Second public consultation on Third Energy’s fracking permit application
Invitation for people to review draft environmental permits for Kirby Misperton site
The Environment Agency is a regulator of the onshore oil and gas industry
The Environment Agency is launching a second period of consultation on Third Energy’s application for permits to carry out fracking at a site in North Yorkshire.
Local residents and interested groups are invited to submit any new relevant information on the draft permits for Third Energy UK Gas Ltd’s proposals for shale gas exploration and production at Kirby Misperton, before a final decision is made on whether the permits are issued.
The Environment Agency is minded to issue the permits following a rigorous environmental assessment of the proposed activities, taking into account all of the comments made in the first consultation that closed in August.
The draft permits set out conditions needed to protect groundwater, surface water and air quality and to ensure the safe storage, management and disposal of wastes. If the permits are issued, Third Energy would have to follow these strict conditions to ensure that operations do not cause harm to people or the environment, and the Environment Agency would stringently enforce these conditions.
Ben Hocking, Yorkshire oil and gas programme manager at the Environment Agency, said:
Our regulatory controls for onshore oil and gas are in place to protect people and the environment. We will not permit activities that pose an unacceptable risk.
This further stage of consultation gives the public and interested groups an opportunity to see our decision making process and have their say on the draft environmental permits.
Responses to the consultation can be made via the Environment Agency’s website, by email or in writing. The consultation will run from Wednesday 2 December until Friday 15 January.
To access the application documentation, visit the Environment Agency’s online consultation portal.
People can comment on the proposals by emailing PSCpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk or by writing to the following address:
P&SC – Land Team
Quadrant 2
99 Parkway Avenue
Sheffield
S9 4WF