Friends of the Earth and local residents vow to continue their fight as the industry says it will start fracking in Lancashire next week
This will be the first frack since a test attempt seven years ago caused earth tremors (April 2011). Minister Greg Clark granted fracking consent while a legal challenge brought by Friends of the Earth is still being considered by the High Court.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it’s commonly known, is the controversial process of pumping a high-pressure mixture of chemicals and water into shale rock, ‘fracturing’ it to release gas. England is the only part of the UK where the process is allowed to take place, as authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have put a stop to it because of the risks.
Liz Hutchins, Friends of the Earth director of campaigns, said:
“It is desperately disappointing for the community at Preston New Road, for the UK and for our climate. But it’s important to place this in perspective because it’s taken the industry seven long years to frack just one well, despite the government promising to ‘go all out for fracking’.
“In those same seven years, renewable energy has gone from providing a tenth of our electricity to supplying a third of it. There is no need to force fracking on this community in Lancashire when the alternatives are so clear.
“And it’s not just Lancashire that the industry has in its sights – we need to stop the government’s new plans to fast track fracking before a surge of drilling sweeps across our countryside.”
Liz Hutchins concluded:
“Fracking has already been stopped in Scotland, Wales, & Northern Ireland because of the risks and England is looking increasingly isolated in pursuing this failing and unpopular industry. We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with local residents until it is stopped here too.”
Across the country, people are calling on the government to respect local democracy and stop forcing fracking on communities.
