Cuadrilla suffers new blow to Lancashire fracking plans
PLANS by Lichfield-based energy firm Cuadrilla to frack for shale gas in Lancashire have been dealt a blow by an influential committee of MPs.
The cross-party Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has called for a moratorium on the controversial practice because it believes it may harm the fight to slow down climate change.
Members of the committee voiced their fears just days after Lancashire County Council said Cuadrilla’s bid to explore sites at Preston New Road, Little Plumpton and Roseacre Wood, would lead to unacceptable levels of noise and traffic in the area.
Cuadrilla has now asked the authority to delay any final decision so that such concerns can be “mitigated” by the company.
A statement from Cuadrilla said: “We have requested a deferral in the determination of our planning applications to allow for this consultation to take place.”
Meanwhile, in their report members of the EAC said shale fracking was incompatible with UK carbon targets and may result in environmental and health risks.
Committee chair, Joan Walley, said: “Ultimately, fracking cannot be compatible with our long-term commitments to cut climate-changing emissions unless full-scale carbon capture and storage technology is rolled out rapidly, which looks likely.
“There are also huge uncertainties around the impact that fracking could have on water supplies, air quality and public health.
Until recently the main thrust of the argument against fracking has been pollution and the possible contamination of local drinking water supplies, but the MPs’ report mentioning climate change has given fracking opponents new ammunition.
However, the Department of Energy and Climate Change has said it disagreed with the findings of the report saying gas will be a significant element of the UK’s energy mix for the foreseeable future.
