Comment
Draft Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan
Representation ID: 32034
Received: 15/09/2018
Respondent: Miss Marie Claire Wilson
In relation to hydrocarbons, we must reduce our dependence on these and support renewable energy. If extraction does go ahead further study should be undertaken to understand the risk, including understanding the underlying geology and potential seismic events that could occur and the damage this would do. Need to consider health and safety of local residents including an evacuation plan. Fracking threatens local drinking water and wildlife . Nottinghamshire should not permit more sites.
Dear Sir/Madam
I'd like to provide comments ahead of the new minerals plan being made, regarding unconventional hydrocarbon extraction.
Firstly, it is increasingly recognised that we must reduce our dependence on hydrocarbons as soon as possible, as recognised by the UN Secretary-General in his recent speech. If we use gas to "bridge to a lower carbon economy" over the next 10 years or so, it could well be too late. County councils should recognise this and play their part in creating a future for our country by supporting renewables.
Secondly, even if unconventional extraction of hydrocarbons goes ahead, it should not go ahead in Nottinghamshire without significant further study. Professor Styles' recent report highlighted the risks of fracking in former coal mining areas. Permission has been given for drilling at Tinker Lane in Bassetlaw, without a full picture of the underlying geology. This could result in seismic events and damage to properties and businesses. Who will pay for any resulting damage? Landowners, the drilling companies and the Coal Board are unlikely to feel responsible
Finally, even without these issues, the record of the drilling and fracking industry to date is poor. There is little consideration given to the health and safety of local communities- fracking is imminent in Lancashire despite there being no evacuation plan for local people. As far as I am aware, there is no evacuation plan for the Tinker Lane site in Notts, where drilling is imminent. Even drilling could involve the risk of catastrophic well blow outs - and yet it is not deemed necessary for local people to know what to do if this happens.
Applications to drill and frack are made that include unsatisfactory HGV routes, or locations that threaten local drinking water supplies or protected wildlife species. And let's not forget that to date, the only frack carries out on the UK resulted in an earthquake.
Finally, the government's proposals relating to PD and NSIP will further endanger our county, especially given the coal mining issues.
Nottinghamshire county council has so far given permission for drilling (for shale gas exploration, and previously for CBM). I hope that with the developments in the past year the MPA sees that unconventional hydrocarbon extraction is not the responsible choice for Nottinghamshire or for Britain.