MP calls for gas drill ban amid fracking fears

A newly elected MP has said she will fight an energy firm's plans to drill for gas in her constituency and has called for a so-called fracking "loophole" to be closed.

Alison Hume, Labour MP for Scarborough and Whitby, has written to energy secretary and Yorkshire MP Ed Milband to ask when the government plans to ban fracking completely.

Europa Oil and Gas applied for permission to drill for gas near the North York Moors National Park.

Europa said best practice measures could avoid any environmental impact - or reduce it to "non-significant" levels.

Fracking has long been controversial in North Yorkshire. Plans by the firm Third Energy to frack at Kirby Misperton, near Pickering, triggered many months of protests.

Third Energy eventually wound down its operations without ever having fracked for shale gas.

Europa, which wants to explore for gas at Burniston, plans to drill using volumes of fluid which fall below the legal definition of fracking.

Opponents, including Ms Hume, described this as a possible loophole in legislation.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a technique for recovering gas and oil from shale rock.

It involves drilling into the earth and directing a high-pressure mixture of water, sand and chemicals at a rock layer, to release the gas inside.

Wells can be drilled vertically or horizontally in order to release the gas.

Ms Hume said: "The constituents I have heard from are deeply concerned about fracking happening near the village of Burniston and the North Yorkshire Moors National park.

"Quite rightly, they are concerned about the massive impact that any fracking - even the exploratory stage - would have on the environment. Exploratory fracking needs a drill pad, the drill heads, there are lorry movements.

"It would be completely inappropriate. Fracking is inappropriate.

"I've written to Ed Miliband - I want to get this loophole closed, if that's possible. I've also asked him to clarify when the government are aiming to pass legislation to completely ban fracking, in all its forms."

Europa said it did not believe an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the plans was necessary, due to operations taking place over a short period of time.

The firm added: "It is Europa’s opinion that dust, noise, impacts on ecology and pollution on land or water could be avoided completely or reduced to non-significant levels through the implementation of standard mitigation and best practice measures."

A government spokesperson said: “We intend to ban fracking for good and decisions will be set out by ministers in due course.”

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