Fracking and how it could effect Bleadon

 (Click on map to enlarge image)

Frack Free North Somerset (FFNS) are currently leading the public awareness of the potential of fracking in and around Bleadon.

This month, May 2019, FFNS published an article in the Bleadon Village News #112, page 12, "Fracking and how it could effect Bleadon", inviting residents to a village meeting in Bleadon Coronation Hall at 7:30 pm on Tuesday,11th of June.

FFNS has delivered letters to residents on Roman Road and has asked Bleadon Parish Council to post notices on the village notice boards asking for information regarding energy company land surveys. 

"FRACKING AND HOW IT COULD EFFECT BLEADON

Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences (PEDLS) have been granted for the whole of the coastal area of Somerset (see map). ln 2012 an application to drill in Keynsham was withdrawn after geologists said that it was almost certain to contaminate the Roman Baths. Now the company is looking to do the same thing at the end of the Mendips.

At least two Bleadon landowners have been approached by Infinity Energy for permission to do a walk-over survey. lf the results of this are favourable, it will be followed by an exploratory drill, which currently needs planning permission but this layer of authority may be removed. There have been objections to this proposal from many local authorities, including North Somerset but the oil industry can be very influential. Finally a planning application for extraction would be made to North Somerset Council. lf NSC objects, the Government may override local democracy, as it has done in the North of England. 

One of the problems for the Mendips is the high probability of pollution of the interlinked cave system from chemicals and the hydrocarbon product. The pristine environment of the caves might lose unique flora and fauna, including bats. Caving itself might become prohibitively dangerous if large amounts of gas (associated with the oil) mix with the air.

And then there is the matter of climate change. lt is counter intelligent that Government can be considering opening up new and dirty ways of extracting yet more fossil fuel when scientists and concerned people are pleading with them to leave fossil carbon in the ground.

This battle is winnable. Weston's MP, John Penrose, has said that if local communities are against fracking, he will oppose it, and a sample survey in neighbouring Hutton showed 87% of residents are against the threat of fracking. Our MP, District and Parish Councillors need to know what localfeeling is like.

There will be a village meeting in Coronation Hall at 7:30 pm on the 11th of June to bring us all up to speed on this serious, but solvable, issue.

FFNS contact details: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frackfreenorthsomerset

Email: FFNSomerset@gmail.com

Website: FFNS.co.uk "

 ---

Previous Bleadon Fracking blog

Link to BOB fracking information page 

John Penrose letter to a member of the public re: fracking