Shale Gas, Shale Oil, Coal Bed Methane and Fracking

Transcription

1 Envirnmental Pillar Plicy n Shale Gas, Shale Oil, Cal Bed Methane and Fracking Envirnmental Pillar Plicy n Shale Gas, Shale Oil, Cal Bed Methane and Fracking August 2012 Page 1 f 6

2 Envirnmental Pillar Plicy n Shale Gas, Shale Oil, Cal Bed Methane and Fracking Envirnmental Pillar Plicy n Shale Gas, Shale Oil, Cal Bed Methane and Fracking The Envirnmental Pillar has grave cncerns abut hydraulic fracturing (fracking) f shale gas, shale il, and cal bed methane (CBM) in Ireland. In particular, because f its impacts in the fllwing areas: Climate: there is n scientific agreement that uncnventinal gas (such as shale and CBM) will have significantly lwer ttal greenhuse gas emissins cmpared t ther cnventinal fssil fuels (e.g. cal); Energy: develpment f shale gas and CBM will be at the expense f cheaper and safer plicies t save energy and speed up the transitin t renewable energy and the reductin f greenhuse gas emissins; Water pllutin: fracking culd cause the cntaminatin f surface and grundwater (including drinking water) with txic chemicals used in fracking fluids, 1 and increasing the cncentratin in such water f methane and hazardus and radiactive materials that naturally ccur in shale and cal; Water use: fracking invlves pumping vast amunts f freshwater undergrund, much f which becmes irretrievable and / r cntaminated; because vast quantities f fresh water are required in fracking peratins, this will create significant scial and envirnmental pressures at least at a lcal and reginal level, and particularly in regins suffering frm water scarcity; Air pllutin: Uncnventinal gas drilling/peratins prduces st and smg precursrs, particulate matter, methane and natural gas; Sil pllutin: fracking carries the risk f leakages frm plluted tailing pnds, wastewater and well blwuts; Land use: fracking disrupts the landscape and impacts upn rural and cnservatin areas; Nise: shale gas develpment generates nise pllutin frm equipment and transprt that affects lcal residents, agricultural livestck and wildlife; Seismic activity: fracking increases the risks f earthquakes, which in turn increases the risk f damage t, and leakages frm, gas wells; 1 Vlatile Organic Cmpunds; Carcingens, Mutagens, Txic t Reprductin Chemicals; Persistent, Biaccumulative and Txic Chemicals; Endcrine Disrupting Chemicals. Page 2 f 6

3 Envirnmental Pillar Plicy n Shale Gas, Shale Oil, Cal Bed Methane and Fracking Cumulative and cmbined health and envirnmental impacts n cmmunities and wrkers in the uncnventinal gas industry: fr example, fracking causes additinal expsure t txic chemicals; Sci-ecnmic impacts n cmmunities: fracking can drive bm and bust cycles in lcal ecnmies, undermining mre sustainable agricultural and turism ecnmies. All f these effects have direct and indirect impacts n individual and public health. Many f these impacts are nt nly lcal, but can be felt reginally and even glbally. Withut a cmprehensive scientific assessment f the impacts f fracking in Ireland and acrss Eurpe, an uncnventinal gas bm wuld be an enrmus experiment n the envirnment and human health. The Envirnmental Pillar further ntes the fllwing: 1. In rder t limit glbal warming belw 1.5 degrees Celsius, and thereby prevent dangerus climate change, fssil fuels must be phased ut as quickly as pssible. We believe renewable energy, energy savings and a significant reductin f CO2 emissins prvide the nly viable path t an envirnmentally sustainable and healthy future. Expliting uncnventinal fssil fuels such as shale gas, shale il and cal bed methane will increase ttal greenhuse gas emissins since further develpment f these fuels will increase the wrld s dependency n fssil fuels and cnsequently slw dwn the large-scale deplyment f clean energy renewables and energy savings. 2. Fracking is a high-risk activity that impacts human health, fd prductin and the wider envirnment. Fracking fr uncnventinal fuels runs cunter t the EU s cmmitment t achieving a high level f envirnmental prtectin, as enshrined in Article 37 f the Charter n Fundamental Rights. Als article 35 f the Treaty cmmits the EU t ensuring a high level f human health prtectin in all f the Unin s plicies and activities. Bth Ireland and the EU are tasked with develping envirnmental plicies based n the precautinary principle and n the principles that preventive actin shuld be taken, that envirnmental damage shuld as a pririty be rectified at surce and that the plluter shuld pay (Article 191, Treaty n the Functining f the Eurpean Unin). We therefre believe that the develpment f uncnventinal gas within Ireland and acrss the EU runs cunter t EU Treaty bligatins. 3. The Envirnmental Pillar believes the abve mentined principles are vilated due t the absence f: - A cmprehensive and detailed analysis by an independent entity f the Irish and EU regulatry framewrk, as it applies t bth explratin and explitatin phases; Page 3 f 6

4 Envirnmental Pillar Plicy n Shale Gas, Shale Oil, Cal Bed Methane and Fracking - Sectins in the Water Framewrk Directive r any relevant subsidiary laws (e.g. grundwater, EQS) cvering fracking specificities; - A scientific study f fracking-related air pllutin and the lng term health impacts; - A scientific study f fracking-related water cntaminatin and the lng term health impacts (bth frm cntaminatin by the naturally ccurring hazardus and radiactive materials released in the fracking prcess, and frm methane and ther fracking fluid cntaminants interacting with water disinfectant prducts, etc.); - A full assessment f the capacity f all relevant water treatment plants, t handle flw back waste water, and f water treatment csts, based n the plluter pays principle; - A full assessment f the mnitring and enfrcement capacities f the Irish Gvernment and ther Member State authrities acrss all the different impact areas; - A scientific assessment f crss-brder risks f water cntaminatin and air pllutin, with public input; - A full cst-benefit analysis f the sci-ecnmic and envirnmental impacts; - A Eurpean Cmmissin Green paper with full public participatin f all relevant stakehlders, n the areas pertaining t the impacts f fracking activities that are nt cvered by existing EU regulatins; - A clear and binding set f Eurpean Best Available Technlgy Reference Standards (Brefs) fr fracking peratrs. 4. T date, there is n cnsistent prcess in Ireland r Eurpe that prperly includes citizens and cmmunities in decisin-making related t shale gas, shale il r cal bed methane. Free and fully-infrmed cnsent f lcal cmmunities is nt applied fr mst fracking prjects prir t bth explratin and explitatin phases, while they shuld be placed at the heart f the discussins. 5. Cmpanies invlved in fracking are nt disclsing an exhaustive and detailed list f the chemicals used fr each prject, thus making it impssible t assess the envirnmental and health risks frm explitatin and explratin (including full life cycle impacts). Currently the different deadlines and requirements in the REACH legislatin mean that the infrmatin abut chemicals is nt autmatically available t the public, and REACH cntrls n fracking may nt cme int frce fr a lng time. Page 4 f 6

5 Envirnmental Pillar Plicy n Shale Gas, Shale Oil, Cal Bed Methane and Fracking Until all these prblems are adequately addressed, we believe that n further shale gas, shale il and cal bed methane activities shuld prceed. We call n the Irish Gvernment and the Eurpean Cmmissin t suspend all n-ging activities, t abrgate permits, and t place a ban n any new prjects, whether explratin r explitatin. The EU Cmmissin, as guardian f the treaties, shuld ensure timely and full legal cmpliance f Member States with all EU laws that pertain t shale gas, shale il and cal bed methane, and bring frward legal prpsals t cver thse aspects nt yet effectively addressed in EU law. We als call n the Irish Gvernment, the EU, its Member States and Eurpean Financial Institutins t cease prviding financial r plitical supprt t shale gas, il and cal bed methane develpment prjects. Furthermre any financial and plitical assistance prvided t shale gas prjects in cuntries f the Glbal Suth shuld be redirected twards the prductin and prmtin f renewable energy surces and energy savings, in line with the Millennium Develpment Gals Page 5 f 6

6 Envirnmental Pillar Plicy n Shale Gas, Shale Oil, Cal Bed Methane and Fracking The Envirnmental Pillar is a natinal Scial Partner established by Gvernment decisin in It is an advcacy calitin f 27 natinal envirnmental NGOs. Envirnmental Pillar members: An Taisce. Bat Cnservatin Ireland, BirdWatch Ireland. CELT - Centre fr Eclgical Living and Training. Cast Watch. Cmhla Salmn Trust. Crann. ECO UNESCO. Feasta. Frest Friends. Friends f the Earth. Glbal Actin Plan Ireland, Gluaiseacht. Grian. Hedge Laying Assciatin f Ireland. Irish Dctrs Envirnment Assciatin. Irish Natural Frestry Fundatin. Irish Peatland Cnservatin Cuncil. Irish Seal Sanctuary. Irish Seed Saver Assciatin. Irish Whale and Dlphin Grup. Irish Wildlife Trust. The Organic Centre. Snairte. Sustainable Ireland Cperative. VOICE. Zer Waste Alliance Ireland Whilst this dcument was develped thrugh the prcesses f the Envirnmental Pillar it des nt necessarily represent the plicies f all its members. Cntact infrmatin: Fr further details please cntact Michael Ewing, Crdinatr. Pstal Address: Envirnmental Pillar. Tullyval, Knckvicar, Byle, C Rscmmn Telephne: (0) Mbile: (0) michael@envirnmentalpillar.ie Website: Page 6 f 6