5th May 2015

All Councillors Of Bournemouth Borough Council

Notice of Dangers of Fracking on Health, the Environment & Climate

Dear Councillor,

As fellow politicians with ties to the region, we the undersigned are writing to you to ensure that you are fully appraised of the expert evidence on the dangers of fracking on health, on the environment and on climate.

Your attention is drawn to the fully referenced documents compiled by the professional groups Medact (UK), Concerned Health Professionals of New York (CHPNY) in the US and Dr Kevin Anderson’s evidence given at the recent Blackpool fracking appeals inquiry. A hard copy of the Medact report is included and soft copy of both reports available online (1) (2)

The documents detail the self-evident risks and harms of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") and related unconventional oil and gas extraction practices. The CHPNY report contributed directly to the decision of New York State to ban the practice because ‘the potential risks (to health) are too great, in fact not even fully known, and relying on the limited data at present available, would be negligent’.-Howard Zucker, New York State Health Commissioner

Medact concludes that ‘the regulatory system for fracking is insufficiently, clear or robust.’ This is even more the case now by way of s.4B of the Petroleum Act 1998 that came into force on 6th April 2016. Under this provision, fracking is defined by the amount of high-pressure fluid used to fracture shale rocks and release gas or oil. However, the only well fracked in the UK so far, which caused small earthquakes near Blackpool in 2011, would not qualify as fracking under the definition and according to Prof Stuart Haszeldine at the University of Edinburgh. Of the 4,500 US wells fracked to release oil between 2000-10, 89% would not be covered by the UK definition.

Dr Anderson’s evidence shows ‘that there is no viable emission space within the UK’s carbon budget for shale gas to fulfil even a transitory role’. Online copy (3)

We are sure that once you have considered the reports, you will agree with us that fracking is unsafe, not in the public interest and should not be permitted in Bournemouth, Dorset or elsewhere. Scotland and Wales have had a moratorium on fracking in place since 2015 because of concerns re safety.

You will be aware that the Government is nevertheless in full support of fracking as the Written Ministerial Statement made on 16th September 2015 illustrates. Consequently, County and Unitary councils across England will be facing increased pressure to approve fracking applications, despite the Government's own rhetoric on localism and its policy to guarantee local autonomy in decisions on renewable energy*.

Local government autonomy over planning for drill sites is already scheduled to be to be quashed as detailed in a leaked letter from the Secretary Of State for The Department of Energy and Climate Change, Communities & Local Government and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in correspondence with The Chancellors of The Exchequer. Online copy (4) We urge you consider the evidence, to resist Government pressures and to object to all such applications including exploratory wells that are also dangerous and are not required if we are opposed to fracking (all fracking, not just the narrow UK definition).

On Monday the 25th April 2016, all 650 Members of the House of Commons were served with the reports enclosed here as well as legal notice alerting them to the duty of care described in sections III.6 & III.7 of the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament. If in full knowledge of the information provided they support or fail to prevent action leading to the risks and harms detailed in the reports coming to the UK they may be in breach of this Code. Please note that anyone receiving the enclosed reports in person or by recorded delivery is legally deemed thereafter to have full knowledge of the contents.

You are warmly invited to support the cross party initiative in opposing fracking by adding your name to the cross party public register of elected officials that are opposed to fracking which can be found on the following webpage: www.crosspartyfrackfree.uk

Your entry on to this register is in no way going to compromise your ability to sit on planning committees to consider fracking related applications, your actions are protected under the localism act: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/20/section/25/enacted

Yours sincerely,

Signatory 1

Signatory 2

(1), (2), (3), (4) All documents can be found at: http://www.crosspartyfrackfree.uk/fracking-not-safe

* "Local residents must have the final say over whether onshore wind farm applications get the go- ahead in their area" Greg Clark, June 2015