Another threat to Cumbria

As if the Sellafield question were not enough, Cumbria (along with Wales and much of the Midlands) is now scheduled as a major fracking area. Michael Fallon, the energy minister, said last week that the search for shale gas was ‘stepping up’. The assessment produced by the consultancy firm, Amec, warns that the billions of litres of polluted wastewater produced by fracking ‘could place a significant burden on existing wastewater treatment facilities.’ Amec admits that between 58 and 144 billion litres of water will be needed to frack the envisaged 4,000 wells, and there is serious doubt whether the existing aquifers can supply so much and still maintain clean water supplies to houses.

Cameron’s government is scattering bribe money in an effort to persuade communities to accept drilling in the areas where they live. It offers £100,000 to any authority that accepts fracking, followed by 1% of resulting revenues. That tiny percentage may yield over two million pounds per site. This, of course, blows open the whole proposition. Never mind energy. Never mind pollution. This is a money-maker, boys. To hell with the health of the nation – grab the cash and run.