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Bristol anti- Fracking protesters shut down the country’s only hydrolic fracturi

Bristol Rising Tide | 01.12.2011 09:10 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | Energy Crisis | Liverpool

Activists settle in for long-term occupation of toxic new industry which threatens the West Country. The controversial proposed Fracking site in Hesketh Bank, Lancashire was shut down this morning as 8 Bristol cyclists stormed the drilling rig. Three of the climate justice campaigners from Bristol Rising Tide scaled the Cuadrilla Resources equipment with supplies and have declared their intention to stop work for several days.

The Rig
The Rig

In The Rig
In The Rig


Activists settle in for long-term occupation of toxic new industry which threatens the West Country

The controversial proposed Fracking site in Hesketh Bank, Lancashire was shut down this morning as 8 Bristol cyclists stormed the drilling rig. Three of the climate justice campaigners from Bristol Rising Tide scaled the Cuadrilla Resources equipment with supplies and have declared their intention to stop work for several days.

The drilling rig is the only operation of it's kind working in the country, after a similar exploratory site in Blackpool was shut down in the spring because it induced two earthquakes in the area. [1]

Liz Sparks, a spokesperson for Bristol Rising Tide, explained the potential dangers of fracking in the South West:

“Large parts of Wales, Devon, Somerset and Dorest are potentially under threat from this desperate new technology, which involves extracting the gas in shale rock through Hydraulic Fracturing, (or fracking) [2]. Huge amounts of water mixed with toxic chemicals are forced into the ground at high pressure, a large proportion of which are never recovered. This fluid also leaches arsenic out of rocks, creating a dangerous cocktail that’s difficult to dispose of. In the United states numerous spills of these fluids have contaminated irrigation water, effecting food supplies, and the health of surrounding communities." [3]

The same site was occupied last month by another group- “Frack Off”, and local community resistance across the country is gaining ground. [4]

Paul Williams, who works in a Bristol Library, was among the protestors. He commented:

"People simply aren’t going to stand by and let this crazy extreme sneak into our landscape. We've been inspired by the remarkable work of our neighbours in Wales. Glamorgan county council recently voted unanimously against an application to Frack the area.[5] This decision was influenced by Welsh Water's submission that reserve groundwater sites are at risk of contamination. We can stop this before it starts if we act now. If you want earthquakes, runaway climate change, contaminated water, and a threat to agricultural production then Fracking's the way forward. If you want energy security and more jobs per kilowatt hour, go with renewables [6]. It's a no brainer."

The industry is quick to point to the US experience of fracking, but their safety record there is on increasingly shaky ground. New York State has just instituted a moratorium against fracking, as has Quebec, Canada. France has banned it outright, as has New Jersey in the US. [7]

Twitter: Follow the action on twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/BrisRisingTide (BrisRisingTide)

Photos and videos updated in real-time on flickr:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/71113300@N08/ (Bristol Rising Tide)

For more info see: www.frack-off.org
And www.risingtide.org.uk/bristol

Bristol Rising Tide

Comments

Hide the following 6 comments

Woo!

01.12.2011 11:16

Nice one :D

Kia


Nice one!

01.12.2011 16:07

Nice work! Hope you guys are doing well. Make sure you stay warm :-)

Frodo


references

01.12.2011 17:26

could you let me know how to access the references that are quoted here?

rob


Update- work stopped for 13 hours, 5 folk nicked for Agrevated Trespass

02.12.2011 16:37

Our three climbers occupied the 'casette' and shut down work for 13 hours. Operations at the site normally run 24 hours because the rig is so expensive to hire.

We're yet to learn exactly how much this will cost Cuadrilla, but they won't have liked it. Any more than they'll have enjoyed the live local radio interviews that the climbers conducted from their perches, and the resultant probing questions asked by the interviewer of Cuadrilla. Or the favorable BBC coverage. Or the joy of the local anti-fracking campaign, and the enthusiasm of other communities across the world who've been fighting fracking on their doorsteps.

Our deeply chilled three on up high were finally nicked late last night for Aggravated trespass. Two others who were arrested earlier in the day when the group first entered the site were also charged with Ag Tres.

Everyone's now been released and are on their way home for a hot bath and crumpets.

support bod


We are happy for our fracktivist colleagues in the UK

04.12.2011 23:38

I'm writing to say I admire your courage and audacity in shutting down the drill rig in Bristol. We are fighting fracking in New York State, so far we are still in a moratorium but that could change any time now. Thank you for standing up!

Best,

Sue Rapp
VeRSE (Vestal Residents for Safe Energy)

Sue Rapp
mail e-mail: srapp@stny.rr.com
- Homepage: www.VeRse.org


thanks

27.02.2012 21:43

thanks for you hard work bristol rising tide , fracking must be stopped

amias