The over-turning by UK central government of Lancashire Council's rejections of Quadrilla's plans to frack (use horizontal drilling under lands and homes, followed by inserting water plus chemicals to drive out trapped natural gas from shale rocks) seems bad news on several levels (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/06/uk-fracking-given-go-ahead-as-lancashire-council-rejection-is-overturned). It a) is likely to cause considerable local disturbance whilst in operation (remediation is something quite different); b) results in a strong possibility environmental changes (to water courses et cetera); c) is unlikely to be helpful in terms of visitor attractions to the region; d) makes alleviating the UK contribution to the release of climate-change associated gases much harder and e) does nothing to encourage the use of low carbon energy-generating alternatives. I am personally dubious about the claimed financial savings for the UK and postulated job creation. The UK is rather different from the USA in size and population distribution. I also find it more than a little strange that this decision is taken by a government that has just expressed apparent concerns about communities developing feelings that their local wishes are over-ridden by elites.
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