The Infrastructure Bill, trespass law and fracking ............... .... Parliament votes Monday 26th January

There are considerable concerns about the legal and practical - let alone philosophical - issues around the current Infrastructure Bill:
Futures Forum: The Infrastructure Bill, trespass law and fracking

Apparently, three-quarters of the UK population share many of these concerns:
Fracking trespass law changes opposed by 74% of British public, poll finds | Environment | The Guardian
Coalition faces voter backlash over ‘under-house fracking bill’, new poll shows | Greenpeace UK
YouGov | See Results

Tomorrow afternoon, the Commons debates and votes on the issue:
Parliament UK: Parliamentary Calendar
FRACKING NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE SAY MPS - Salford Star 

Several organisations are urging members of the public to approach their MP:
Ask MPs to stop companies fracking under homes without permission | Friends of the Earth

The 38 Degree campaigning body has already gathered over 170,000 signatures on the issue.

This is their message:



Imagine a huge drill getting gas and oil from beneath your home - without your permission. On Monday, MPs could vote to let that happen. [1]

The drilling is part of a process called fracking. Dirty energy companies desperately want MPs to let them have the land under our homes. All they need is a change in trespass law. [2] MPs vote on Monday. So we’ve got four days to persuade MPs to throw the plan out.

38 Degrees members are building a huge petition telling MPs to vote the right way. The bigger the petition, the stronger the message. Can you add your name now? 
Giant energy companies want the go-ahead to start fracking all across the UK. But it’s a huge threat to us and the environment. It could poison our water and produce toxic waste. And it could cause earthquakes. [3]

The boss of one energy company, Cuadrilla, has said that if MPs don’t vote to change trespass laws, then fracking probably won’t happen in the UK. [4] This is our moment.

A huge petition could persuade wavering MPs to vote the right way. Click here to add your name:
 
Fracking hasn’t happened in the UK yet - beyond a few tests - because people-power has said no. 136,000 members of 38 Degrees have already signed the petition, and 47,000 have emailed our MPs too. And we’re not alone. Greenpeace supporters, Friends of the Earth members and thousands of grassroots campaigners are all standing hand-in-hand to stop these plans. [5]

Some MPs are turning against fracking, but there’s still work to do if we’re going to win Monday’s vote. [6] And when we work together, we’re stronger. Can you join tens of thousands of other 38 Degrees members and sign the petition now?

Thanks for being involved,

Amy, Megan, Belinda, Susannah and the 38 Degrees team


NOTES:
[1] Parliament.uk: Infrastructure Bill 2014-15:
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2014-15/infrastructure.html
[2] The Guardian: Fracking trespass law changes move forward despite huge public opposition:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/26/fracking-trespass-law-changes-move-forward-despite-huge-public-opposition
[3] The Guardian: Fracking produces annual toxic waste water enough to flood Washington DC:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/04/fracking-us-toxic-waste-water-washington
BBC News: Fracking tests near Blackpool ‘likely cause’ of tremors:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-15550458
[4] The Times: Ease fracking laws or we’ll pull out, warns Cuadrilla (The Times has a ‘pay wall’, so click the link to see a copy of the article on the 38 Degrees website):
http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2014/05/31/the-times-ease-fracking-laws-or-well-pull-out-warns-cuadrilla-may-31-2014/
[5] Greenpeace UK: Fracking:
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/climate/fracking
Friends of the Earth: Fracking:
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/issues/fracking_background_information_33157
[6] A selection of replies from MPs who have been emailed by 38 Degrees members:
Reply from Zac Goldsmith to a 38 Degrees member in Richmond:
“I share many of your concerns and although I must hear the arguments with an open mind, I am highly likely to vote against the Government’s so-called Trespass laws.”
Reply from Roger Godsiff to a 38 Degrees member in Richmond:
“Roger entirely agrees with you that this is completely outrageous and should absolutely not be permitted.”
Adrian Sanders to a 38 Degrees member in Torbay:
“I share a number of your concerns about the Infrastructure Bill… I remain highly sceptical of fracking given the need to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.”

38 Degrees | MPs: vote against fracking
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