MPs "sceptical" over Third Energy’s claims of fracking support

THE director of a fracking firm that wants to frack for shale gas in North Yorkshire,Third Energy UK Gas, has been dismissed by the Commons Environment Committee who are sceptical about claims of support for their plans.

Director of Third Energy UK, John Dewar, had told MPs in the Committee that they had public support after working in the area for 20 years.

The firm, which already extracts gas conventionally at nine sites in North Yorkshire, intends to hydraulically frack, injecting a high pressure water mixture into deep drilled ground near the village of Kirby Misperton.

Anne McIntosh, chairperson of the Commons Committee, which is investigaion the actions of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs part in fracking, said she was “sceptical” about Mr Dewar’s claims of support.

Mr Dewar said the company had held five public meeting events in the area. He said: “I would say 80% of the people in the area came out of interest and I can honestly say most left saying, ‘yes seems OK’.

“I think we went a long way to winning over the silent majority.”

He also told MPs that the company may at sme point want to expand operations with a further 10 sites with between 20 and 50 wellheads.

Mr Dewar also said at the first event many of those opposed to fracking had been “bus-loaded” in from outside the county.

Conservative MP for the area, Miss McIntosh, said: “I think your impression and my impression, Mr Dewar, might be slightly different.”

“Ryedale is primarily a tourism and farming community.
“I don’t think anyone who lives there or has retired there expects to see this kind of industrial activity on such a large scale.”

 

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