There is a gaping loophole in the UK's anti-fracking legislation that allows for a process called 'proppant squeeze'. This is alleged to be less destructive than traditional fracking, but still involves injecting fluid to fracture rock in order to extract gas - it is essentially 'fracking by the back door' and it needs to be stopped. Fossil fuel companies are exploiting this loophole in order to continue fracking and destroying UK countryside. 

In Burniston, just outside Scarborough, Europa Oil and Gas is doing just that. They are submitting a proposal to drill for gas on an unspoilt part of the North Yorkshire heritage coast.

They plan to build a 100ft high drilling tower, just meters from people's homes. If sufficient gas is found, Europa plans to make a further application to turn the site into the UK's biggest onshore gas field, with drilling expected to continue for the next 20 years.

We need to be moving away from fossil fuels, not allowing climate-wrecking fossil fuel companies to continue drilling for gas, particularly in beautiful areas of countryside like the one in Burniston. 

The local Labour MP, Alison Hume, has already written to Ed Milliband calling for the government to put an end to this destructive loophole in the fracking moratorium. This petition echoes this call on the government to do just that. 

It is vital that the government listens to the will of UK residents and acts to prevent Europa and other fossil fuel companies from exploiting this loophole and from putting greed and profit before the health of our planet and local communities. 

Further details are available at: www.frackfreecoastalcommunities.co.uk
and bit.ly/3YfoRTL