Anti-fracking group ‘Frack Off – London’ rallied outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) today where industry pioneers ‘Cuadrilla Resources’ were presenting of the results of their earthquake study. The campaigners staged a mock confrontation with ‘Cuadrilla professionals’ to protest against the dangers of fracking.
Hydraulic Fracturing, or ‘fracking’ is a controversial method of natural gas extraction in which a mixture of water, sand and chemicals is injected into the ground at high pressure, cracking shale rock and releasing the gas. Cuadrilla Resources were forced to temporarily suspend their exploratory test site near Blackpool, when geologists suggested that it had caused two earthquakes in the region. Such suggestions prompted today’s report on how the company plans to minimize earthquakes.
Sarah Jones, one of the protesters said: ‘Whatever comes out of today’s report, if the programme is allowed to continue we should all be extremely concerned. From water-contamination to significant health problems and devastating environmental impact, fracking poses a huge threat.‘
She continued; ‘Fracking has already been massively destructive in America, and the industry is in its infancy in the UK. We must act now if we are to stop it in its tracks. ’
Max Balkham, another protester said: ‘We hear a lot about energy shortages, but really DECC needs to be investing in sustainable energy sources, rather than desperately searching for pockets of non-renewable gas and destroying our planet in order to get to them!”
DECC is expected to respond to Cuadrilla’s presentation soon, but campaigners fear that Cuadrilla’s recent anouncement of huge shale gas reserves will drown out any concerns about the environment or earthquakes.
photos: (c) Guido Mencari
