Environment Minister could protect Wales from fracking

02 October 2012

A leading environmental charity has called on Environment Minister John Griffiths to strengthen the protection for communities in Wales against fracking for shale gas. Friends of the Earth's anti-fracking petition - signed by more than 1,000 people - has been passed to the Environment Minister by the National Assembly for Wales[1][2].

Gareth Clubb, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said:

"Fracking poses a clear danger to communities across huge swathes of Wales. It can pollute groundwater and it has caused earthquakes across the border in England. But most ominously, fracking would destroy any hope we have of keeping greenhouse gas emissions in check.

"I'm delighted that the Environment Minister will now be considering stronger protection for Wales' communities against the threat of fracking.

"Wales needs to be a frack-free country, and the Minister can take the first step towards this by changing Welsh planning laws".

NOTES

1. The Petitions Committee of the National Assembly for Wales referred the petition to the Minister for Environment and Sustainability this morning.
2. The petition reads:
   
   "We call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Minister for Environment, Planning and Housing to produce a Ministerial Interim Minerals Planning Policy Statement as well as a new technical advice note to strengthen the precautionary principle with regard to planning applications for onshore oil and gas, including fracking. All reasonable scientific doubt that there is any risk of adverse impacts must be eliminated, and strongest consideration must be given to the urgent need to mitigate climate change".

For further information, please contact Friends of the Earth Cymru on 029 2022 9577