GOVERNMENT TO OPEN THE WAY FOR FRACKING IN GLOSSOP

Michael Fallon, Minister of State for Energy, is to announce a report on the environmental impact of fracking on Tuesday 17 December. This is expected to be a prelude to the government announcing an expansion of areas licensed for fracking which could include Glossop.

Frack Free Glossop believes the government should be taking action to tackle Climate Change and does not believe the UK should be drilling for any more fossil fuels.

Campaigners from Glossop have regular visitors to Barton Moss in Salford, where protesters opposed to an exploratory well by the company Igas have been camped since November.

Activists have been delaying vehicles entering and leaving the site and on Monday 16 December the group No Dash For Gas placed a 17 meter wind turbine blade across the gates as an early Christmas present for Igas.

Martin Porter of Frack Free Glossop said “Fracking is the last roll of the dice for the fossil fuel industry. Conventional oil has peaked and so they are going in search of harder to reach sources. The obvious effects of a fracking well will be noise, air pollution, gas flaring and dozens of lorries coming and going every day.  The less obvious effects can include contamination of ground water and health problems for local residents if the well is not properly sealed or cemented.

“You can make regulations, but I don’t trust the oil industry to police itself and I doubt an Environment Agency facing a 9% cut in its budget can do it either. Nor can you regulate away the noise or the greenhouse gases. 

“Fracking is not an alternative to coal. The real alternative is renewable energy. Once you’ve had a fracking rig in your back yard you’ll really appreciate a wind turbine.”