Fracking company Cuadrilla is in the middle of its latest bid to drill in Lancashire. They want to frack in Roseacre Wood, between Blackpool and Preston.
Here's a quick guide to how you can write to Lancashire County Council to object to Cuadrilla's plan.
How to take part
Step 1: Click here to open the consultation page
Step 2: Fill in your name, address, postcode and email, then click 'next'.
Step 3: You can now lodge your objection to Cuadrilla's plans. Please remember to include:
- Application number: LCC/2014/0101
- Location of development: Can be left blank
- Your comments: State why you're opposed to these plans -- we've put together a few talking points below if you're stuck for what to say
Step 4: Click 'submit' and you're done.
Talking points
Here are some suggestions of what you might like to put in your messages. Don't feel you have to include all of them - maybe use those that resonate with you most. Further talking points are available on the Roseacre Awareness Group website.
Risk of accidents, contamination and liability
Well failure is a widespread problem in the fracking industry. If a well fails it could result in a toxic legacy for current and future generations.
Water pollution: contamination of nearby Thistleton Brook could result in pollution of local water sources used by local farmers for their livestock. This carries risks further afield, as Thistleton Brook runs into the River Wyre, which runs into the Wyre Estuary, an important wildlife habitat.
There is no assurance that Cuadrilla will accept liability for damage. Local authorities and communities will be left to bear the cost of any damage caused by the proposed development.
Lack of regulation and enforcement
Cuadrilla have demonstrated numerous breaches of their planning permissions in Lancashire and Balcombe evidencing a dangerous gap in regulatory enforcement.
Air pollution and greenhouse gases
Air pollution and release of greenhouse gases are unavoidable due to flaring, methane emissions, particulate matter and emissions from industrial traffic associated with the site.
Noise, light pollution, visual impact and traffic.
Noise and disruption will be an unavoidable negative impact for local residents. When they drilled in Balcombe, Cuadrilla exceeded noise levels set in the planning permission, leaving residents to purchase equipment and monitor it themselves.
Cuadrilla states there will be up to 200 traffic movements per day. The narrow country lanes are totally unsuitable for HGVs especially on Dagger Road and Roseacre Road where HGVs would not be able pass safely and would endanger other road users. Use of this route by HGVs would present a serious risk of injury to cyclists, riders and pedestrians as well as a loss of social amenity.
Light pollution is another unavoidable impact that would significantly affect local residents, as there is little light pollution at present. The site will be floodlit every night, 7 days a week, in operation 365 days per year.
Visual impact: The proposal would negatively impact the rural character of the local area, with a large site hosting a drilling rig 53m high. The site is situated between two hamlets which are part of a single community effectively dividing a community in half.
Water and waste disposal
There are inadequate measures in place to treat and dispose of the vast quantities of waste water, nor is there sufficient capacity for such huge volumes of hazardous waste at treatment facilities.
Unsustainable water usage: public drinking water must be preserved at all costs. Such vast amounts should not be utilized for unconventional shale gas drilling, especially in the light of water shortages in recent years.
Ecology
Fracking at this site is likely to have negative impacts on wildlife including protected species and their natural habitats and rural character. The site is close to Medlar Meadows and Medlar Ditch BHS Sites, Wyre Estuary SSSI, Morecambe Bay RAMSAR and Ribble Estuary SSSI RAMSAR site, an internationally important site for wildlife, including wintering wildfowl. Roseacre is home to protected species such as bats, brown hare, barn owls and great crested newts.
Additional points
There is growing evidence that shale gas extraction poses serious risks to human health and the environment, as a result, many countries and towns around the world have banned this practice. For this reason, the precautionary principle should be applied in order to protect Lancashire residents from the unavoidable impacts of shale gas development.
