9 May 2014
Green Party County Councillors have tabled a Motion to be debated at the Full Council meeting at County Hall Chelmsford on Tuesday May 13th (full text below). The Motion calls on the authority to recognise the climate change and local environmental impacts of the controversial fossil fuel extraction method and also calls on the council to agree to adopt a precautionary approach and to request that the Government introduces a moratorium on unconventional fossil fuel exploration within the UK.
Press Call: The council meeting starts at 10am. At 9.30 am members of Friends of the Earth will be gathering with Green councillors and others concerned about fracking in front of the main entrance steps at County Hall.
Two areas in Essex have been proposed for potential exploration – in the north west of the county and along the Thames estuary.
Despite the Conservative/Lib Dem Coalition Government’s enthusiasm for fracking, polls show that British people are far less convinced.
Polls by YouGov have shown that Britons would prefer to live near a wind farm over a “fracking” site by a majority of three to one (1) and that 74% of the British public oppose moves to allow drilling under people’s homes (2) – which has been suggested as a potential legislative change for the forthcoming Queens Speech.
Cllr. James Abbott, Green Group Leader and County Councillor for Witham Northern said
“Whilst Essex is not immediately going to be subject to fracking, there is a possibility that it could be.
So we want to ensure this matter is put on the table for debate.
It is important that the County Council considers its position as any future applications would need to be decided by the County Council in its role as the Minerals Planning Authority.”
Dr. Rupert Read, Lead Green candidate for the European Election in Eastern region said
"It would be an act of stupendous short-termist stupidity for us to frack our countryside, for the sake of a few years' worth of fossil fuels. We need a green energy revolution here in Britain - and the East of England is poised to lead the way. Our tidal energy resources are completely untapped, our wind and sun energy generation capacity is growing year on year. Let's think about the generations to come, think about the future, and stop the rush to fracking that has bizarrely gripped the Government".
Full text of Motion moved by Councillor J Abbott and seconded by Councillor M Hoy:
‘That this Council recognises that exploration of unconventional fossil fuels undermines action on climate change and diverts resources away from investment in a safe, secure and sustainable renewable energy future.
This Council notes that there are possible significant adverse impacts from the industrial exploration and production of fossil fuels by hydraulic fracturing on those communities in Essex living near deposits, including water contamination and air pollution - as highlighted by the European Commission and the Nation Nations.
This Council notes with concern that the Government is considering allowing companies to exploit shale gas reserves under privately owned land even if the owners object.
This Council supports the application of the precautionary principle to its own decision-making and policy-making on unconventional fossil fuels, and calls on the Government for a moratorium on unconventional fossil fuel exploration within the UK.'
Notes:
(1) http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e8c266a6-c2ea-11e3-b6b5-00144feabdc0.html#axzz31908Sl2j
To arrange an interview with Rupert Read, please contact:
07946 459066 / 01603 219294
For further information:
Cllr. James Abbott
Green Group Leader, Essex County Council
01376 584576
07951 923073
Follow Essex Green Party on facebook
Promoted by Grace Philip on behalf of Eastern Region Green Party European election candidate list, both c/o 27 Clarendon Road, Norwich, NR2 2PN.
Donate
Follow us on Twitter
Witham and Braintree Green Party RSS Feed