Coalition to seek scientific advice on 'fracking'

THE GOVERNMENT is to seek further scientific advice on the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” for natural gas from underground reserves before making any decision on exploration licensing.

Minister of State for Natural Resources Fergus O’Dowd confirmed in the Dáil yesterday that a second more comprehensive study on impacts is to be carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Mr O’Dowd also said that the findings of the US EPA study on fracking would be taken into account in any final decision on authorisations or otherwise for the controversial procedure, which involves using large volumes of water, sand and chemicals to extract shale gas reserves.

A preliminary US EPA report found that compounds that were likely to be associated with “fracking” chemicals had been detected in the groundwater beneath Pavillion, a small community in central Wyoming.

Three companies have been granted “preliminary authorisations” here to carry out testing in the Lough Allen and Clare basins, straddling 12 counties, and one of the companies, Tamboran, recently forecast that Leitrim has $55 billion worth of reserves.

Amid growing concerns about impacts on groundwater, Minister for Energy Pat Rabbitte asked the EPA here to “conduct research and advise” on the environmental implications.

This study is due to be published within the next fortnight, Mr O’Dowd said yesterday.

Communities opposed to fracking have criticised the fact that the desk study had been commissioned from the University of Aberdeen, which has close links to the North Sea hydrocarbon industry. Responding to a parliamentary question tabled by Fianna Fáil TD Seán Fleming, Mr O’Dowd told the Dáil that the desk study involved “preliminary background research into the environmental aspects of shale gas extraction and into the regulatory approaches of other countries to assist the establishment of best environmental practice.

“The EPA proposes to commission further, more extensive research on hydraulic fracturing in 2012 and representatives from the Department [of Energy] and the EPA are developing the scope for that further study,” he said.

“The specification for this further more detailed research will be finalised after there has been an opportunity to consider the output from the University of Aberdeen study,” Mr O’Dowd said.

The Minister of State also said he did not believe that publishing a Green Paper on the issue would be of benefit.

“Instead I propose a way forward based on obtaining further and more detailed scientific advice, as is envisaged with the proposed second study to be commissioned by the EPA in the coming months.”