Britain approves gas fracking at north England site

LONDON-Agence France-Presse

Britain on Oct. 6 approved a shale gas fracking project in the north of England, overruling a local council’s decision to prevent the controversial scheme which is also opposed by environmentalists.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid gave the green light for the drilling of up to four wells by energy group Cuadrilla at the Preston New Road site.

However he has yet to decide on a second site, also in the county of Lancashire, a government statement said.

The government said permission had been granted for “construction and operation of a site for drilling up to four exploratory wells.”

Phil Foster, managing director of broker Love Energy, described the decision as “a big step.”

He added: “The government, faced with a growing energy crisis in the U.K., probably felt that it had no choice. However, the decision rides rough-shod over the feelings of people in Lancashire, and could now open the floodgates for other projects across the U.K.”
   
It follows the green light earlier this year for a shale gas fracking project in nearby Yorkshire, the first such approval in Britain since 2011.

Locals and environmentalists argue that fracking damages tourism, contaminates water supplies, hurts wildlife, causes earthquakes and contributes to global climate change.

 In December 2015 Britain’s industry regulator granted 93 onshore licenses to allow for exploration for shale oil or gas.

Lawmakers have approved fracking also beneath national parks.