An environmental charity has written to Trafford council about plans for a coal bed methane site near Davyhulme, that could leave the council liable to legal challenge if they grant permission. [1]
Trafford planning committee is meeting tomorrow (Thursday 9 October 6.30pm) to decide on an application from IGas – the company behind recent drilling in Barton Moss, Salford – for a 25 year permission to operate coal bed methane drilling and production. [2]
Friends of the Earth has written to the council to set out the serious flaws in their recommendation for approval including:
* The environmental assessment has failed to consider climate change – despite unconventional gas such as coal bed methane having high potential impact
* No assessment of air quality impacts from truck movements – despite very high levels of nitrous oxide in the area already affecting residents’ health in Davyhulme and Urmston
* No detail has been given on the gases emitted from venting gas into the atmosphere and the health and environment impacts
* No detail on the chemicals to be used in drilling
* No detail on the waste fluid and how it will be disposed of safely.
Friends of the Earth and local air quality campaign group Breathe Clean Air Group both requested to present to Councillors but were refused. The only presentation that Councillors have been given was by the applicant IGas and no minutes or notes were taken.
Manchester Friends of the Earth co-ordinator and Trafford resident Pete Abel said,
” It is frankly unbelievable that the council planners could recommend approval for 25 years’ worth of unconventional fossil fuel production without taking into account the climate change and air quality impacts.
“We are also very concerned that Councillors will have had a biased view of the application as both Friends of the Earth and Breathe Clean Air Group were refused to present to the committee, whilst IGas gave a private briefing to Councillors.
” If Councillors grant permission not only is Trafford making itself liable to legal challenge, but it would be a serious dereliction of their duty to local residents.”
In light of events at Barton Moss, Friends of the Earth is also concerned that IGas are being unclear as to the purpose of their drilling and the possibility of fracking in the future. At Barton Moss where the permission was for coal bed methane drilling – at a much shallower depth of around 1000m versus 3000m for shale gas – the company drilled to the shale gas layer and this summer announced to investors it had found shale gas and would be developing a fracking programme. [3]
ENDS
Contact for Comments:
Helen Rimmer, Friends of the Earth North West Campaigner – 07940 006783
Ali Abbas, Manchester Friends of the Earth, 07786 090520
Notes for Editors
[1] The Planning Committee meeting will take place at 6.30pm, in Committee Suite, Trafford Town Hall, Talbot Road, Stretford, M32 0TH. The drilling application is available on the Trafford Council website
[2] Coal Bed Methane (CBM) is gas which is trapped in coal seams. To extract CBM, companies must ‘de-water’ the coal seam by drilling vertically and then horizontally (for up to 1 kilometre) and pumping out vast quantities of water that has been in contact with the coal for centuries. This releases pressure in the coal seams, and allows the gas to flow. Although CBM extraction does not always involve fracking, the chemicals used in drilling muds can be just as toxic those used in fracking, and there are the same risks of spills and leakages. And because CBM is typically found at much shallower depths than shale gas (up to 1200 metres underground for CBM, compared to 2000 – 3000 metres for shale gas), risks such as groundwater contamination are increased.
For more information, see the Friends of the Earth Coal-Bed Methane briefing.
[3] See IGas Energy Drilling Update – NW England http://www.
[4] Manchester Friends of the Earth is an award-winning environmental campaign group, raising awareness and lobbying for policy changes at a local, regional, national and international level. The group consists entirely of volunteers, and its campaigns are funded by membership fees and individual donations. Up-to-date information is available on the group’s website: www.manchesterfoe.org.uk Manchester Friends of the Earth is a Licensed Local Group of Friends of the Earth, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
[5] Manchester Friends of the Earth has endorsed Manchester: A Certain Future, an action plan for the city of Manchester to cut its carbon emissions by at least 41% by 2020. For more information, visit www.manchesterclimate.com
