Company to Reveal Chemicals Used for Fracking

Infrastructure Bill Amendments on Ground Water Pollution and ‘Well-by-well Disclosure' Accepted, but Labour Maintains Regulation is Still Flawed

Fracking companies will be legally bound to reveal the chemicals used to blast gas out of every well they drill and to better monitor for groundwater pollution, under concessions made by the government in parliament. But theLabourparty, which proposed the changes, said many flaws remained and ministers remain "zealously opposed" to the necessary regulation.

TheLabour party proposed over a dozen amendmentsto the infrastructure bill currently passing through parliament, including baseline measurements of methane gas in groundwater, well-by-well disclosure of chemicals in the fracking fluid used and a legal duty to consult the water industry during the planning process. The government has now accepted the first two and is consulting on the third.

However, Labour amendments to reverse government plans toallow fracking under people's homes without permissionand toallow "any substance" to be injected into fracking wellswere rejected. "Despite clear flaws in the existing framework, David Cameron's government has repeatedly side-lined genuine and legitimate environmental concern and seem prepared to accept shale gas at any cost," said Tom Greatrex MP, Labour's shadow energy minister. "We have repeatedly attempted to overhaul the regulations but have been rebuffed by a Tory government that simply doesn't want to listen to public concern."

He said further concerns remained over theprotection of drinking water, independent inspection of wells, escapes of methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) and protection for national parks. "These piecemeal concessions cannot overturn a Tory mindset which is zealously opposed to any further regulation of shale gas in the UK, despite clear evidence that this is necessary."

David Cameron says the UK government is "going all out" for fracking. Both ministers and Labour argue it could provide a secure source of domestic energy. Opponents argue that fracking brings unacceptable health and environmental risks and will add to climate-warming carbon emissions.

Source: The Guardian

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