A call for a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in the UK
'The oil and gas industry is seeking to exploit UK onshore gas reserves trapped in shale rock and coal beds requiring environmentally damaging and risky techniques, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking). We, the signatories of this petition, call on the coalition government in Westminster, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Scottish Parliament to impose a moratorium, demanded by environmental groups and geology experts in the field, on shale gas, and on the related coal bed methane extraction industry, at least until the results of studies here, in other countries in Europe and in the US have been properly evaluated. Such moratoria are already in place in France, North Rhine Westphalia (Germany), New York State, New Jersey.'
Mark Gabb
shared this idea
629 comments
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Frances Hunt
commented
Oh and I'll add what I think: Fracking will crack the bedrock of our delicate environment, it will suck up all our water then spit it out permanently polluted with very nasty chemical additives, and make our air stink of leaking methane. Any support for it as a solution to the energy crisis is complete rubbish as it is environmentally dirtier than burning coal.
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Frances Hunt
commented
Hi, I posted a campaign suggestion to oppose Fracking by responding to the Dept For Energy & Climate Change's VERY quiet consultation about this industry, the deadline to respond is 25th May, then an approval report can go to Parliament.
However now I've found my way around better I've realised there's 10 sugg- estions opposing fracking. So i've added a note to mine diverting people here in hope that this one can get trending and 38* could send it in to the consultation.
It is urgent that opposition is made clear and public - all DECC pronouncements and policy statements recently have given the highly coded message that Govmt supports and is clearing the lines for drilling to start next year across the UK. They are desperate to get it through because, having practically killed the renewables industry, they are left with an energy policy which relies on nuclear, Fracking and as yet uninvented carbon capture & storage. An Energy Bill is due 22nd May before consultation ends - but cant make it legit if enough outcry forces an adverse consultation report.
The consultation can be found here: http://og.decc.gov.uk/en/olgs/cms/explorationpro/onshore/cuadrilla_decc/cuadrilla_decc.aspx
(Health warning: it seems mostly written by the Fracking industry PR department) -
jacqueline gordon
commented
Just see what's been happening in Germany - their water system has been contaminated and it looks as if in spite of the drought and low aquifers, they're going to frack in Sussex too, close to Ardingly Reservoir - it's scandalous.
http://gasdrillinginbalcombe.wordpress.com/news/
http://frack-off.org.uk/fracken-sie-deutsch/
Balcombe Parish Council and the Government are obviously in cohorts with Cuadirlla. -
Kaye
commented
The risks are simply too great to allow this controversial and dangerous practice to continue. Important that we preserve what we can - NOW!!
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Annette Armstrong commented
For our governments to give the go ahead to such risky polluting measures without properly researching potential adverse effects, such as the pollution of our water supplies, shows deep cynicism and lack of interest in the health of the nation, and our country/land/environment. Short term exploitation at the expense of quality of life and safety for our children and grandchildren. Also slavish bowing to the force of the oil and gas industry - putting greed before health.
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cwilliams
commented
You can also tell the government we need to know more about fracking before any more development is allowed in Britain:
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/press_for_change/fracking_shale_gas_35737.html
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cwilliams
commented
There are some good comments here but we do not know whether 38 degrees will campaign on this, so no one in government will see them. We should all be writing to our MPs if we are against this. This is the link that can be used:
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/speakout/contact-your-MP
Also, there are some e-petitions on this subject:
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Hailey
commented
We call for a moratorium on fracking. This is a disgrace.
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Anonymous
commented
It's so simple--Clean water is necessary to human life. These chemicals we pump into the ground do not disappear, they will cause harm, and they will affect human health, as do all chemicals, no matter how miniscule the amount is--we are all sensitive at different levels. To even argue the fact about how long it will take before it resurges or mixes with our ground water IS ridiculous... people will be affected at some point in time, if not now. Flammable water that sets on fire coming out of taps is completely obvious evidence that these chemicals have leached into ground water. We all live in this Earth, we are all connected by land and oceans. We don't need scientific research or a study to figure out that these chemicals can, and they will spread --they don't disappear just because we can't physically see the damage.
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alison kazara
commented
forget fracking.
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Anonymous
commented
I support the need to impose a moratorium on FRACKING, and hope 38 degrees takes this campaign up !
Martin Bove -
lisa
commented
Now divide by zero!
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lisa
commented
* i would like the water that comes out of my tap to be fresh and clean and not flammable! Wouldn't surprise me if there will have to be some sort of chemical added to the water that honestly wont affect us! There is always another way. This technique will have a negative effect, the more we kill the natural environment the more clues and answers we lose. When are these companies going to care?
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Anonymous
commented
Do NOT allow hydraulic fracturing in the UK! It is the worse mistake you could possibly make for the people and the land. You MUST have a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing for the health and well being of all living things and the stabilization of the ground itself. Fracking is known to cause earthquakes. Just look to Arkansas in the USA for massive amounts of data on this. Also, there was an earthquake that stretched almost the entire length of the Eastern Region of the USA in 2011. It started in the South in North Carolina and reached as far North as Maine! There is No question that this was due to hydraulic fracturing activity. People in the USA have had their homes explode due to gas escaping from supposed safe piping. The water spigots run gas and water mixtures and is not drinkable for man nor beast! You can light the "water" that comes from your spigots on fire with a match! Do you really want this for your country? Is it worth the money? It costs far more to clean it up. Don't be heartless... like the USA has become. Please, be good to yourselves!
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Dirk Campbell
commented
The Sussex and Kent Weald is made of shale rock and to exploit its natural gas would mean pockmarking it with concrete aprons the size of football fields a mile apart, and constant HGV traffic to and fro. In twenty years' time the recoverable gas would be used up, the Weald would look like an abandoned industrial estate and we would be in exactly the same situation we are in today as regards energy security, but with twenty years more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The sensible thing would be to invest in British renewables now instead of bringing USA companies in to extract gas out of our countryside, whose profits will go towards paying off the USA national debt (which can never in any case be paid off). Serious commitment to renewables now in this country would mean we could actually have energy security for ever. But that would mean large-scale allocation of funds which the government feels it cannot presently afford, so prefers the apparently cheap and easy solution of shale gas. Of course in the long term fracking is not cheap at all, as the long-term damage far outweighs the short-term benefit. But DECC says it has an obligation to 'keep the lights on'.
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sorrel badger
commented
Hydraulic Fracturing is incredibly damaging to the environment in many ways, and is being driven by companies seeking to make short-term profits. It is not in any way a sustainable method of energy production and must be opposed BEFORE the damage is done.
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Tony Cordy
commented
frack off i want fresh clean water
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Anonymous
commented
We have to stop this now!
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Anonymous
commented
Check fracking rt- plus you tube videos on the state of American
Health near fracking site's -
Anonymous
commented
EVERYONE PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO VOTE HERE! Also Please watch a film called Gasland by Josh Fox. It shows some of the devastating effects to our environment and people from fracking!!!
Thank you
