State’s fracking stance slammed
Opponents say officials do not have capacity to monitor process
WHILE a government task team has recommended that research into the methodologies for hydraulic fracturing and its environmental impact be ongoing, antifracking lobbyists the Treasure Karoo Action Group ( TKAG) says South Africa does not have the will or expertise to monitor the process.
Yesterday, Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu released the executive summary and recommendations of the task team’s report, saying that in the event of any unacceptable outcomes‚ the process may be halted.
The task team investigating fracking – another term for hydraulic fracturing – in the Karoo recommended that conditional approval of the controversial method be granted.
But TKAG chairman Jonathan Deal said the government did not have the capacity to monitor the outcomes of fracking and would not be able to halt the process once it started.
“You cannot rehabilitate underground water once it has been polluted. The government does not have the ability to monitor the technology and does not have the ability to enforce the law,” he said.
Deal said the task team’s report also excluded comment from other government departments that would be affected by fracking in the Karoo, including the departments of environmental affairs, transport, tourism and agriculture.
“One of the biggest knock-on costs will be the damage to our country’s roads and this has not been taken into account.
“How can you conclude this type of report without factoring in this type of impact?”
He said while there was a promise of boosting the economy by creating more jobs, not much thought had been put into how fracking would displace the sustainable industries already in place.
“Shell and all the other companies are also using a rather clever marketing ploy about how benefi- cial shale gas will be for the environment.
“Replacing coal with shale gas is not enough to reverse the effects of climate change,” he said.
The task team said in the report the other two options of either an outright ban on fracking or outright approval were considered to be extremes and not suitable.
It recommended that normal exploration such as geological field mapping‚ and other data-gathering activities such as hydrological studies be allowed under the existing regulatory framework.
The second recommendation was that a monitoring committee be formed to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated augmentation of the regulatory framework and supervision of operations.
It also recommended the establishment of appropriate regulations‚ controls and coordination systems over a period of six to 12 months.
Further, the departments of science and technology and mineral resources should collaborate to ensure the co-existence of the Karoo’s astronomy projects and fracking.