December 3: Nothing new about fracking - and Nimbyism

HAVING worked all my life in industry as an engineer, mostly in power generation but with six years in the oil tool sector (now retired), I feel more qualified than most of the letter writers to make a few observations regarding fracking.

It always seems odd to me, in spite of claims that fracking will cause nationwide problems, that most of the letters appear to originate from within 20 miles of a proposed fracking site.

It’s hard not to conclude that pure nimbyism is at the heart of the complaints. I can well understand this, and have sympathy with the people concerned who, having bought a nice place in our green and pleasant land, don’t wish to see it spoiled by some intrusive development.

Please, let’s be honest about it and not denigrate a whole industry to serve your own ends.

I would also ask you to consider the millions of people who live in industrial areas, surrounded by sites much 
more intrusive than those proposed for fracking, so that you can enjoy, and have done so for a few hundred years, the benefits of electricity, gas, steel and the other necessities of modern life.

Maybe it’s time to put something into the pot, rather than take, take, take.

I would also wish to point 
out that there is nothing new in the process, we have been fracking oil wells for the last 
50 years and I suspect few 
people are aware of the complex system of casing which is installed in all wells to ensure their integrity.

Real figures on bird crime

From: Adrian Blackmore, Countryside Alliance, Spring Mews, Tinworth Street, London.

I REFER to the article “North Yorkshire still sees more crimes against birds of prey than any other county” (The Yorkshire Post, November 26) which is both misleading and inaccurate.

While 36 incidents were reported in North Yorkshire in 2014, only five of those are shown in the RSPB’s Birdcrime report to have been confirmed, and North Yorkshire did not have the highest number of crimes recorded against birds of prey in 2014.

Other figures mentioned in the article include the 179 reports of shooting and destruction of birds of prey, 22 nest robberies, and 72 reports of poisoning in the UK in 2014. Of these, 46 of the incidents relating to shooting and destruction are shown as having been confirmed, only two of the 22 reported nest robberies have been confirmed, and 53 of the 72 poisoning incidents were confirmed, of which 36 involved birds of prey.

When studying the RSPB’s figures for 2014, it will be seen that there was actually a significant reduction in the number of confirmed incidents of bird crime in the UK when compared with the figures for 2013. The number of cases of shooting and destruction of birds of prey fell by 33 per cent, those for poisoning by 41 per cent, and cases of illegal trapping fell by 78 per cent, from 18 to four.

These figures are still far too high – any act of illegal persecution is unacceptable – but any reduction should still be welcomed.

Where is the aggression?

From: Chris Schorah, Leeds.

IN agreeing with the decision not to screen the Lord’s Prayer, Graham Lakin’s letter (The Yorkshire Post, November 27) links the prayer with religious aggression.

I’d missed this connection so I had another look. No, it’s just the opposite. It entreats us to do God’s will, the most important commands of which, Jesus said, were to love God and our neighbour. It also tells us to forgive each other. It seems to me we would benefit from hearing more of this sort of advice rather than the almost constant propaganda of the religion of secularism.

Sir Ian’s wait for the bus

From: D Webb, Rothwell.

I HOPE Sir Ian Botham is not too disappointed when he finds out the age for a free bus pass is 63, not 60 as your paper states (The Yorkshire Post, November 26).

The qualifying age for free bus passes and some other benefits is tied to the age at which women can receive the state pension, which most of us know is being gradually increased. By the time Sir Ian reaches 63, the qualifying age will be 65 or 66. No wonder he looks after his feet.

Lack of debate on transport

From: Christopher Todd, Cumberland Road, Leeds.

YOU say (The Yorkshire Post, November 30) that “the much-vaunted trolleybus project” is “still the focus of fierce argument”. Alas! If only this were true. Outside of the inquiry, we have had hardly any properly-reasoned exchange.

Worst of all, senior councillors have consistently refused to engage in debate. In order to save face and justify the millions already spent, they want to plough ahead with an extended use of trolleybuses regardless.

Sweet justice

From: Derek Dawson, Ryhill, Wakefield.

I VOTED against the sugar tax in your news poll (The Yorkshire Post, November 30). The general public are not the ones who put excess sugar in everything, it is the manufacturers. If they cannot do the sensible thing, then they should pay the tax.