-9/
2.http://drillordrop.com/2016/02/23/top-10-points-on-noise-at-preston-new-road-cuadrilla-fracking-inquiry-day-9/
3.http://drillordrop.com/2016/02/26/top-10-points-on-waste-cuadrilla-fracking-inquiry-day-12/
4.http://drillordrop.com/2016/02/26/top-10-points-on-climate-change-cuadrilla-fracking-inquiry-day-11/
5.http://drillordrop.com/2016/02/25/cuadrilla-fracking-inquiry-day-11-what-opponents-said-about-preston-new-road/
6.http://drillordrop.com/2016/02/17/first-evening-session-of-cuadrillas-fracking-inquiry-the-opponents/
7.https://investigatingbalcombeandcuadrilla.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/morgan.pdf

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Friday 11th March is scheduled to be the summing up day for the Public Enquiry at Blackpool Football Ground

You may well be aware, the summing up day of the Cuadrilla appeals against LCC’s decisions to refuse fracking in Lancashire is looking to be on Friday 11th March at Blackpool football ground, Seasiders Way, Bloomfield Road, Blackpool FY1 6HX.

Map:- here…….

The nearest railway Station is Blackpool South which is on Waterloo Rd a short walk from the venue.

It would have very significant impact to have a big presence outside of the enquiry to send a clear message to the government, showing support, for Lancashire County Council to have the right to make democratic decisions on behalf of the people of Lancashire. The eyes of the country, indeed the eyes of the world will be watching the outcome of these decisions.

We are planning to meet at 9.15am and would ask people to stay for an hour or so for press statements and photos. Please bring rosettes, banners, flags etc.

The weather for Friday is forecast to be cloudy but no rain and 9degrees..

Anyone can then attend the hearing inside to hear the summing up of the five weeks of evidence.

Please support if at all possible and reply either on the FB event page HERE……. or on the FFL website HERE……. so that we can gauge numbers.

Please promote this event on your own websites and Facebook pages…

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Here is a link to the LIVE webcast from the Cuadrilla Appeal/Public Enquiry into Lancashire County Councils decision to refuse Cuadrilla’s planning permission. LIVE from the Blackpool Football Club.

Watch LIVE HERE……

If you are unable to watch the live stream you can catch up HERE…….

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