Fracking dangers are unacceptable

WE at CELT (Centre for Environmental Living & Training) have been lobbying local TDs and councillors and calling for a ban on fracking in Clare and for the whole country.

It is our firm belief that the risks to human and animal health (through pollution of air and water) combined with the impact on the land (massive infrastructure and danger of earthquakes) are unacceptable. Clare is highly dependent on farming and tourism — with much investment in both these areas — and the risks to both are very serious.

Gas fracking is proven (in USA) to cause problems of pollution from a cocktail of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals released into the water-table and into the air and it is proven to cause earth tremors (admitted by gas companies operating in northern England). The infrastructure involves numerous well- heads (with approx 2km spacing), each having a concrete platform the size of a football pitch plus large holding or evaporation tanks and a collection lake for contaminated water (thousands of gallons are used at each well — brought in by a fleet of big haulage tankers).

It is our opinion that the likely damage to people, land and animals would result in far greater cost and loss of jobs in the long-term than the operations would provide over their relatively short life (each well would be expected to run dry within 5 to 7 years on average). We would ask that any farmer or landowner approached with a view to fracking operations (and probably a tempting cheque to coax them into allowing it) should think about the risks and contact the group Clare Fracking Concerned for more information. Also, the highly acclaimed and Oscar-nominated documentary ‘Gasland’ is being shown locally and is available online.

This shows what is happening in parts of the USA where fracking is done. Multinational companies are the main beneficiaries of fracking. Companies like Halliburton thrive on investors getting carried away with the hype about billions of cubic metres of gas worth billions of dollars. Enegi Oil who are doing the initial prospecting are only a relatively small company trying to make a fast buck — they may soon sell out to a big company such as Shell.

The last thing anyone wants in Clare is another Rossport situation. The gas would have to be bought at market price and would probably mostly be piped to UK. Fracking has been banned in a number of countries because of the dangers involved. Co Clare is a beautiful land of clean water, fresh air, healthy people and cattle — and has a huge long-term potential for economic growth through agriculture and tourism. Let’s keep it that way, please. Bob Wilson CELT & Main Street Scariff Co Clare