This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-36356245
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Landmark North Yorkshire fracking vote to take place | Landmark North Yorkshire fracking vote to take place |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Councillors will decide later whether to approve fracking in England for the first time since a ban was lifted in 2012. | Councillors will decide later whether to approve fracking in England for the first time since a ban was lifted in 2012. |
| North Yorkshire County Council is looking at a bid by Third Energy to extract shale gas at a site near Kirby Misperton in Ryedale. | North Yorkshire County Council is looking at a bid by Third Energy to extract shale gas at a site near Kirby Misperton in Ryedale. |
| Hundreds of protestors attended a meeting in Northallerton to voice anger at the project, which is recommended for approval. | Hundreds of protestors attended a meeting in Northallerton to voice anger at the project, which is recommended for approval. |
| Voting is due to begin at 19:30 BST. | Voting is due to begin at 19:30 BST. |
| The meeting, which is being broadcast online, heard a number of further objections from opponents on Monday morning, while Third Energy's chief executive, Rasik Valand, will address the committee later. | |
| Click here for live updates from today's meeting | Click here for live updates from today's meeting |
| Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at rock to release the gas inside. | Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at rock to release the gas inside. |
| Opponents say it can cause water contamination, earthquakes and noise and traffic pollution. | |
| Environmentalists also say that pursuing new sources of gas - a fossil fuel - is not compatible with efforts to tackle climate change. | Environmentalists also say that pursuing new sources of gas - a fossil fuel - is not compatible with efforts to tackle climate change. |
| During the hearing, local brewer Kyle Boot raised concerns about the impact of fracking on businesses in Ryedale. | |
| Media frenzy | |
| Mr Boot said: "To introduce fracking in Rydale could at the very least alter public perceptions about our local beer and an actual contamination of our water supply would be disastrous." | |
| He said having the area become know as the "fracking capital of the UK" was not something "we would want to be seen as pioneering in". | |
| Third Energy's operations director John Dewar said the company was committed to operating the well safely and questioned whether many of the objectors had properly read the planning application and supporting documents. | |
| He said: "Our company mantra is 'if something can't be done safely then it does not get done at all'. | |
| "If this application had been for a conventional drill I'm quite sure it would not have attracted the same level of public and media attention. | |
| "By just listening to the [objectors'] concerns, I can tell very few were referring to the application itself, which raises the question whether they have read the actual planning application." | |
| He went on to say he had spoken with a number of local residents who said they supported the local gas industry but were "scared" to say so publicly. | |
| No fracking has taken place in the UK since 2011, when tests on the Fylde coast were found to have been the probable cause of minor earthquakes in the area. | No fracking has taken place in the UK since 2011, when tests on the Fylde coast were found to have been the probable cause of minor earthquakes in the area. |
| Since then, two high-profile applications to frack in Lancashire have been rejected by councillors and are now the subject of appeals. | Since then, two high-profile applications to frack in Lancashire have been rejected by councillors and are now the subject of appeals. |
| Third Energy wants to frack for shale gas using an existing two-mile deep well - called KM8 - drilled in 2013 close to the North York Moors National Park. If approved, it could start by the end of the year. | Third Energy wants to frack for shale gas using an existing two-mile deep well - called KM8 - drilled in 2013 close to the North York Moors National Park. If approved, it could start by the end of the year. |
| Third Energy has licences to produce gas in North Yorkshire and offshore in the North Sea. | Third Energy has licences to produce gas in North Yorkshire and offshore in the North Sea. |