RSPB Raises Objections To Government Fracking Policy
For the first time in its history the RSPB has objected to proposals for fracking in the UK on the grounds that the drilling technique which is very controversial, will harm both the climate and wildlife.
RSPB officially handed over a letter of objection to the Lancashire Country Council to a proposal for exploration near Blackpool. The proposed site is very close to a protected area that is frequented by whooper swans and pink footed geese and drilling in the area may very well disturb the natural habitat of the birds.
The society is also officially objecting to controversial plans for exploration in Sussex and argues that there has been no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) yet and that additional hydrocarbon usage will hamper the ability to meet climate change targets.
“Balcombe has hit the headlines as the battleground in the debate over fracking. The public there are rightly concerned about the impact this new technology will have on their countryside. These are not just nimbys worried about house prices – there is a very real public disquiet about fracking. We have looked closely at the rules in place to police drilling for shale gas and oil, and they are simply not robust enough to ensure that our water, our landscapes and our wildlife are safe. ” Harry Huyton, RSPB head of climate and energy policy, said:
The RSPB is lobbying the City Council of Lancashire to make sure that a full EIA is undertaken by Cuadrilla before it begins to drill. The RSPB has linked up with other organizations and is calling on the government to take a close look at its shale policy.
“Figures suggest that in the north of England there is potential for 5,000 sites and a total of up to 100,000 wells. The idea that these will not have an impact on the countryside is very difficult to believe. Fracking is technology largely untested in the UK and we really have no idea what the impact will be on our wildlife. We do know, however, that concentrating our resources on extracting fossil fuel from the ground instead of investing in renewable energy threatens to undermine our commitment to avoiding dangerous levels of climate change.” Mr Huyton added.