From the BBC.co.uk – Jan 16, 2011

by Roger Harrabin

The UK government should
put a moratorium on shale gas operations until the environmental
implications are fully understood, a report says.

The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research report comes amid reports a firm has found reserves in Lancashire.

In the US, officials are investigating claims that shale gas drilling has polluted water supplies.

However, UK ministers have rejected a moratorium, saying that drilling for shale gas does not pose a threat.

“We are aware that there have been reports from US of issues
linked to some shale gas projects,” a spokesman for the Department of
Energy and Climate Change (Decc) told BBC News.

“However, we understand that these are only in a few cases
and that Cuadrilla (the firm testing for shale gas in Lancashire) has
made it clear that there is no likelihood of environmental damage and
that it is applying technical expertise and exercising the utmost care
as it takes drilling and testing forward.”

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