Meet the Not For Shale legal blockers

Posted by LiamBB — 22 October 2013 at 2:18pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace
Have you declared your home Not For Shale?

Since last week, nearly 17,000 of us have come together to throw a major spanner in the works of those who want to see Britain fracked. Together, thousands of us living in areas earmarked for potential shale gas extraction have launched a serious legal challenge against underhouse fracking. Now meet a few of the people who have joined the Not For Shale legal block.

With last week's launch of the Not For Shale legal block, fracking is back in the hot seat, with thousands of us declaring that we won't allow fracking under our homes. Thus any attempts to do so become trespass. 

Without permission, Cuadrilla and co are just pushing ahead with plans as if hoping the law will just go away. It was reported by the Times that they are pleading with government to introduce new legislation that would remove landowners’ rights.

But residents across England are standing up and saying, "Not under my backyard you don’t."

Meet some of those who’ve joined the legal block

Eve McNamara, resident near the Banks site where Cuadrilla plans to drill: “I’m joining the legal block because fracking will be an absolute disaster for Lancashire. I’ve tried every other method, but the government and Cuadrilla are just ploughing ahead.”

Andrew Pemberton, Lancashire dairy farmer: “I’m supplying milk to 3,000 households, and if for any reason my water became contaminated, my business would be ruined and my livelihood destroyed, as well as the livelihoods of the 16 families who work for me. Fracking is dangerous and short-sighted. We should be keeping this gas in the ground.”

Karen Ditchfield is a company director and resident near the Singleton site in Lancashire. “My husband and I are joining the legal block because we have never been asked by anyone if they could drill under our home and land. We are within our legal rights to refuse permission. Together we can stand up to these big companies. For me, it is not just about my life, it is my children’s’ lives, and what we’re leaving for people for years to come. More effort should be put into safer and longer-term energy sources.”

Have you joined the legal block yet?

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