Charlbury Fracking: Out of Sight, out of mind

Mon 26 May 2014, 11:08

The public health risks of shale gas extraction, or fracking, are low ?" so long as operations are run securely, government health officials have saIn a report that will be seen as a green-light for the Government's controversial plans to exploit Britain's shale gas reserves, Public Health England (PHE) said that studies in the USA which had suggested possible health risks from emissions and contaminated water supplies were "limited and uncertain".

Any health risks that might occur would come from "operational failure", such as leaks and poor storage of waste products, officials said, warning that "good on-site management and appropriate regulation" were essential

Mon 26 May 2014, 08:44

Impact? environmental impact or visual impact?

Sun 25 May 2014, 17:12

Fracking also involves earth tremors or worse as experienced in Lancashire and poisoning of water tables as experienced in some parts of the US where some residents have been able to set fire to glasses of tap water because of concentrations of methane.

The continued use of high levels of fossil fuels will have a devastating effect on the planet for future generations.

Renewables + Energy efficient technologies + better insulation provide the solution to our future energy security.

Time to put the future of our planet and UK energy security, before the wishes of those silly enough to invest in appropriately named "fossil fuels".

Sun 25 May 2014, 16:18

Fracking doesn't involve tearing up the countryside. It involves focussed drilling and then extended underground boring at depth
Far less unsightly than the electricity pilons that were probably subject to the same opposition when installed

Sun 25 May 2014, 10:14 (last edited on Sun 25 May 2014, 10:21)

Is it really meaningful to say fracking would provide an "opportunity to remove our dependence on others" when it is generally estimated that it would provide energy for only about 25 years? Why would we want to tear up the countryside for such short-term thinking, a mere stay of execution? Looking desperately for more limited resources to plunder is not a long-term solution, but the consequences of pursuing it would be there forever.

Sat 24 May 2014, 20:32

That reminds me Harriet that on the Boundary Walk tomorrow people will actually have the chance to walk through the proposal Southill Solar farm site so can judge for themselves the impact it would have

Sat 24 May 2014, 16:13

Chris J - the solar farm was refused because in part it in your words "ruins the look" of the area (The aonb isn't against solar farms per se, there are at least 3 that I know of within the aonb, plus there is the small one at Combe, which is only visible from the railway line, but the siting of the Charlbury one is just plain wrong from that pov). Your link to fracking isn't anything to do with the aonb, so you can't compare the two things.
(Sorry for the lack of capitalisation of AONB, but the forum software tried to tell me I was shouting when I capitalised it)

Sat 24 May 2014, 16:01

Another important and controversial topic. I agree with Tony that it would be good to have our independent energy source and there is no reason to rule out fossil fuels per se. It is also true that there have been quite a few investigations of the environmental impact many of which appeared to show is can be safe.
On the other hand Underground Coal Gasifcation is not such a well tested form of fracking (basically it involves burning coal seams underground and then collecting the gas produced)There have been some trials in Europe so far. However I remember all the excitement about Radon in the rock layer under Charlbury and I am not sure that anyone has looked into the effects of an ungrounded fire which is what UCG is on the release of Radon gas.

Sat 24 May 2014, 13:27

If you actually study the scientific reports on fracking you will find it is a safe method of producing our own energy, and that a lot of the negative comments come from people who will automatically oppose anything like it
It gives us an opportunity to remove our dependance on others for heating and lighting, as is happening at this moment in the USA.
Solar power etc, whilst they have a place, cannot match frackings potential

Fri 23 May 2014, 20:19 (last edited on Fri 23 May 2014, 20:26)

www.fraw.org.uk/extreme_southmids/index.shtml
Quite an interesting website. We are right on the edge of the orange area (which is good for Underground Coal Gasifcation) UCG. Also we are in the blue area which is suitable for another type of fracking.
No solar panel farm then because it will ruin the look but fracking ok? I find it really worrying.

Fri 23 May 2014, 17:08

No need to run out of energy or be dependent on Putin, or ruin the water that goes into making our beer by fracking for oil or gas.

The earth receives ten thousand times more energy from the sun than the planets energy use, the UK has 40% of the wind potential for energy generation in Europe and our island is surrounded by water with regular tides that could generate more than a little lecky.

Renewables along with energy efficiency and better insulation, problem sorted.

Which makes you wonder why we don't just do it? Vested interests in the status quo?

Fri 23 May 2014, 16:05

I can't see the wealthy folks of Surrey being willing to have fracking on their doorsteps. Apart from being criminal damage to the environment, it would certainly have an impact on house prices.

Fri 23 May 2014, 15:21

Better than running out of energy or being dependant on Putin

Fri 23 May 2014, 13:51

I do hope the success of the Governments survey of the south extends northward to allow Charlbury to "benefit" from this "fantastic" enterprise. To support the governments community energy strategy perhaps we should develop a community fracking company. Who knows it may have the added benefit of killing the flies in the river as well. But one things for sure as long as you can't see any impact, and its a carbon rich fossil fuel its got to be worth chucking out the rulebook for. Not that we'd have a choice, but in the event we'd be richly rewarded and be safe in the knowledge that we've done our bit (!!!!!!!!!!!!!)