Forest Row Public Meeting on Fracking in the Weald

Controversial fracking company Cuadrilla - who admitted causing earthquakes with their activities in Lancashire last year - now has planning permission to drill and test frack in Balcombe, has undertaken test fracking at Cowden and is attempting to acquire similar license in Lingfield.  Magellan Petroleum has aquired similar permission on green belt land near Horley and there are potential further licensing blocks right across the Kent and Sussex Weald.

Fracking has been shown to cause irreversible toxic contamination of water supplies in the US.

The Balcombe site is less than a mile from Ardingly reservoir which, via the River Ouse, contributes to Forest Row's drinking water and, through abstraction some miles further downstream at Barcombe Water Treatment Works, near Lewes, then supplies treated water to around 72,000 homes across large parts of East and West Sussex, via all the extensive linkages of pipes and service reservoirs.

Cuadrilla's plan, if allowed to go ahead, would involve fracking at around 500' from the aquifer and would necessitate the use of vst quantities of water from an already bleauguered and critically low reservoir system

More information here:

http://gasdrillinginbalcombe.wordpress.com/

and here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/NO-Fracking-in-Sussex/269121553136944

Supported by Transition Forest Row, we have called this Public Meeting (all welcome) to discuss the threat of Hydraulic Fracturing / Fracking for shale gas in our area.

There will be an introduction from Mike Grenville of Transition Forest Row, then a short film screening, a presentation from Will Cottrell (Chairman of the Brighton Energy Coop) explaining the hydraulic fracturing process, its risks and the current situation in our area - and some information from Vanessa Vine of NO Fracking in Sussex about the local campaign.

There will be tea and cake (with donations invited for hall hire and other campaign costs please!) 

We will open the floor to questions and discussion of what local residents can do to understand and address this threat to our air, our water and our seismic security.

Please come. This potentially affects every one of us.

.. and in the meantime, please write to your MP, asking them to support this urgent Early Day Motion for a UK Moratorium on fracking: http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/2292

This is the link to the Facebook Event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/138515316266948/?ref=ts