“Environmental campaigners fear an oil company’s plan to drill for gas in one of Britain’s national parks is a stalking horse for a future bid to carry out fracking in the area.”
“Environmentalists fear the permission sets a precedent for future fracking applications. Fracking involves forcing liquid into the ground to split rocks and release the gas trapped within. A key fracking fear is the amount of water used and the potential for contaminating drinking water supplies. The North York Moors – famous for stunning moorland, and historic sites such as England’s oldest Christian monument, Lilla Cross on Lilla Howe – are said to be rich in shale gas, which can only be extracted by fracking.”