Fracking 'probably' caused Blackpool tremors2 November 2011
It's 'highly probable' that earth tremors near Blackpool earlier this year were caused by fracking - according to a report by the shale gas firm Cuadrilla Resources.
The controversial technique - known as fracking - involves fracturing rock and using water, sand and chemicals to release gas from underground to be used as fuel.
Environmental concerns with fracking include:
- Impact on climate change.
- Groundwater pollution.
- Air pollution.
- Water demand.
Other local concerns include noise and additional traffic.
Shale gas is not the silver bullet to our energy woes: it's a fossil fuel and using it will cause climate changing emissions.
Friends of the Earth is calling for a moratorium on fracking until these concerns have been addressed.
Only green energy and energy saving will stabilise fuel bills in the long term.
We're calling for:
- Investment in renewable energy
This could create up to four times as many jobs as fossil-fuel sources. - Home and office insulation
Would create tens of thousands of jobs.
Extracting shale gas would suck vital funding away from clean and safe energy alternatives that could create thousands more UK jobs.
Tony Bosworth, Senior Climate Campaigner, Friends of the Earth
What you can do
Please call on David Cameron to launch a public inquiry into the Big Six energy companies, and to support a fair energy system.
Ask Lancashire County Council for a full Environmental Impact Assessment of Cuadrilla's proposed fracking operations.
Find out more
We've put together some more information about fracking here.
© chibi_ro
