TreeAlerts: “The UK government is facing sharp criticism again today, as it steps up its support for the shale gas industry in an attempt to “open two-thirds of England up to fracking”.” “Environmental groups warn the government is blindly ignoring the potential impacts on locals as it attempts to put a “positive spin” on it’s independent study into fracking, released today. The report shows the industry could suck up to 18% of all mains water, spit out enough waste water to fill 40,000 Olympic sized swimming pools and see 50 trucks travel through villages and towns everyday. The government is also playing down the health, environmental and climate risks of expanding shale gas. This despite a study released today showing the 700+ chemicals used in the fracking process could disturb hormone function leading to a risk of infertility, cancer and birth defects. The continued pursuit of shale gas not only flies in the face of numerous scientific warnings but puts the UK government on a collision course with its own citizens – who continue to strongly oppose shale gas despite the offering of financial incentives – and with the European Union as it moves to propose continent-wide regulation for the industry in early 2014.”
Future Today
