Environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth has written to Trafford Council to warn the authority that it risks legal challenge if it grants permission for coal bed methane extraction in the borough (1).
Unconventional gas company IGas has applied for a twenty-five year permission to extract coal bed methane at a site in Davyhulme adjacent to Barton Bridge (2). The decision over whether to grant planning permission is expected before the council’s planning committee in the next few months.
But Friends of the Earth has criticised the decision by planning officers not to subject the application to an Environmental Impact Assessment – and warn that granting permission without the assessment would leave the council liable to a legal challenge.
Helen Rimmer, North West Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said
“It is shocking that Trafford council could grant permission for twenty-five years of coal bed methane extraction without fully understanding the environmental risks.
“Evidence from Australia shows extracting methane gas trapped in coal seams has serious impacts on the environment and health of local communities including air pollution and water contamination.
“Instead of pursuing risky unconventional gas, the Government and Greater Manchester authorities should be supporting clean renewable energy and cutting energy waste.”
IGas recently announced it had found shale gas at a drilling site at Barton Moss in Salford, despite only having permission to drill for coal bed methane (3). Residents fear that IGas will also explore for shale gas – which requires the risky process of fracking to extract it – at the Davyhulme site. Coal bed methane extraction itself can involve fracking and also presents serious risks to the environment (4).
Friends of the Earth have objected to the application on the grounds of unacceptable risks to the environment and local communities (5) – including the health risks of air pollution which Trafford council have already committed to tackling (6) – and incompatibility with climate change targets including Greater Manchester’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 48% by 2020 (7).
ENDS
Contact for comments
Helen Rimmer, Friends of the Earth. Mobile: 07940 006783
Notes
1. The letter is available via Dropbox.
2. Planning reference: 81446/RENEWAL/2013.
3. See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
4. 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 the pressure in the coal seams, and allows the gas to flow. Although coal bed methane extraction does not always involve fracking (approximately 40% of CBM wells in Australia have been fracked), the chemicals used in drilling muds can be just as toxic as those used in fracking, and there are the same risks of spills and leakages. According to the National Toxics Network, an Australian environmental organisation which has researched coal bed methane impacts, wastewater from coal bed methane wells is extremely salty and contains harmful chemicals which present a risk to health. Chemicals include those used in drilling fluids and highly toxic BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes) chemicals including known carcinogens, and naturally-occurring radioactive materials. See here.
5. For further information on coal bed methane see Friends of the Earth’s briefing.
6. Trafford councillors recently passed two motions at Full Council concerning air pollution and the Barton Renewable Energy Plant (also known as the Davyhulme incinerator) which would be adjacent to the proposed coal bed methane site, and stated that “We believe that in Trafford air pollution is at risk of getting worse, particularly in Davyhulme, and we have to take steps to prevent the consequential health risks to the local population”.
7. Greater Manchester Climate Change strategy.
