Onshore Hydraulic Fracturing (Protected Areas) Regulations 2015 — Extension of Prohibition of Shale Gas Extraction — 16 Dec 2015 at 19:30

The majority of MPs voted to extend the ban on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract shale gas within 1000m of the surface to within 1200m of the surface in National Parks, the Broads, areas of outstanding natural beauty, World Heritage sites, and near points where water is abstracted for domestic and food production purposes.

The motion supported by the majority of MPs in this vote was:

• That the draft Onshore Hydraulic Fracturing (Protected Areas) Regulations 2015, which were laid before this House on 16 July, be approved.

The regulations define “protected groundwater source areas” and “other protected areas” where hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract shale gas is prohibited.^[1]

The protected areas set out in the regulations are defined as land less than 1200m below the surface within :

• a National Park;
• the Broads;
• an area of outstanding natural beauty; or
• a World Heritage site.

As well as land less than 1200m below the surface within :

• 50 metres, or 50 day travel time for groundwater, of a point at the surface at which water is abstracted from underground strata and is used to supply water for domestic or food production purposes

The definitions provided by the regulations are for the purpose of applying Section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1988 which was introduced via Section 50 of the Infrastructure Act 2015^[2]. Section 4A already prohibited onshore hydraulic fracturing from taking place in land at a depth of less than 1000 metres.

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• [1] Explanatory memorandum to the draft Onshore Hydraulic Fracturing (Protected Areas) Regulations 2015
• [2] Section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1988 introduced via Section 50 of the Infrastructure Act 2015

Debate in Parliament | Source |