Fracking ban could stall unless we act now

A couple of months ago, the Dáil unanimously agreed to consider a law to make fracking illegal in Ireland. There were celebrations!

But now supporters of fracking are trying to bog it down in endless Committee discussions. Please sign this petition to tell TDs to pass the law without delay.

 

Tell TDs to ban fracking without delay.

The Oireachtas Committee considering the Bill want to know what the public thinks, and are asking you for your opinion on fracking and unconventional extraction of fossil fuels.

So, no time to rest on our laurels, we need to make sure TDs know the evidence is crystal clear: for our health, land, water and climate, fracking is bad news and should be banned.

Background

We know making laws take time (hey, we worked for 8 years to pass the climate law!). But that's all the more reason to avoid unnecessary delays. During the Dáil debate in October the Government tried to delay the next stage of the process until June 2017. They were defeated by the majority of TDs who recognise the weight of the evidence and the weight of public opinion. It looks like the Government is now trying to drag out the Committee process for as long as possible. We mustn't let them away with it.

The proposed bill would make it illegal to take oil and gas out of the ground from areas in Ireland where it would need to be fracked, such as the shale deposits across Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Limerick, Cork and Kerry.

Here is just some of the mounting global and national scientific evidence that demonstrates taking more oil and gas out of the ground is a bad idea and would be the wrong direction for Ireland.

- Climate change The International Energy Agency, World Energy Outlook 2012 report states “No more than one-third of proven reserves of fossil fuels can be consumed prior to 2050 if the world is to achieve the 2 °C goal ” (page 3).

- Public Health The findings from the New York Department of Health study demonstrated such significant uncertainties about adverse health impacts that New York banned fracking. The constantly updated Compendium of Scientific, Medical and Media Research findings collated by the Concerned Health Professionals of New York demonstrate the increasing knowledge on the risks and harms of fracking to people’s health.

- Water – Research undertaken on behalf of the Sustainable Water Network SWAN demonstrates the risks of water contamination related to unconventional extraction activities in Ireland and recommends its prohibition, And the highly controversial US EPA research finds widespread pollution of water, including drinking water in fracked areas and that chemical and waste water pollution spills occur in between 1-10% of fracked wells.

Join us in the movement to make Ireland a fracking free country by signing the petition here .

Thank you,

Deputy Director, Friends of the Earth

 

Every signature counts. Please do forward this email to anyone you know who might want to sign. And Share this post on Facebook and Retweet this to your followers to spread the word.

 

P.S. We know pressure works. Last week, thanks to campaigners like you, TDs from all parties except Fine Gael agreed to back a law to pull public money out of foreign fossil fuel companies. Together we can push politicians to act in the public interest.

P.P.S. We will be delivering the petition to the Committee on the closing date of the Consultation, Feb 2nd. If you want to join us with the delivery, email info@foe.ie and let us know.