8/14/2019 Press release for A MacDonald: Slams Tory Fracking Policy041112.doc

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Press release for immediate use 4thNovember 2013

ANGUS MACDONALD SLAMS TORY ENERGY SPOKESPERSON FOR

LINKING SHALE GAS TO GRANGEMOUTH SURVIVAL

Falkirk East MSP Anus Ma!"onald has slammed #onservative ener$

s%okes%erson Murdo Fraser MSP follo&in the 'or$ MSP(s !laims that S!otland

should )embra!e* fra!kin +h$drauli! fra!turin, for shale as &hi!h he !laimed

&ould )enhan!e -ranemouth(s %ros%e!ts.*

'he !omments b$ the 'or$ MSP &ere linked in the national %ress to the !urrent live

a%%li!ation for !oal bed methane e/tra!tion b$ "art Ener$ in the Airth area of

Falkirk distri!t. #oal bed methane &ould not be suitable for o%erations at the

-ranemouth %etro!hemi!al %lant.

#ommentin on Murdo Fraser(s !omment Anus Ma!"onald MSP said

)t is !lear the unho 5 'or$ %oli!$ of !harin ahead &ith fra!kin for shale as

in Enland has been embra!ed b$ S!ottish 'ories at 6ol$rood. 'here are too man$

unans&ered 7uestions at the moment &ith reard to the environmental im%a!t of

fra!kin and &e must not rush into somethin &ithout takin due reard of an$ risks.

'hankfull$ there are no environmental %ermissions &hi!h &ould allo& h$drauli!

fra!turin +fra!kin, in S!otland at this time.*

8ast month the S!ottish -overnment announ!ed that it %lans to strenthen S!ottish

Plannin Poli!$ as it relates to onshore un!onventional oil and as.

'he ne& S!ottish Plannin Poli!$ &hi!h !omes into for!e ne/t $ear &ill reinfor!e

environmental and !ommunit$ %rote!tion and !ommunit$ !onsultation uidan!e in

relation to %lannin a%%li!ations for un!onventional as e/tra!tion. t also introdu!es

the need for buffer 9ones in relation to su!h %lannin a%%li!ations.

Amonst the !hanes to the %oli!$ it states that the %lannin s$stem must )minimise

the im%a!ts of e/tra!tion on lo!al !ommunities built and natural heritae and the

&ater environment.*

n addition the ne& %oli!$ sa$s that %ro%osals )should also %rovide an ade7uate

buffer 9one bet&een sites and settlements.*

Anus Ma!"onald !ontinued

) &arml$ &el!ome the additional safeuards bein introdu!ed b$ the S!ottish

-overnment

)n !onsiderin su!h %ro%osals it is im%ortant that the vie&s of the lo!al

!ommunities and the im%a!t on the environment are iven due !onsideration in the

%lannin %ro!ess. 8ast month(s announ!ement of a strenthenin of the %lannin

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rules in relation to un!onventional oil and as throuh %rovision of buffer 9ones

hihlihts that that the S!ottish -overnment listens to lo!al !ommunities and those

!allin for stroner environmental %rote!tion.

)As an MSP it is frustratin for me that the 5 -overnment(s "e%artment of Ener$and #limate #hane has the %o&er to issue Petroleum E/%loration and

"evelo%ment 8i!en!es +PE"8, in li!en!e rounds &hi!h rant e/!lusivit$ to o%erators

in the li!en!e area. 'his %o&er should be devolved to the S!ottish -overnment as

soon as %ossible. 'hese li!en!es ho&ever do not ive !onsent for drillin and

o%erators are still re7uired to obtain %lannin %ermissions and a suite of other

li!enses before an$ e/%loration or develo%ment &ork !an be !arried out.

)As &ell as the %lannin %ro!ess ea!h %ro%osal &ill be !onsidered throuh the

a%%ro%riate reulator$ reimes and SEPA(s uidan!e. Pro%osals for !oalbed

methane or shale as %rodu!tion in Falkirk distri!t and S!otland &ill be studied on

their merits informed b$ reliable and substantive information on availabilit$ of

resour!es and the manner and %ra!ti!alities of their e/%loitation.*

EN"S.

For further !omment !onta!t Anus Ma!"onald MSP on 0:;;4 0