UK - 'Tory U-turn on fracking regulations will leave safeguards totally inadequate'

Tory government in UK all set to dilute all regulation relating to clean drinking water, SSCIs ( Sites of Special Scientific Interest ) and National Parks. So much for their earlier promise of a 'strong regulatory framework'.

Read the report here: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/26/tory-u-turn-on-fracking-regulations-will-leave-safeguards-totally-inadequate?CMP=share_btn_link

UK Woman says that women don't understand fracking!

From The Independent (?) newspaper: -
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/women-dont-understand-fracking-due-to-lack-of-education-industry-chief-claims-a6705166.html
'Women 'don't understand' fracking due to lack of education
Many women are against fracking because they “don’t understand” the process due to a lack of education in science, a leading expert has claimed. Professor Averil Macdonald, chairwoman of industry body UK Onshore Oil and Gas and emeritus professor of science engagement at Reading University, told The Times newspaper that men tended to be more in favour of fracking than women because they were persuaded by “an awful lot of facts”.

We note that Professor McDonald is 'Chair' of UK Onshore Oil and Gas.

Join Friends of the Earth for the December Climate Change conference in Paris

Book your tickets here: https://www.foe.co.uk/page/cop-21-un-climate-change-talks-paris?utm_source=Friends+of+the+Earth+Communications&utm_campaign=8ebf3da7a7-LM1510917&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_383af65c6b-8ebf3da7a7-21467497

France - The loophole in the loi Jacob

When the Sarkozy government ( who issued the first fracking permits in 2010 ) eventually passed the law Jacob or loi jacob in July 2011 banning fracking in France they ensured that the final version was greatly diluted. This meant that the loophole allows for 'exploration' and extraction of oil and gas by 'non-conventional' means. Accordingly, although the government of M.Hollande has essentially stuck to it's word and not actualy allowed hydraulic fracking, many other permits have been and continue to be issued.

Read more about this ( in French - use Google Translate if necessary to get the gist of things ):-

http://blogs.mediapart.fr/blog/gdalia-roulin/171015/transition-royale-vers-les-gaz-de-schistes-octobre-2014

Fracking Chemicals May Mess With Hormones, Lower Sperm Counts

Oh dear, now things are getting serious. Lower sperm counts, lower population = lower energy 'needs' Or have we missed the point? Ed.

A provocative study on mice finds that the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing appear to disrupt the reproductive system.

Read more here: -

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fracking-chemicals-reproductive-system_561e657ae4b028dd7ea5e1cf

UK - 500 nature refuges at risk from fracking - many more to come.

Another Tory promise broken.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/500-nature-refuges-at-risk-from-fracking-complete-list-in-yorkshire-1-7510272

Simply apalling. Ed.

WATER shortage - global problem and yet still the idiots frack.

Lack of water is one of the world’s most pressing issues. Today, 1.2 billion people – almost a fifth of the global population – live in areas of physical water scarcity. A further 500 million people are approaching this situation. Droughts have been declared in Sao Paolo state, India, Puerto Rico and Ethiopia, where the UN has warned that 4.5 million people could be in need of food aid.

And yet.............................................

Water is by far the largest component of fracking fluids. According to driller Chesapeake Energy, an initial drilling operation itself may consume from 6,000 to 600,000 US gallons of fracking fluids, but over its lifetime an average well may require up to an additional 5 million gallons of water for full operation and possible restimulation frac jobs.^[1]
A 2009 report on modern shale gas by the Groundwater Protection Council, "Modern Shale Gas Development in the United States: A Primer," stated that “[t]he amount of water needed to drill and fracture a horizontal shale gas well generally ranges from about 2 million to 4 million gallons, depending on the basin and formation characteristics.” A 2010 Harvard study found that, on average, water consumption for natural gas produced through fracking ranges from 0.6 to 1.8 gallons of water per MMBtu (Mielke, Anadon and Narayanamurti 2010).

When will we all wake up? Ed.