RSPB raises fracking fears for Lancashire wildlife

Whooper swan   Ben Hall rspb images

The RSPB is issuing its first objections to fracking proposals over concerns that the controversial drilling technique will harmwildlife and the climate.

The charity has lodged a letter of objection with Lancashire CountyCouncil to a proposal by Cuadrilla at Singleton near Blackpool inLancashire. The drilling site is close to an internationally important

protected area for pink footed geese and whooper swans and could causedisturbance to the birds.

The RSPB is also officially objecting to the contentious drillingproposal at Balcombe in Sussex on the grounds that no Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out, and on climate change grounds.

Harry Huyton, RSPB head of climate and energy policy, said:  Many people are rightly concerned about the impact this new technology willhave on their countryside. These are not just nimbys worried about

house prices   there is a very real public disquiet about fracking. We have looked closely at the regulation in place to police drillingfor shale gas, and it is simply not robust enough to ensure that ourwater, our landscapes and our wildlife is safe.

Cuadrilla boss and former energy secretary Lord Howell claims thatwhen he made his much publicised howler about fracking the  desolateNorth East  he actually meant the North West. Singleton in Lancashire

is right in the heart of the North West and is on the doorstep of anarea which is home to thousands of geese and swans who will arrive fromas far away as Siberia to roost and feed next month and stay for the

winter. This area is protected by European law because it is so valuable forwildlife and Cuadrilla has done nothing to investigate what damagetheir activities could do to it.

The RSPB has called on Lancashire County Council to ensure Cuadrillahas carried out a full Environmental Impact Assessment before it goesahead with any work. The charity has also joined with other wildlife

and environment groups to call on the Government to rethink its shalegas policies.

Mr Huyton added:  Government figures show that in the north of Englandthere is potential for 5,000 sites and a total of up to 100,000 wells. The idea that these will have a benign impact on the countryside is

very difficult to believe. Fracking is cutting edge-technology and we really have no idea what

the impact will be on our wildlife. We do know, however, tha tconcentrating our resources on extracting fossil fuel from the ground instead of investing in renewable energy threatens to undermine our

commitment to avoiding dangerous levels of climate change. 

The RSPB is the UK s largest nature conservation charity, inspiringeveryone to give nature a home. Together with our partners, we protectthreatened birds and wildlife so our towns, coast and countryside will

teem with life once again. We play a leading role in BirdLifeInternational, a worldwide partnership of nature conservation organisations.