No 44 - LAST CHANCE TO RESPOND TO THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY CONSULTATION
The Environment Agency are 'Minded to' permit Europa Oil an Gas to drill and frack in Burniston and we can respond by 23rd September. To be clear - NYC have refused planning permission and unless Europa win an appeal to overturn this then Europa cannot go ahead with the project (however Europa have vowed to appeal). It is important to respond to the EA consultation as there are several reasons the decision is regarded as unsafe. There are at least 2 court cases against the EA for other dubious decisions and so it is important that our concerns are on record.
Ruth Hayhurst wrote this article in Drill or Drop. She describes the errors and missing information that have caused people to lack confidence in the EA intentions.
Please respond - there are only a few days left. This is the full (very long) FFCC Consultation response here. The shortened 'executive summary' is here. And here is the link to submit your response and view other responses. Please use our response to identify grounds you can use to object - but in your own words.
GOVERNMENT REFUSE TO BLOCK LOWER VOLUME FRACKING
On Friday 10th October 2025, ITV reported that Ed Miliband announced Labour would BAN ALL FRACKING at the Labour Conference.
Compare that brave statement to the current reality - yesterday it was reported by Ruth Hayhurst on Drill or Drop that a junior government minister said the government will allow low volume fracking - the very fracking being proposed in Burniston in North Yorkshire, West Newton-A in East Yorkshire and Wressle in North Lincolnshire.
Government refuses to block lower-volume fracking
By Ruth Hayhurst on September 15, 2026
PEOPLE'S EMERGENCY BRIEFING
There is a petition to have this briefing shown nationwide - PLEASE SIGN.
There are already more than 100K signatures and so there will be a debate
about this in parliament - but please sign anyway to make your government
know the strength of feeling in the nation.
The next local showing is at the Old Parcels Office on 7th November at 4pm
PLEASE HELP OUR FELLOW CAMPAIGNERS
Several Groups met in York to network and share information.
Frack Free Coastal Communities were there too (but not in the photo),
a very fruitful meeting! We thought the oil and gas companies
would be very worried indeed if they saw us all communicating together,
WEALD ACTION GROUP: We all owe this group so much.
They are behind the 'Finch Ruling' They are fighting a new battle against methane and need your help, See here for details.
WEST NEWTON: help by donating here go fund me page to help West Newton. See newsletter 40 for full details.
FOXHOLES: Facebook Page here. Please object by writing to planning.control@northyorks.gov.uk reference REF:NY/2025/0113/FUL. You could also write to the MP Kevin Hollinrake and the NYC ward councillor Email: cllr.janet.sanderson@northyorks.gov.uk regarding lack of support and to show your feelings. See newsletter 40 for full details.
EBBERSTON: See details here in a Drill or Drop article. The oil and gas company held an open meeting Thursday 9 July 2026.
FUND RAISING AND FUN EVENTS
Sep 18 7pm - FASHION SHOW featuring "models" from the fund raising committee. Get tickets here
21st Nov - Christmas Quiz at Burniston and Cloughton Village Hall.
WHO ARE FFCC - Frack Free Costal Communities?
We are a local group, who have been campaigning regionally and nationally, from the villages on the North Yorkshire Heritage coast including Burniston, Cloughton, Scalby, Staintondale and Ravenscar. We want to protect our beautiful heritage coastline from industrialisation and the irreversible damage to our local environment, and the wider climate that Europa’s ‘Proppant squeeze’ (fracking) would cause. We believe the use of fossil fuels are destroying our planet and fracking should be banned in all forms.
We need to spread the message further. We would love to hear from any environmental organisations with national reach who might be able to help us spread the message nationwide.
WHAT IS FRACKING - AND WHY IS ALL ON SHORE FRACKING NOT BANNED NOW?
Fracking is short for Hydraulic Fracturing. Hydraulic Fracturing is a process that uses fluids to fracture rocks. Lower volume fracturing is not prevented by the moratorium on associated hydraulic fracturing, which was introduced in 2019. The moratorium affects only operations using more than 1,000m3 of fluid per fracturing stage or 10,000m3 in total. This volume is more than was used in Lancashire causing earthquakes which damaged properties and resulted in the moratorium! Opponents have described this as a loophole in the law and called for a wider ban to include lower volume fracking. This planning application by Europa, if approved, will set a precedent for the many applications waiting in the wings. The government has replied to a parliamentary petition to ban 'small scale fracking' saying “the government recognises concerns from local communities regarding low volume fracturing and the fact that it is currently treated differently, and is therefore currently reviewing the position with regard to low volume hydraulic fracturing.” In the 2025 Labour Conference, Ed Milliband said (as reported by Drill or Drop) “I say let’s ban fracking and send this bunch of frackers packing too”.
Thank you for your support
Clare from Frack Free Coastal Communities
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