Ineos Starts Fracking Consultation

The operator of Scotland's largest petrochemical plant at Grangemouth has started a community consultation process in a bid to gain support for fracking. Ineos said its information programme will give the public the facts about shale gas extraction while highlighting both the issues and benefits. The development of unconventional gas extraction has been halted by a Scottish Government moratorium while further research and a public consultation is carried out. Ineos has acquired more than 700 square miles of fracking exploration licences in central Scotland. Environmental campaigners are opposed to the practice. Friends of the Earth Scotland accused the company of resorting to "spin-doctors and glossy videos'' in an effort to win over communities. Ineos has the budget for "a long and dirty fight'', the charity said, while campaign groups "can only fight their corner on a shoestring''. The firm's consultation process will start in mid-April with a series of "town hall'' meetings, beginning in areas where it already holds shale gas licences, then moving across the whole of the Scottish shale gas belt. The first meetings will take place in fifteen towns including Denny, Alloa, Falkirk, Kilsyth, Bishopbriggs and Cumbernauld. Ineos Upstream chief executive officer Gary Haywood said: "The Scottish Government wants the public to be fully informed about shale gas production and we are determined to help. "We are launching Scotland's biggest shale gas information programme to make sure that local communities get a chance to hear the facts rather than the myths about shale gas.'' The company said as many meetings as possible would be led by its director Tom Pickering. The meetings are also intended to explain its plan to give 6% of shale gas revenues to the local community and provide a chance for people to ask questions. Ineos has previously stated it anticipates it will give away more than £2.5 billion to communities over the life of its business, but that figure has been called into question by campaigners. Mary Church, head of campaigns for Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "Fracking is a dangerous, dirty industry and all the money in the world can't hide that. "Scottish communities have been fighting the unconventional gas industry for years, and are already very well informed. "It's no surprise that Ineos are resorting to spin-doctors and glossy videos to try and lovebomb Scottish communities into 'stop worrying and learn to love fracking'. "Sadly, Ineos have the budget for a long and dirty fight, while community and campaign groups can only fight their corner on a shoestring.'' Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie said: "Ineos and its slick marketeers can drink as much tea in as many village halls as they like but I'm quite sure they'll be politely shown the door. "Public pressure and Green campaigning forced the Scottish Government and Labour to shift position on this issue. "We need to keep up the fight to win a permanent ban to protect our communities and our climate.''