Llandow Fracking Inquiry 22-23 May

Friends of the Earth were well represented, with a statement from FoE Cymru's Director, Gareth Clubb and written plus verbal statements from Barry & Vale FoE - see Fracking Inquiry page.  Coastal Oil & Gas and the Vale Council discussed it as simply a test drilling operation, with CO&G claiming they were seeking ordinary coal-measure gas with no intentions for high-pressure fracking. They convinced no-one.  FoE argued the test drilling was part of a staged application for fracking and therefore needs full environmental impact assessment.  The Council had failed to 'screen' it for EIA, despite the Minister mentioning this in his letter declining to call-in the proposal.

FoE quoted the First Minister's letter of 29 Sept. to the Vale Council:

•  A “precautionary approach should be taken” and “additional environmental considerations” should be included. It referred to Minerals Planning Policy Wales (MPPW) which specifies “an environmentally acceptable way” of operation and being “consistent with the principles of sustainable development” for unconventional gas development.

The Vale Council officers had ignored this at the Planning Committee and did not argue for any 'additional' environmental precautions at this Inquiry.

There was a lengthy exchange about a Condition to be set on noise levels if the application was permitted. The Inspector first proposed noise guidance levels used for opencast mining and quarrying. FoE said no - to use the policy for industrial areas close to homes, with non-disturbing night-time levels in accord with WHO guidance.  The Vale officers failed to support FoE's approach, even though this was used at the Sunrise wood-burner inquiry.  So the issue is left to the Inspector's decision.  Whose side are the Vale officers on?

Fracking application REJECTED at Planning Meeting THURS 20th

Resounding victory!
The  Planning Committee unanimously rejected the Llandow application for test-boreholes for #fracking, mainly on the basis of Dwr Cymru arguments on  possible contamination of the groundwater.

BBC Wales broadcasted demonstrations outside the Civic offices live at 18:45 tonight.  The result was later broadcast at 22:30 by Cllr Nic Hodges (Plaid).

Congratulations to theValesaysNo campaign and all who joined in!

This unanimous rejection of the Planning Officer's recommendation should not only stop past practice of facilitating resubmission of a similar application, but also cause Rob Thomas to reflect on his rejection by the ruling Tory group and consider resigning.

FoE on Fracking at the Scrutiny session

Summary of Friends of the Earth contribution (by Max Wallis) at the 17 October Scrutiny Committee:

1. Fracking gas is not a clean fuel, but as bad as coal due to leakages to the air (4-8%) added to combustion CO2, according to the study in the scientific journal Climatic Change.

2. The Minerals Planning Policy Wales does give government guidance (contrary to the Planning Officers' report) and specifies “an environmentally acceptable way” of operation and being “consistent with the principles of sustainable development”. Unless these are demonstrated, the guidance says there's a “case in land use planning terms for placing more restrictions on the development” than ordinary local environmental safeguards.

3. The 29^th Sept. letter to the VoG Leader from the First M|inister, Carwyn Jones, does give a strong steer:
- a “precautionary approach should be taken” and “additional environmental considerations” - presumably the wider ones of being consistent with sustainable development and the UK's carbon targets.

4. As the Licensing system is unified, covering exploration, appraisal and development, the Vale Council could view an exploration application as the first part of a staged application. That would require a full environmental impact assessment, covering all the issues of injected water and chemicals, aquifer and well pollution, methane leakages, seismic tremors, etc. that objectors are bringing up. Indeed, it's irresponsible of the Vale officers to accept the exploration-only application.