UK government lifts fracking ban despite opposition [View all]

Source: Associated Press

UK government lifts fracking ban despite opposition

By SYLVIA HUI
September 22, 2022

LONDON (AP) — The U.K. government confirmed Thursday that it’s lifting a ban on fracking in England, arguing that the move will help boost the country’s energy security amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Liz Truss announced within days of taking office earlier this month that she would reverse a 2019 ban on hydraulic fracturing, a controversial technique used to extract oil and gas from shale rock.

Britain needs to “explore all avenues available to us through solar, wind, oil and gas production -– so it’s right that we’ve lifted the pause to realize any potential sources of domestic gas,” business and energy secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said Thursday.

Truss said she “will not be going ahead with anything that carries a risk,” but stressed that “energy security is vital.”

Officials also backed an expansion of licenses for oil and gas operations in the North Sea, drawing anger from environmental groups Thursday.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-entertainment-england-hydraulic-fracturing-liz-truss-8dbb0fbc0fa6dbf85e979043bfd7b32a