French lower house of parliament votes to ban ‘fracking’ technique in shale gas drilling

[cory777]

Source: Associated Press

PARIS — France’s lower house of parliament has taken a first legislative step toward banning a controversial gas and oil drilling technique that critics fear could contaminate ground water.

The conservative-controlled National Assembly has voted 287-186 to forbid hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for the exploration and production of shale gas and oil.

Left-leaning opponents said the bill doesn’t go far enough because it did not revoke researching licenses that the French government has already granted.

The process involves injecting water, sand and chemicals underground to crack the shale rock and get natural gas to flow into a well. Critics insist the technique uses too much water and could involve toxic chemicals.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/french-lower-house-of-parliament-votes-to-ban-fracking-technique-in-shale-gas-drilling/2011/05/11/AFx5TXqG_story.html

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Breaking Activist News http://activistnews.blogspot.com/

[HankyDubs]

1. back to freedom fries!

This was the last straw!

[Tunkamerica]

2. NC's thinking of allowing this and apparently my house and my county

will be among the affected should it pass.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Same would apply

to the UK because lack of control of the water residues would come under our Health and Safety at Work Act.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. B/c the French don't like their Perrier "en flambe".

[AlbertCat]

5. B-b-but....

it's safe! That geologist said so in an Exxon/Mobil commercial I had to watch about 3 dozen times in a row when I watched "The Rachel Maddow Show" on the MSNBC web site.

(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ Rachel's show is still good.)

Oh it's great! There are montages of regular folks like you and me on flag and bunting lined quaint small town streets... with plenty of electricity. It ends with the sentence. "Someone has the idea and that's where the discovery comes from."


What does that mean? Is it even English??? :puke:

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

6. Fine, as long as they get to keep their nuclear plants

With enough nukes, who needs natural gas?

:hi:

[MasonJar]

7. Good for the French.

[Robbien]

8. France to ban fracking of fossil fuels

Source: Financial Times

French lawmakers have voted to ban a controversial technique used to extract shale gas and oil that opponents say contaminates the environment.

If the vote by the lower house of parliament passes the Senate next month, France will be the first country to ban hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. The process injects water, chemicals and sand into rock formations to break them open and extract previously unattainable fossil fuel deposits.

The overwhelming vote by the National Assembly follows months of protest across France against a technique that environmentalists say threatens to pollute the water table. Many were outraged at the beginning of the year when it was discovered that several exploration permits had been granted without public consultation. The issue has become highly political as the government prepares for a difficult presidential campaign next year.

Read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/907fd72c-7c06-11e0-9b16-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=rss

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Lobbyists are probably readying their slush funds in order to spread a ton of money around French politicians.

anyway

Yay France!

[Arctic Dave]

9. Will Schlumberger and Total stop doing it elsewhere?

Doubt it. Why should they care about rubes in the heartland.

Edit:

My phone is killing me today.

[Uncle Joe]

10. Good for France.

Thanks for the thread, Robbien.:thumbsup:

[burrowowl]

11. Good! Bien fait!

[defendandprotect]

12. Meanwhile, we here in US seem to be governed by the insanely suicidal -- !!