Public's views sought for terms of reference of fracking study

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are seeking the public's input for the terms of reference of a study into the contentious issue of fracking. The outcry over Tamboran Resources' plans to use unconventional gas exploration and extraction in the Lough Allen Basin area, and Enegi in County Clare has led Minister Pat Rabbitte to request the EPA's opinion on the environmental impact of the process. This follows a 'preliminary desk research' conducted by the University of Aberdeen on behalf of the EPA, which was published in May 2012. The EPA say that this information has been used, along with other sources such as European Commission reports, to assist in a scoping exercise for a more extensive and comprehensive study of the process. A steering committee has developed proposed 'terms of reference' for an extensive and comprehensive programme of research and the EPA has now launched a public consultation on the draft Terms of Reference document on behalf of the steering committee. The steering committee comprises the EPA; Department of Environment, Community and Local Government; Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; the Geological Survey of Ireland; Commission for Energy Regulation; An Bord Pleanála; Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. Interested parties are invited to submit written comments by Friday, March 8 2013. The EPA say that the public consultation "will ensure that this programme of research delivers a thorough and robust examination of the issues." It is proposed to award funding for research in baseline characterisation; fracking operations, impacts and mitigation measures; and a regulatory framework for environmental protection. The EPA expects to commission the programme of research in mid-2013 and intends publishing a number of interim reports while the programme is underway. It is likely that the research programme will take two years to complete. A final report will then be published. The research programme will be co-funded by the EPA, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The document, Proposed Terms of Reference for EPA/DCENR/NIEA Research Programme on Environmental Impacts of Unconventional Gas Exploration & Extraction, (link) is available on the EPA website.