Yorkshire is a “Sacrifice Zone” in new wave of fracking licences
On Tuesday 18th August, the Government announced a new round of PEDL licences, which allow companies to explore for conventional and unconventional oil and gas deposits – which would include fracking.
The announcement states that 27 licences will be formally offered to companies – these are shown in light green on the map above. These include Licence SE95, which is east of York, and has been purchased by Cuadrilla.
You can click on a hi-res version of the map on the link below, or here’s an online version.
A second group of 132 further blocks is subject to detailed assessment under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010. These are shown in dark green on the above map. This is now open for consultation. The consultation closes on 29th September and we will be posting further information about how to respond to this very soon.
You can also look at all the above licences in detail if you click on this link: PEDL Licences 14th Round. The bright red boundary is the area of the licence, and the dark red boundary is the ‘zone of impact’.
Frack Free Ryedale’s press release is shown below:
* * * FRACK FREE RYEDALE PRESS RELEASE * * *
YORKSHIRE NOW A FRACKING “SACRIFICE ZONE”
Today’s announcement by the Department of Energy and Climate Change is a black day for the North of England, which is now officially designated as a “sacrifice zone” in the Government’s reckless and unpopular drive towards fracking. News of new exploration licences all across Yorkshire – including much of the North York Moors National Park – will send shockwaves through many areas that have so far been free of the threat of fracking.
The effect of widespread fracking across Yorkshire would have a huge impact on the lives of rural communities all across the county, as their lives become blighted by endless HGV traffic, noisy drilling, air pollution, health impacts and threats to their water supplies. The region’s core industries of agriculture and tourism are also under serious threat as the government attempts to green-light the industrialisation of the countryside across Yorkshire.
The latest DECC survey on Public Attitudes showed that support for fracking was at an all-time low, with only 21% supporting the industry (compared to over 75% supporting renewable energy). A recent poll in the Yorkshire Post showed that 86% were against fracking, with only 14% supporting it (see right).The public understands the folly of starting a dangerous new fossil fuel industry at a time when the world is threatened by climate change, and the fight against fracking will only increase as more areas of the country are sold off to the fracking industry.
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