Ko-fi

Tuesday 7 October 2014

Law vs Justice

For the past three years I have often been made to feel like I am a criminal; made to feel that my actions cause fear and that I am not entitled to justice because I made the decision to stop being taken through life according to some warped agenda I have no agreement with... and got active about it.

Because I care about the health and well-being of children, I would not choose energy techniques that take risks with the essentials for their lives - air and water. Therefore I protest and along with lots of others, work really hard to raise awareness about dangerous industries like unconventional energy, in order that we protect the things that matter.

That regular, everyday residents are having to do this 
...is ludicrous in itself. 

There don't appear to be genuine safeguards - just lobbyists with power/influence/money and a compliant system designed to let them have their way for the sake of 'the economy'. What about the sake of 'the community'? Who in office is genuinely looking out for our well-being as human beings?

Tomorrow the Nanas will be in court for part 2 of an action being taken against us and others who occupied a field. We did this primarily to alert the local community of their proximity to the proposed shale gas site and to raise awareness of the processes and risks involved. For the sake of proceedings, the case names me as the Defendant (a name was needed for the case to proceed WITH our involvement) and the landowner - with a lot of help, financing and encouragement from fracking company Cuadrilla - as the Claimant.

I have never been in this situation before and for a while, I have been a bit scared really; courts and law are serious matters and so much about the process is far beyond my knowledge and understanding. I am having to rely on a legal team I barely know (although their record is good and they seem to have good intent) and more than anything - the warm support by those glorious others also striving to stop fracking from proceeding in the UK.

I say 'have been' scared and I suppose I'm still a bit uncomfortable - but as time is passing and the time is drawing near, I am more determined and angry now. How dare this situation even exist - that a grandmother fulfilling her obligation to care for the generations she has produced, has had to battle her government, the energy industry, Councillors, police, heavily-financed PR/Marketing campaigns and all other manner of obstacles - simply because I have deep concerns about the safety of the air my granddaughter breathes and the water she drinks.

Wading through swathes of manipulated words in witness statements by Cuadrilla-financed individuals who know exactly what they are doing and how to take 'justice' and apply it for profit and example... I conclude that I can't play this game. I don't want to negotiate my way out of anything, I don't care to get off with the least harm and I will not say things just to make it so.

So what's the worst that can happen in court anyway... is it as bad as undrinkable water and air that harms your health? Can it possibly be as bad as a community suffering under the onslaught of this loud, smelly, lit-up, dangerous, intensive industry that is fracking?

No.

They just want to stop residents showing opposition to fracking by making it clear that they have more money, more power and more influence and will use it to sue for tens of thousands I don't have. But money is not a drinkable, breathable thing I can bequeath to future generations - they can have everything I haven't got and then some - I'm saving a future not an income.

“We hope the court will extend the interim injunction against illegal trespass on local farmland. We hope that this action will prevent any recurrence.” Francis Egan, Cuadrilla’s CEO


They also want to stop residents acting to stop the industry from drilling into our communities by making it clear that they have more money, more power and more influence and will use it to have injunctions put in place that prevent anyone acting to prevent their progress. But sites where fracking is planned are places that are part of where we live, our community - and protecting the environment we live in matters more than a ruling that pretends justice - but really only gives it to the few and applies limitations to the many.

The coach starts its journey in Fleetwood at 7:30am tomorrow, picking up here at 8 and then on to Manchester - all seats will be occupied by people I admire, respect and love - so the journey as honourable Nanas will be a joy. Others from this amazing community of activists from all over the place will be at the court too and this means so much more than anyone can imagine... time is the most precious thing we have and it is not easy to make space in an anti-fracking diary! Online too has been so very uplifting as people share the event, post words of support, reveal their understanding and I know... are thinking of us during the case.

Whatever the outcome tomorrow - it can't possibly stop those who know the risks of fracking, from continuing to do everything in their power to ensure it doesn't happen in ANY back yard.

Whatever the outcome tomorrow - it can't possibly take anything from the beautiful unity, determination and optimism we've been gifted in our roles as Nanas, Protectors, Activists, Residents...

Whatever the outcome tomorrow - I'm going home on a coach full of loveliness and that's a joy I wouldn't have any other way.



8 comments:

  1. You say Tina, that you are worried about the air, and water?? Well its all been looked at by expert scientists and theres no risk. All of your concerns are baseless. Why not protest about farming? That pollutes the air with OP pesticides, puts methane in the air, clogs up the roads, and uses loads of water. Non hazardous chemicals only are permitted in fracking, its a well researched science, and the 2 sites are not even over aquifers! so whats the issue? Gas has the lowest footprint of any hydrocarbon fuel and yes, we need renewables to stop climate change, but in the end we also need an economy and jobs as well. Gas will displace coal that we are using now I hope. Why not protest about coal usage? Its certainly daft to import expensive gas that we are definitely going to use, when its below our feet. If your protests were based upon science then I could understand a bit better. As they are all based on falsehoods I have little sympathy alas.

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  2. Who is funding your legal team?

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  3. "Well its all been looked at by expert scientists and theres no risk" - A completely baseless comment. The mountain of evidence coming out of the US and Australia is undeniable. The argument whether fracking is safe or not is over, the industry needs banning worldwide before more people are to suffer

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    1. What mountain? a load of retweeted hyped up nonsense mainly. Thats not evidence, although in many cases in the US I accept there have been problems. We have planning laws here that will prevent a rig being set up by a school.

      All irrelevant anyway as they are usually about chemical poisoning. Only 'non hazardous in their application' permitted here. The list of proscribed chemicals from the EA is here http://www.wfduk.org/sites/default/files/Media/Substances%20transferred%20from%20List%20I%20%26%20II%20to%20hazardous%20or%20non%20hazardous.pdf so thats all the bullshit about benzene and carcinogens is gone cos it will not be permitted here. The Halliburton exemption in the Clean Water Act 2005 is US law, yet many think it applies here. Its required that chemicals are publicly disclosed (tho not concentrations)

      Or about well leaks. Recent research shows no frack fluids in leaking wells. http://www.pnas.org/content/108/20/8172.full.pdf+html?sid=bde9ad0a-b32e-4210-92c3-cfff2f4a7c58|PNAS ,and anyway they were the only 4 leaking wells out of about 20,000 drilled. They have now been repaired. Failure to understand the difference between a well barrier issue(the 6% figure often quoted) and a well integrity issue (leaking to the environment) is behind a lot of your misunderstanding. This paper indicates the difference in the abstract and states that well integrity leaks are rare (Around 1 well in several thousand) and its repairable. http://www.spe.org/atce/2013/pages/schedule/tech_program/documents/spe166142-page1.pdf

      Number of wells in the UK that are leaking? Thats about 8500 with the N Sea. Answer is zero. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268623/13_1664.pdf

      Or maybe about air quality and leakage issues? DECC regs insist on closed steel containers for fluids. Open pits that leak flowback VOC gases into the air, that can split, that can flood are not permitted, causing pollution so that part of the 'mountain' does not apply here.

      And no regs specific to shale gas? Well what are these 9 papers all about then? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/about-shale-gas-and-hydraulic-fracturing-fracking They are info for the public to read so they know what is permitted. There is a shed load of regulation behind this, and if you read them you will see that Mike Hill talks bollocks.

      ...and frack fluids penetrating aquifers? This US Dept of Energy research shows this is not happening, even when fracs got to 1800ft from a producing gas zone, no effects were seen.
      http://www.netl.doe.gov/File%20Library/Research/onsite%20research/publications/NETL-TRS-3-2014_Greene-County-Site_20140915_1_1.pdf

      These are technical. I understand em, but I am an engineer and if you dont maybe its best to leave the criticism to those that do. I dont pass comments on art, or poetry cos I dont understand it. Perhaps some of you protestors should adopt the same policy. Dont comment on what you do not understand.

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    2. Everything you discuss is dependent on 'robust', 'gold standard' regulations and more importantly - the vigilant adherence to them and the adequate inspectors to endure this. Banking, health care, food safety standard - all with failed regulation that caused problems that could never match the UNFIXABLE problems that will come when things go wrong in shale gas extraction. You cannot repair water and air.

      Then there's the question of the future - post-abandonment; who comes to regularly check the safety of the well filled with cement? Who comes a year after the fracking has finished, a decade or 30 years later when the cement has failed? Why are the companies not providing a bond for those just incase times?

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  4. Got to love the anonymous shills Tina :-) Sadbutmadlad won't EVER say who he is but he does talks a lot (of crap). Keep up the good work x

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  5. Any comments on the data presented? Or is that all just made up?

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Thanks for taking the time to add your voice to mine x

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