Fifers have been urged to unite against fracking with a warning the controversial industry could turn Scotland’s central belt into a gas field.
Friends of the Earth director Dr Richard Dixon and campaigners against unconventional gas extraction made a plea last night to those in the region to help form a Scotland-wide alliance against the technology.
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the extraction of gas and oil from shale rock deep underground using a high-pressure water mixture and has been used in countries including the USA for 60 years.
The term is also used to include other unconventional gas extraction methods including underground coal gasification (UCG) and coal bed methane (CBM) extraction.
While supporters claim fracking is a safe way of meeting the UK’s energy needs, opponents fear it can cause carcinogenic chemicals to contaminate groundwater and say the drilling blights the countryside.
A swathe of land across central Scotland, including Fife, has been identified by UK ministers for shale gas exploration and there are plans to extract gas from under the Firth of Forth.
Falkirk community councillor Maria Montinaro, who is fighting plans for gas extraction at Airth, near Stirling, told a public meeting in Glenrothes last night: “We have to work together to stop this.Fracking is not compatible with healthy, safe living. Even if you put aside all the health problems, do we really want to be industrialised in the central belt?”
Dr Dixon warned of the danger of concrete pipes used to carry gas to the surface fracturing, allowing chemicals to leak into the surrounding earth and water and added: “The last thing we need is another fossil fuel. We should be continuing to be a world leader in renewable energy.”
With a general election looming, Dr Dixon said the next six months were crucial in persuading the Scottish Government to protect the country from fracking.
Founder of the Hands Off Our Scotland Facebook group, Fae Mackie, of Midlothian, chaired the meeting and said: “I am absolutely horrified along with thousands of other people across Scotland and the UK at this horrendous industry.
Fife councillors were criticised for their absence from the meeting. All 72 councillors were invited and only two Tom Adams and Ian Sloan attended.
Picture by George McLuskie