YP Letters: Why fracking will never do a world of good

SINCE December 18, when landowners and businessmen wrote on fracking, events have occurred to interest readers. Devastating dangers in Holland, California and elsewhere in North America.

Dutch conventional drilling, despite authoritative assurances, caused earthquakes, demolishing housing; in California, a deep underground pipe leaked, belching gas into the atmosphere for months; in Dakota, substantial emissions of ethane from fracking, just discovered, will influence the tropospheric ozone and climate.

Meanwhile, Germany is banning both nuclear and fracking, supporting renewables. Fracking’s regulatory gaps, long identified, still exist. No preconditions ameliorating fracking perils yet agreed. No evidence of friendly fracking worldwide. Many US reports claim serious water contamination from fracking.

Consequently, unpopular fracking in North Yorkshire would be betting the exploitation of people and the devastation of countryside on unneeded and unquantifiable gas.

Any new employment just matches tourism unemployment.

Thus we urge North Yorkshire County Council to reject fracking.