Frack Off Feb/Mar Newsletter: National Day Of Action, Lancashire & More

Posted on February 15, 2017 by radix

Contents

Jump straight to:

Introduction

 

Across the country the fracking industry is on the offensive in 2017, but the fracking resistance has never been stronger. Around 300 community groups, and growing, are preparing to meet this challenge. While oil prices remain low the investment cash these companies need to survive will be in short supply but they are busy trying gather data to gain further investment when prices rise. Cuadrilla’s flagship project at Preston New Road in Lancashire, the largest fracking tests planned to date with 4 horizontal wells is now underway, with contractor AE Yates trying to construct the frack pad at the site.

The fracking fight is now moving into a new phase where causing physical delays and ramping up costs will hold the key to deterring future investment in the industry. There is a rolling blockade at Preston New Road (9am-3pm weekdays) when work is happening and Solidarity Saturday’s just down the road at at Maple Farm (10am-2pm). A national day of action has been called for Sat 25th Feb, will a large demo as well as other actions across the country. As important is where the fracking trucks are coming from, AE Yates and its subcontractors at present, with various subcontractors pulling out due to the massive community opposition (see below).

If you don’t live in Lancashire fear not (or better still fear a lot), many areas including Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, Sussex, and Yorkshire are under increasing threat from fracking companies such as IGas Energy, Ineos Upstream, UKOG and Third Energy (see below). The 2 years of fracking drilling and testing Cuadrilla has planned at Preston New Road in Lancashire would also send 20,000 fracking trucks spreading out across the country with numerous impacts far from Lancashire (e.g. fracking waste being dumped or transported through your community – see below for details).


Take Action

What can you do? Everyone can make a difference in the fight against fracking:

  • Get organised: Is there a anti-fracking group defending your community? If so, join it! If not, form one!
  • Spread the word: Organise public meetings, film screenings, street stalls etc.
  • Support other communities: At any point in time various communities are under threat and need your solidarity
  • Do you live near a fracking support site? Check out our factsheet about Cuadrilla’s plans, your community may be threatened with impacts (e.g. fracking waste being dumped or transported through your community) even if you live hundreds of miles from Lancashire.

Frack Off can help with information, support or outreach materials. Contact info@frack-off.org and see our get involved page.

Latest News

 

National Day Of Action – Sat 25th Feb

National day of anti-fracking action in solidarity with Lancashire with a demo at Preston New Road fracking site. Is your group planning on going? Book a minibus or coach – we can help you fill it & cover some of the cost! Get in touch pronto via info@frackoff.org (put ‘transport’ in the subject line). For a seat on a bus from Brighton, Lewes, London email busbookings16@gmail.com. Cant get to Lancashire? Other demos elsewhere on day of action include:

or organise something where you live, for instances at a local camp, site or one of the numerous support sites which Cuadrilla’s planned sites in Lancashire would reply on.

Ongoing Resistance To Fracking In Lancashire

Fracking company Cuadrilla Resources has now started work on constructing its planned site at Preston New Road but the local communities are standing their ground. There is a daily rolling blockade outside the site and resistance is spreading to support sites with regular demos outside the primary construction contractor (AE Yates) yard in Bolton. A number of subcontractors, Armstrong Aggregates, Moore Readymix and Cemex, have withdrawn from the fracking project in the face of massive community opposition. The plans call for drilling and hydraulically fracturing 4 horizontal wells at the Preston New Road over a 2 year period, requiring around 20,000 truck movements and produce millions of gallons of toxic and radioactive liquid and solid waste. See: Resist Lancashire Fracking and New Lancashire Threat: Cuadrilla`s Fracking Plans.

Network Of Fracking Support Sites Across Country

These test sites threaten to spread their tentacles far beyond Lancashire, with tens of thousands of fracking trucks traversing the country from various ancillary sites. Each fracking site would require over 7,500 tons of frac sand (from Cheshire and/or Norfolk) and would produce over 13 million gallons of toxic/radioactive waste while would be moved off site in thousands of road tankers and dumped in Leeds/Middlesbrough/Stoke-on-Trent. The community is mobilising to resist plans by Sibelco, the world largest supplier of frac sand, for an sand mining expansion in Cheshire. A demo is planned outside Sibelco’s exhibition in Cheshire on Fri 17th Feb. Organising is also taking place around a potential frac waste dump site, Knostrop Treatment Works in Leeds. Check out what support sites could be near you. See: Resist Lancashire Fracking and New Lancashire Threat: Cuadrilla`s Fracking Plans.

Weald Tight Oil Fracking Threat Intensifying

The fracking threat is also growing in Surrey/Sussex where Angus Energy plans to drill a side track to an existing conventional well at Brockham, which would target the Kimmeridge Clay shale formation for tight/shale oil. Angus has had a workover rig on site repairing the well, but . A number of sites, including Horse Hill (UKOG) and Leith Hill (Europa Oil and Gas) in Surrey and Broadford Bridge (UKOG) in Sussex, are also threatened with drilling and testing targetting the Kimmeridge Clay. A planning application for extra security fencing at Leith Hill may soon be decide, opening the way for drilling. A camp has been set up at the planned site, has come under legal threat from Europa, and needs support. Exploitation of the Kimmeridge Clay would require thousands of wells to be drilled across the Weald Basin. See: Fracking The Weald: The Growing Tight Oil Threat

INEOS Fracking Threat To S. Yorks/Derbys/Notts

Fracking company Ineos Upstream has submitted a scoping request for a fracking site on Barmleymoor Lane near Eckington, the first site in its exploration plans for its million acres of fracking licences. A recent Ineos exhibition in Marsh Lane attrached a large counter demonstration of local residents outside the venue. Ineos is also planning to carry out a seismic surveys across the its licence areas and is targeting at 500 square miles area of South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire first. Ineos has contracted Fisher German Priestner as their land agent to try to gain access to the land they need for the surveys. For more info see: Ineos Fracking Seismic Survey Plans Need Resisting and Seismic Testing Is Happening In My Area – What Should I Do?

Actions & Events

 

North East

  • Frack Free Cleveland Meeting – Thurs 9th Mar 6.00pm, Saltburn House Hotel/Bar, Marine Parade, Saltburn, Redcar And Cleveland TS12 1BX More Info
  • Frack Free Cleveland Minibus To Kirby Misperton – Sat 18th Feb 9:30am, Contact for details of pick up points More Info

North West

  • Demo Outside Sibelco Exhibition – Fri 17th Feb 4-8pm, Cranage Village Hall, Knutsford Road, Holmes Chapel CW4 8EQ More Info (Facebook)
  • Monthly Meeting – Frack Free Manchester – Tues 21st Feb 7:15pm, The Green Fish Resource Centre, 46-50 Oldham Street, Manchester M4 1LE More Info (Facebook)
  • Horwich Meeting – We Need You! – Weds 22 Feb 7:30pm, St. Marys Club, Horwich, Bolton BL6 5 More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free Northwich AGM – Thurs 23rd Feb 7:30–10:30pm, The Penny Black Wetherspoons, 110 Witton Street, Northwich CW9 5AB More Info (Facebook)
  • Don’t Frack Lancs: National Rally – Sat 25th Feb 11-2pm, Maple Farm, Preston New Road, Westby PR4 3PE More Info (Facebook)
  • Keep East Lancashire Frack Free Meeting – Tues 28th Feb 7pm, The Old Library, Colne Road, Burnley BB10 1LL More Info (Facebook)
  • Direct Action Against Fracking Presentation – Thurs 2nd Mar 7-10pm, The Venue, Gadbrook Road, Rudheath, Northwich CW9 7JL More Info (Facebook)
  • Bolton Against Fracking Monthly Meeting – Weds 8th Mar 7pm, Cotton Tree Pub, Bolton BL1 2NP More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free Chorley & South Ribble Monthly Meeting – Weds 22nd Mar 7:30pm, Trader Jacks, Hollinshead Street, Chorley PR7 1EP More Info (Facebook)

Yorkshire

  • Mosborough Against Fracking Meeting – Wednesday 15th Feb 7.30pm, The Queens, 135 High Street, Mosborough, Sheffield S20 5AF More Info (Facebook)
  • No Fracking In Barnsley Meeting – Thurs 16th Feb, 7pm, White Bear, 11 Church Street, Barnsley S70 2AH More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free Scarborough Twice-Monthly Meeting – Thurs 16th Feb 7pm, Scarborough Railwayman’s Social Club, Central Railway Station, Westborough, Scarborough YO11 1TN More Info
  • Are We Going To Be Fracked? – Fri 17th Feb 7.30pm, Coal Aston Village Hall, Eckington Road, Coal Aston, Dronfield S18 3AX More Info (Facebook)
  • ANTI-FRACKING PRESENTATION (Public meeting) – Sat 18th Feb 1.30pm, Beighton Lifestyle Centre, High Street, Beighton, Sheffield S20 1HE More Info (Facebook)
  • Are We Going To Be Fracked? – Thurs 23rd Feb 7:30pm, Zion URC, Langsett Road South, Oughtibridge, Sheffield More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free Dearne Valley Film & Discussion – Fri 24th Feb 7pm, Ings Lane Sports and Social Club, Vancouver Dr, Bolton upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 8DT More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free Scalby, Burniston & Cloughton Meeting – Mon 27th Feb 7pm, Cloughton Hall, Mill Lane, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO13 0AB More Info
  • Haxby & Wigginton Against Fracking Meeting – Weds 1st Mar 7:30-9:30pm, Haxby Sports Bar, North Lane, Haxby YO32 3JPMore Info (Facebook)
  • Sheffield Against Fracking Meeting – Tues 7th Mar 7:30pm, Central United Reformed Church, Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 2JB More Info
  • Frack Free York Benefit Extravaganza – Fri 17th Mar 7:30–11:30pm, The Fulford Arms, 121 Fulford Road, York YO10 4EX More Info (Facebook)

East Midlands

  • For the love of trees, NO fracking! – Saturday 18th Feb 12pm-2pm, Major Oak, Sherwood Forest More Info
  • Frack Free Mansfield Meeting – Tues 21st Feb 7:30pm, Friends Meeting House, Rosemary Street, Mansfield NG19 6AB More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free Ashfield Monthly Meeting – Weds 22 Feb 7:30-9pm, The Wyvern Club, Urban Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottingham NG17 8DB More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free Ashfield Social Evening – Fri 24th Feb 7:30pm, Chand Indian Cuisine, 8 Toothill Road, Mansfield NG18 1NW More Info (Facebook)
  • Anti-Fracking March – Sat 25th Feb 12-3pm, Mosborough Queens Hotel & Eckington Market Place More Info (Facebook)
  • Gift of the Gab: How to be amazing at talking about fracking – Mon 27th Feb 7-9m, Lincolnshire Poacher, 161-163 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3 More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free Ashfield monthly meeting – Weds 22nd Feb 7:30–9pm, The Wyvern Club, Urban Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottingham NG17 8DB More Info (Facebook)
  • Wressle Appeal Meeting – Thurs 9th Mar 7pm, The Yarborough Hunt, 49 Bridge Street, Brigg DN20 8NS More Info (Facebook)
  • Public Meeting On Fracking – Thurs 9th Mar 7pm, St. Mary’s Church Parish Rooms, St. Mary’s Church, Darley Lane, Derby DE1 3AU More Info (Facebook)
  • Leicestershire Against Onshore Drilling Springtime Frack-Free Festival – Sat 11th Mar 2-5pm, Barclays, Location TBA More Info (Facebook)
  • Film Screening And Introduction To Fracking Presentation – Weds 15th Mar Triple S Snooker Club, Mansfield Road, Skegby NG17 3ED More Info (Facebook)

South East

  • Leith Hill Villagers and Protection Camp Gathering – Sat 18th Feb 11-2pm, Leith Hill Protection Camp at Bury Hill Wood, Coldharbour, Nr Leith Hill, Dorking RH5 6HN More Info (Facebook)

South West

  • Frack Free North Somerset Open Meeting – Weds 15th Feb 7:30-9:30pm, The Bristol Hotel, 29 Locking Road, Weston-super-Mare BS23-3 More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free Yeovil Meeting – Tues 21st Feb 7-10pm, Meadow Road, Yeovil BA21 5PD More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free EQS Film Screening – Fri 24th Feb 7-9pm, Taunton Quaker Meeting House, 13 Bath Place, Taunton TA1 4EP More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack Free Somerset Benefit – Fri 3rd Mar 7pm, Wildgoose Space, 228 Mina Road, St. Werburghs, BS2 9YP More Info (Facebook)
  • Frack-Free Folk Jam – Sat 4th Mar 7-11pm, St Mary’s Church Hall, Wimborne Road, Poole BH152EG More Info (Facebook)

Planning Applications & Appeals

 

For an interactive map with all the planning applications, licences etc. see .

Local Anti-Fracking Groups

 

With around 300 anti-fracking groups and counting organsing against the industry across the country, there are now too many to list in a newsletter. Please see our groups page for the full list. If there isn’t one in your community, now would be an excellent time to start one! Contact info@frack-off.org if you want any help or support and definitely check out our guide to campaigning for new anti-fracking groups here: Get Involved.

This entry was posted in News and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.