(As sent to Frome Times and Frome Standard, 14 July 2014)

In response to Steve Williams’ letter in a previous issue, I should remind readers that local Lib Dem councillors, including me, continue to protect our area against fracking for shale gas, despite the Conservative part of the coalition Government having a ‘gung ho’ attitude towards its promotion. Last September we successfully negotiated a strongly worded cross-party motion which was unanimously agreed by Mendip District Council, to raise concerns about the potential harmful environmental effects of fracking in the area. This agreed that Mendip should seek to control and to prevent fracking in the district, and demanded that the county council and Government ensure proper investigations into the effects on our environment and health before they promote or allow fracking here, in order to properly protect the environment in our part of Somerset. Our motion was applauded by over 40 members of the public, including fracking activists. This is not scaremongering or NIMBYism, as there are real issues at stake here, including the protection of Mendip’s cave network and Bath’s Hot Springs, all internationally important, as well as the local groundwater, wildlife and countryside. Mendip DC then set up a cross-party working group to keep an eye on things.

Recently, three of the four Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences in Somerset (PEDLs, that give potential exploration and exploitation rights for shale gas, although planning permission and other licences would also be needed) have been handed back by industry to the Government, but the Government are planning to re-issue them in their ‘14^th round’ of licensing later this year. Neighbouring Bath & North East Somerset Council is expressing deep concern about this and has asked the Government not to renew these PEDLs within the catchment areas of the Bath Hot Springs due to the likely risks to the hot springs identified by the British Geological Survey. As these areas cover parts of Mendip, I have asked Mendip District Council to write to Government in support of B&NES’ position, as we expressed the same concerns in the motion last September. I hope the Government listen and we’ll see what happens next. For further information on all this, please see http://adamboyden.mycouncillor.org.uk/

Adam Boyden, Mendip District and Frome Town Councillor, Frome College ward (Liberal Democrat)

* For previous info on fracking at Mendip, please see here.

* News from Frack Free Chew Valley: FFCV has located a report from 2000 prepared by American coalbed methane (CBM) specialists GeoMet Inc which lays bare what the government already knows about coalbed methane exploration in the Chew Valley and surroundings – the extent of the prospective area, the estimated volume of the gas and the number of wells needed to extract it… see here.