North Yorkshire fracking recommendation ‘deeply concerning’

North Yorkshire Council planning officers today recommended approval of plans by Europa Oil & Gas to carry out a form of low-volume fracking known as a proppant squeeze near the village of Burniston. This recommendation comes ahead of next week’s committee hearing in which the final decision will be made. 

Friends of the Earth’s Yorkshire & Humber Regional Campaigner, Simon Bowens, said:

“This recommendation is deeply concerning. Proppant squeeze is a form of fracking, and local residents have made it crystal clear that they do not want it in their community.

“Next week, the planning committee has the opportunity to listen to the community and reject the application. At the very least, they should refuse to approve it now and delay a decision until the government’s position on proppant squeeze is clear.  

“The government has said it will ban fracking for good – this must include proppant squeeze. Failure to do so would leave the door open to further low-volume fracking schemes like the one at Burniston.”  
 
ENDS 
Notes: 
1. Following a public petition to ban low-volume or ‘small-scale’ fracking, the government said that it ‘recognises concerns from local communities’ and is ‘reviewing the position’ with regard to low volume fracking: Ministers “reviewing” low volume fracking – DRILL OR DROP?. 
2. Local objections to the proppant squeeze proposal number roughly 1,500.