Dunsfold residents have welcomed a county council vote to refuse plans to drill near their Surrey village. The surprise decision went against the advice of council planning officers.
Monthly Archives: June 2020
Mark Ruffalo enlisted by Green Party in bid for government support
Greens roll out the Hollywood big guns to help get Programme for Government over the . According to the Green Party, Ruffalo and US campaigners have praised the PfG and how Ireland would become the first country in the world to ban fracked gas imports.
Instead of powering Ireland from increased fracked gas imports, the PFG also states that Ireland will lead the world on renewable energy procuring at least 70% renewable electricity by 2030.
“For years, U.S. and Irish campaigners have worked together to achieve a ban on fracking in Ireland. Now the PFG is an opportunity for a monumental achievement for Ireland to become the first country in the world to ban fracked gas imports. This is crucial for our shared climate, as well as for the public health of Americans,” said Mark Ruffalo.
“I have been advocating for ten years with Americans who have been poisoned by fracking, many who live in the areas that would supply Ireland with fracked gas. I’m thankful that U.S. anti-fracking activists contacted Green Party leaders to support the Programme for Government and that I can lend my support in this critical moment. The result of this decision will impact the health and human rights of many Americans for decades to come.”
Britain calls time on AJ Lucas’ fracking venture Cuadrilla
The British government has declared that “fracking is over”, seemingly dashing the hopes of a restart for AJ Lucas’s embattled shale gas play Cuadrilla Resources. The comments from British Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng will be a particularly bitter pill for AJ Lucas, because it’s only four months since the ASX-listed mining services company doubled its stake in Cuadrilla to 93 per cent.
Is Fracking over in the UK ?
“We had a moratorium on fracking last year and frankly the debate’s moved on. It is not something that we’re looking to do. “We’ve always said we’d be evidence-backed so if there was a time when the science evidence changed our minds we would be open to that. But for now, fracking is over.” Said Kwasi Kwarteng.
“Caravan of love” fracking trial dropped “in public interest”
The trial of 12 anti-fracking campaigners who parked a caravan in front of Cuadrilla’s shale gas site has been abandoned. The case had been expected to go to Preston Magistrates Court on Monday (22 June 2020), more than two years after the incident. But the Crown Prosecution Service wrote to the defendants yesterday to say that the charges in the case had been discontinued.
Next Irish government to reject fracked gas terminals
After weeks of behind the scenes negotiations, a leaked draft programme for the next Irish Government seeks to stop all proposed fracked gas imports, including the controversial Shannon LNG terminal.
Government forced to release shale gas commissioner’s deleted emails
The British government has retrieved and released dozens of emails wrongly deleted by the former shale gas commissioner following a nine month investigation by the Information Commissioner.
Information Commissioner’s verdict: ‘there has been very serious and egregious record keeping and management failures’
Highway officials oppose UKOG’s Isle of Wight drilling plans over safety concerns
Plans by UK Oil & Gas to explore for oil at Arreton on the Isle of Wight should be refused because they may be a hazard to road users, highway officials have recommended.
Five key questions about energy after Covid-19
The pandemic has seen carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions fall as fossil fuel use has collapsed. But will these changes be permanent?
From electricity giveaways to the virtual end of fracking, the global lockdown has seen huge changes in the way we create and consume energy.
Carbon emissions have dropped dramatically and the air is clearer over major cities as car traffic has disappeared.
But as demand for energy picks up once again, there are some large, unresolved questions about how we power our lives in the years to come. Many experts believe this is the moment to shift our power generation and transport system to sustainable, climate-friendly alternatives. To get to that place, some key questions need to be resolved.
Continue reading Five key questions about energy after Covid-19
Policing cost of the Lancashire fracking site almost reached £13m
This was a totally unnesessary use of Police time.
Quadrilla should have paid for their private, and often brutal army. “As it is the industry has failed and the £13m has been wasted”. The spend has been described by environmental campaigners as a waste of money following the moratorium on new fracking in the UK.
The constant protests, over the effects fracking might have on the environment, meant a heavy police presence had to be
Now police have revealed the total cost was £12.929m following a Freedom of Information request to Lancashire Constabulary.
So far the police have been able to claim more than £7m back from the Home Office towards the costs, although more could yet be sent as there are outstanding bids for funding
Lancashire Constabulary said: “The Police Liaison Officers final duty was on December 23, 2019.”
A spokesman for Frack Free Lancashire said: “We already knew from the National Audit Office that policing costs had officially reached £11.8 m, so to read that Lancashire Police now admit that £13m was spent of facilitating fracking at PNR comes as no great surprise.
“What people need to take on board here is that this was for just one site. Had the industry been successful this would have been replicated across dozens of sites across the county.
“As it is the industry has failed and the £13m has been wasted. We hope the government will now fully reimburse Lancashire for the costs incurred in policing its failed attempt to impose this unwanted industry on the local population.”