Frack Free Somerset stands opposed to the government’s plans to streamline developments for unconventional gas and oil extraction, by offering “the most generous tax breaks in the world”, as announced by George Osborne today.

We believe that unconventional gas and oil extraction is harmful to human health and the environment due to the disruption of radioactive radium within the shale, the threat of hazardous toxins polluting the water table, increased seismic activity, and other very serious problems that are evident in America, Canada and Australia, such as respiratory problems caused by air pollution.

Furthermore, Frack Free Somerset is concerned about a conflict of interests at the heart of government, with various ministers and advisers having vested interests in the industry.  This is preventing the development of a low carbon energy policy based on renewable technologies in the UK, and our chances of meeting our 2020 carbon emissions targets.

Here in Somerset, we’re also opposed to the massive industrialisation of our landscape and the inevitable harm such development would cause to agriculture and wildlife.  Frack Free Somerset is calling on Westminster to follow the example of Germany, France and other countries, where a moratorium has been declared on unconventional gas and oil extraction.

At a local level, Frack Free Somerset is delighted that Bath and North East Somerset Councillors have recently put aside their political divisions to oppose the threat of these developments in the local area and would urge other councils to do the same.  Shale Gas is not a “transitional fuel”, as the industry claims it to be, but is methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas, which will only contribute to runaway climate change and an inhospitable planet for future generations.

Posted on: July 19, 2013