Wildlife Trust looking for fracking answers

Fylde businesses involved in fracking have been approached by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust to answer questions over concerns about the controversial process.
Cuadrilla site on Anna's Road , Westby.Cuadrilla site on Anna's Road , Westby.
Cuadrilla site on Anna's Road , Westby.

The Trust has raised fears over plans for hydraulic fracturing to extract gas and oil, known as fracking, on Fylde mosses.

Chief executive Anne Selby said: “As a Wildlife Trust, we are here to protect nature, but our purpose also includes sustainability and adapting to climate change.

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“We have concerns at a local level with regards to the impact of fracking, but we are also joining forces with the other 46 Wildlife Trusts to ensure the Government does not stray from renewable energy plans.

“We must not lose sight of aims to progress our energy sources into a more sustainable future.

“Shale gas is a non-renewable energy source. It may be billed as cleaner than coal, but it is carbon and will contribute to CO2 emission.”

Planning permission has been given for exploratory operations on six sites on the Fylde and two more in West Lancashire.

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But concerns have been raised at sites close to Grange Road, Singleton and Peel Road, Westby, over ecology and effects on river estuaries.

Now questions have been sent to Cuadrilla, which has Fylde sites, and iGas and Dart, with the main concerns being there is no damage to sites which are important to wildlife and the disposal of water which is used in the process.

The Trust has said it will continue to push for answers to its questions as well as for a proportion of taxes and revenues created by the industry, should the challenges and concerns for environmental damage be overcome, to be invested in energy reduction and renewable or natural energies.

The Trust’s list of questions can be viewed at: www.lancswt.org.uk

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