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Fracking—Be Alert!

Are you aware of the threat posed by hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’? This method of extracting natural gas from shale has already made news headlines nationwide in the aftermath of two small earthquakes in the Blackpool area, both following on from exploration rigs dug by the Cuadrilla energy company. Licences have also been granted for exploration in South Wales, Sussex and parts of both Northern Ireland and the Republic, and further rounds of licences are expected to be announced by DECC.

Fracking is based on pumping high-pressure water and solvents into rock deep underground to crack the rock formation open and release its natural gas, which is forced back up the pipe to the well head. The solvents are often toxic and in the US natural gas has been known to contaminate drinking water in the neighbourhood of fracking wells (as shown in the film Gaslands). From a climate change perspective, there is no way we can meet our emissions reduction targets if we burn shale gas. For more information see: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/shale_gas.pdf

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