Fracking go-ahead in England's national parks

New regulations that will allow fracking under national parks, water sources and nature sites won the approval of MPs today in a Commons vote

Fracking for shale gas will now be allowed below national parks and other protected sites including groundwater protection zones as the government goes back on its pledge to not do so.

MPs voted 298 to 261 on Wednesday in favour of new regulations to allow shale gas extraction 1,200m below these protected areas. This comes after it agreed an  "outright ban"  on fracking in these areas last January.

Four Conservative MPs rebelled against the Government in today's Commons vote, including London mayoral candidate, environmental campaigner and former  Ecologist  editor Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond in West London.

Shadow energy secretary Lisa Nandy accused ministers of using a  "parliamentary backdoor"  to try to approve the  "weak regulations"  without debate, adding:  "Fracking should not go ahead in Britain until stronger safeguards are in place to protect drinking water sources and sensitive parts of our countryside like national parks.

"We should have a moratorium on fracking in Britain until we can be sure it is safe and won't present intolerable risks to our environment."

The Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, added:  "The government's decision to sneak through a huge change to allow fracking in our national parks without a proper debate is outrageous. They have shown their true colours and complete lack of regard for protecting some of the most beautiful scenery in the UK and its wildlife."

Source: Ecologist

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• Environment
• Energy
• Fracking
• Governance & Planning
• Water Governance