Leading figures join fight against fracking

Nicholas Howard, Jake Duncombe, Lord Middleton, Lady Clarissa Collin and former television presenter Selina Scott are among those who have written a letter rejecting the fracking industry and claiming they would be left with the liability if something were to go wrong in the future.

In a letter sent to the Gazette & Herald, they say: "We would like to place on public record our opposition to fracking not just in Yorkshire, but everywhere.

"We do not accept the argument that fracked gas is needed for national energy security. We are not persuaded of the need for fracked gas as a source of cheap energy nor as a bridge fuel from coal.

"We support the growth in renewables and efforts to improve energy efficiency."

The letter is aimed at gas company Ineos, which is currently in discussions to undertake seismic testing at sites across the district to check for the abundance of gas in deep shale rock.

The authors of the letter raise concerns about the plastics crisis, and say that gas extracted from Ryedale would be used to manufacture plastics by Ineos.

The letter also says that the long-term legacy costs of anything going wrong would fall on the landowner.

It says: "Landowners have already been offered licence agreements, with proposed schedules of payments, to allow seismic tests to be carried out on our land. This is a likely precursor to the siting of well pads for fracking.

"But you may be surprised to read that after the fracking company has gone (and the licence expired), the landowner is left with the residual liability for any well."

But an Ineos spokesman said that the industry will bring jobs and investment to the area.

"The key message here is that if shale gas proves to be successful in the UK," they said, "it will become a vital piece of the nation’s infrastructure, and will provide the UK with highly competitive energy, meaning we will be less dependent on foreign supplies.

"It will also generate enormous levels of investment and jobs in the North of England where they are desperately needed, and will also help the UK to meet its climate change commitments.

"Manufacturing jobs are not created without investment and there is precious little investment in the North of England in manufacturing.

"Recent figures on jobs and investment estimate that the shale industry is expected to bring in £33 billion of investment into England alone over the next two decades.

"The resources beneath our feet can be used to create jobs, heat our homes, go a long way towards self-sufficiency and improve our balance of payments and the environment all at the same time."

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The full letter and list of signatories is below:

Dear Sir,

As a group of land and business owners, we would like to place on public record our opposition to fracking not just in Yorkshire, but everywhere.

We do not accept the argument that fracked gas is needed for national energy security. We are not persuaded of the need for fracked gas as a source of cheap energy nor as a bridge fuel from coal.

We support the growth in renewables and efforts to improve energy efficiency.

We remain deeply concerned about an activity which would industrialise this area of glorious countryside, bringing potential air and water pollution, as well as HGV nuisance on already potholed roads (and that’s without mentioning the plastic which could be created, as Ineos does - exacerbating the plastic crisis that the world currently faces).

Landowners (of whatever acreage) in this PEDL area, which includes Malton and Norton, have already been offered licence agreements, with proposed schedules of payments, to allow seismic tests to be carried out on our land. This is a likely precursor to the siting of well pads for fracking.

But you may be surprised to read that after the fracking company has gone (and the licence expired), the landowner is left with the residual liability for any well. Imagine the cost if the casing deteriorates and catastrophic water pollution then occurs. It, like asbestosis, could be devastating to all concerned (as well as whatever protection – eg insurance – might be put in place, after all possible proceeds have been exhausted), wherever in the vicinity you live.

The National Trust has taken a stand and refused the industry access to carry out seismic surveys on their land at Clumber Park. Ineos, the fracking company there (as well as here), have just initiated legal action against the National Trust (The Times 22.2.18), which action we deplore.

We are taking the same, perfectly reasonable, stand – and encourage all landowners, of every type, shape and size here, to resist the blandishments of the fracking companies, and stand with us.

We expect this resistance to be supported by all our political representatives, specifically including our MP, as we lobby national government to dispense with this flawed policy.

Yours faithfully,

(The Hon) Michael Benson (Westow)
Nick & Kate Bentley (Kirbymoorside),
Charles and Vanessa Charters (Barton Hill)
(Lady) Clarissa Collin (Nawton)
Fred Collin (Nawton)
(Rt.Revd) Graham Cray (Honorary Assistant Bishop Diocese of York, Kirby Misperton) 
Richard (Viscount) Downe (Wykeham) 
(The Hon) Jake Duncombe (Helmsley)
Owen Dukes (Acklam)
Gordon and Jessica Gunn (Kirbymoorside)
Stephen and Sarah Houlston (Great Barugh)
(The Hon) Nick Howard (Castle Howard)
Sarah Lear (Acklam)
Philip, Francis and Peter Megginson (Towthorpe) 
Mick (Lord) Middleton (Birdsall)
(Prof Sir) Anthony Milnes Coates (Helperby)
Kate Patmore (Ryton)
Antony Porter (Helmsley)
John Robert Prest (Ryton)
Mark Preston (Burythorpe)
Roderick Robinson (Leavening)
Tim and Mary Scarff (Eddlethorpe)
Selina Scott (North Riding)
Kenelm and Karen Storey (Settrington)
(The Hon Sir) Richard Storey (Settrington)
Philip Tate (Butterwick) 
(Dr) Tim Thornton (Middleton)
Matthew Trevelyan (Spaunton)
(Sir) William Worsley (Hovingham)
Stephen Mulryne (Terrington) 
Charles (Lord) St Oswald (Oswaldkirk)
James and Rachel Fraser (Norton)