Lancashire Hotpot

I must admit to being more than a little bemused by news that the UK Government, in spite of considerable local objections, have issued Cuadrilla the first licence to 'frack' shale deposits in rural Lancashire to extract trapped gas (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jul/24/cuadrilla-gets-go-ahead-to-start-fracking-at-lancashire-site). I can appreciate how the energy from the gas appears to be 'free' but a) this will do little to reduce the release of 'greenhouse gases' as promised (and currently appearing somewhat urgent); b) people naturally tend to get upset that fracking might effect their homes, lands and environment (it can be carried out under their property without them having any power to block the activity) and c) not everyone is convinced that even responsible frackers (if there are any) can totally rule out detrimental changes to the water table, generation of local earthquakes et cetera. A costs versus benefits analysis doesn't suggest this is a good idea.