UK Edition
Fracking earthquake laws could be relaxed to encourage more shale gas sites
Fracking laws on earthquakes could be relaxed to encourage more drilling, the energy minister has suggested.
Homeowners living near Britain’s shale gas sites may have to put up with more powerful earth tremors under plans revealed in a letter by Claire Perry.
The current rules can force frackers to down tools following even a minor quake measuring above 0.5 magnitude on the Richter scale.
A tremor of this intensity would be barely perceptible to most residents, but would register as a ‘red’ on the Government’s fracking safety traffic light.
A red light would bring all fracking work to an immediate stop, and even seismic quivers below 0.5 magnitude would be considered an ‘amber’ signal to proceed carefully.
However, the “explicitly cautious” system may soon be overhauled to allow stronger quakes measuring between 1.5 to 2 on the Richter scale to ripple through local communities without the risk of suspending shale gas drilling.
The softer stance on frackers emerged in a letter from Ms Perry to fellow Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake.
In the letter, see by Greenpeace’s investigative unit Unearthed, Ms Perry said “as we gain experience in applying these measures, the trigger levels can be adjusted upwards without compromising the effectiveness of the controls”.
A Government spokesman confirmed that traffic light was set low "as a precautionary measure and may be reviewed in the future subject to scientific advice.”
The Conservative party promised in its election manifesto to support “the safe development of shale gas” in a bid to boost the country’s energy supplies and create more jobs.
But opposition to the controversial extraction process has grown in recent years, according to official survey data produced by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The letter emerged the day before an eleventh hour court showdown between fracking firm Cuadrilla and local residents scheduled for Wednesday.
Cuadrilla hopes to restart fracking later this week in Lancashire, after seven years of political indecision which was first triggered by a minor quake at the site. It must first overturn a temporary injunction against its plans which it has dismissed as “hopelessly weak”.
Kate Blagojevic, Greenpeace’s head of energy and climate, said: “Given that earthquakes were one of the reasons that led to a seven-year hiatus in fracking, it’s understandable that the government want to boost their pet project by diluting the standards on protection from seismic activity.”
Referring to this week's much-publicised UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, she added: "Given yesterday’s climate report, it’s crucial that the fracking industry is stopped permanently and the government invests in energy efficiency and renewables so that we don’t need to use so much gas to supply our homes, offices and buildings."