Fracking Go-ahead For National Parks as Controversial Infrastructure Act Becomes Law
Weak fracking rules have officially been enshrined in law as the controversialInfrastructure Bill became an actlast night.
The new act will see national parks and groundwater protection zones at riskfrom fracking as the government backtracked on amendments agreed only weeks ago to increase the safety of hydraulic fracturing for shale gas.
Amber Rudd, energy minister at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), said: “In the case of areas of outstanding natural beauty and national parks, given their size and dispersion, it might not be practical to guarantee that fracking will not take place under them in all cases without unduly constraining the industry.”
She was supported by Peter Lilley, a self-described ‘global lukewarmist’Conservative MP, who said fracking should be “pursued energetically”.
Conservative Votes
The weak fracking rules were passed by the House of Commons last night in a vote of 257 to 203 with five Conservative MPs defying the government’s stance on fracking.
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