Fracking’s ‘doomed’ says MSP
Reports find gap in regulations
Greens environmental spokesman Mark Ruskell has claimed the future of fracking is doomed, following a series of Scottish Government reports into the risky drilling technique.
Mr Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, said this week’s reports identify “a gap in the regulations relating to decommissioning, aftercare and long-term well failure liabilities of onshore wells”.
The reports state that if fracking goes ahead it will make meeting climate change targets in other areas harder.
The Scottish Government is currently in talks over whether to allow the controversial oil and gas extraction technique to begin in Scotland, having announced a moratorium last year. A public consultation will be launched in January – at the same time as the government’s climate change plan - before any decision is made.
Mr Ruskell said: “The Scottish Government was elected on a manifesto that promised to ban fracking unless it could be proved beyond any doubt that there was no risk to health, communities or the environment. On the basis of what’s been published, it seems clear that fracking is doomed. The forthcoming Climate Bill would be an effective way to end the uncertainty.
“There are serious gaps in this research, particularly around the clean up costs. We’ve learned the hard way from open cast coal mines that the fossil fuel industry leaves communities devastated and the public has to pick up the bill.
“It’s somewhat bizarre that the minister was today unable to rule out fracking from the forthcoming climate change plan and consultation on energy strategy, and a public consultation is unlikely to result in anything other than a big no from communities across the central belt.
“Ultimately, the evidence to ban fracking already exists. We have more fossil fuels than we can burn if we want to limit climate change. A ban on fracking will allow us to focus on stable jobs in energy efficiency and renewables.”
Green MSPs led Holyrood’s first debate on fracking in 2014, calling for a ban.
This week’s reports have analysed the impact of fracking on public health, climate change, the economy, traffic volumes, the environment and seismic activity.
With regards to health, a report found there was “sufficient” evidence to suggest that a number of “air and water-born environmental hazards” would be likely to occur should the operations go ahead. Workers could also breathe in dangerous crystalline silica during operations, a risk to health that could also affect those living near to fracking sites. But it concluded there was “inadequate” data to determine whether the development of shale oil and gas or coal bed methane would pose a risk to public health overall. Grangemouth petrochemical company Ineos is seeking the go-ahead for shale gas operations. They have licences for fracking over 700 square miles around the Central Belt, including the Stirling area.
And Dart Energy has a licence from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) giving it exclusive rights to areas of Scotland - including Raploch, Cornton, Causewayhead, Riverside, Cambuskenneth, Top of the Town, King’s Park, Braehead, Torbrex, Borestone, Hillpark, Milton, Bannockburn, Fallin, Throsk, Cowie and Plean although it would still need planning permission before drilling.