Activists complained that could lead to heavy-duty drilling under the stunning North York Moors and Peak District amid fears it will harm the environment.
Advertisement
This led campaigners to raise the prospect of drilling works encircling the protected areas, with horizontal drilling operations extending well into them, a prediction borne out by today’s vote.
They have shown their true colours and complete lack of regard for protecting some of the most beautifully scenery in the United Kingdom and its wildlife.
Broadland MP Keith Simpson, who voted in favour of the rules, said he thought it was unlikely there would be fracking in the Broads because it would be done in areas where there were no restrictions, and it is going to be financially relatively cheap to do.
Critics have also claimed the Government is reneging on a pre-election pledge there would be no fracking at national park sites.
The proposals will be voted on by MPs today in a process known as deferred division, which means there will be no full Commons debate ahead of it.
But Labour and the Liberal Democrats accused the Government of using a “parliamentary back door” to push through the “weak regulations”.
Britain imposed a ban on fracking inside national parks in January under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government, in a concession to the opposition Labour Party which had called for tighter controls to be written into law. “Now they’ve abandoned those promises”, she said. He said the impact of the new regulations was “tantamount to vandalism”.
“Given that we are dealing with a brand new industry, with very little research to point to, the RSPB believes it would be in the best interests of people and nature to ban fracking entirely within and beneath these important sites and other protected areas”.
Industry body UK Onshore Oil and Gas said: “The onshore oil industry takes the protection of our natural world seriously, and we have a long established track record of developing oil and gas fields successfully and safely in environmentally sensitive areas”.
Fiona Howie, chief executive of Campaign for National Parks said: “It is really disappointing that the regulations have been approved”.
Advertisement
The government says fracking is safe if the right standards are in place.
