EU shelves plans to introduce stricter regulations requiring EIA’s on fracking; Companies entitled to frac more than 60% of British land, Bath and Stonehenge reportedly included!

EU shelves plans to introduce stricter regulations on fracking for shale gas by Tom McTague, December 20, 2013, Daily Mirror
The Prime Minister had written to EU president José Manuel Barroso warning him the move would hamper investment and cost jobs. And after the rethink, David Cameron said:  “I was just very worried that while we are already behind on fracking and unconventional gas compared to America, we would fall even further behind if we had more legal processes to go through. … Earlier this week, Business Minister Michael Fallon announced two-thirds of England and Wales will be open for fracking….

New shale gas drilling areas to be revealed as communities promised £100,000 benefits for fracking, Large swathes of UK to be opened up for shale drilling, with communities where fracking takes place to receive £100,000, even if no gas is produced by Emily Gosden, December 10, 2013, The Telegraph

Britain opens up much of countryside to fracking by Pilita Clark, December 17, 2013, Financial Times
An area more than two-thirds the size of England is to be opened up to shale gas drilling and other forms of exploration under plans set out on Tuesday that ministers said could produce thousands of jobs and other economic benefits. However, if fracking companies rush to exploit shale deposits, some areas may also experience “significant negative effects”, according to an environmental assessment of the move by the Amec consultancy, including a “substantial burden” on wastewater treatment plants. Depending on how many sites are eventually drilled, towns and villages could see lorries hauling water and other materials along their roads up to 51 times a day, the consultants said, adding that up to 150 shale gas licences could end up being awarded around the country.

In addition, fracking companies could consume nearly a fifth of the water currently supplied to energy, water and waste industries each year. 

That makes shale gas an “exciting prospect”, said Michael Fallon, energy minister, who declined to say if he would welcome fracking under his own home. “Today we are stepping up the search for shale,” he said, adding local communities would receive at least £100,000 for each fracked site, plus an additional 1 per cent of revenue from each well over its lifetime, amounting to a total of “almost £1bn”. …

The London area is included…. [Emphasis added]

Fracking companies entitled to licences on more than 60% of British land, Bath and Stonehenge included! by The Guardian, December 17, 2013

[Refer also to:

European Union Lawmakers Vote for full Environmental Impact Assessments and Public Participation on any Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil, Gas, Coal Wells and Associated Activities, Infrastructure such as Polluting Compressors October 2013

Polish authorities, industry slam EU’s Shale EIA proposal by ENDS Europe, July 24, 2015 ]

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