Local resident Jon Mager says the eviction carried out by bailiffs of protesters from a farmers land spell’s disaster for the East Riding and Hull.
Mr. Mager has been a key voice in the community when it comes to Rathlin Energy UK and fracking. He had this chilling message following the events on Saturday;
“On Saturday morning here at the Crawberry Hill site bailiffs arrived early and using the high court order demolished the tower that was blocking access to the Rathlin Energy UK drill site.”
“What this will mean is that after a long blockade of over five weeks, Rathlin Energy UK will be able to resume their activities on this the site here in Walkington.”
Protesters have been in Walkington since May of this year and have also been active at a site operated by Rathlin Enenrgy UK in another part of East Yorkshire.
One of the main concerns for people locally and right across the world is the impact that the exploration for shale gas has the on the environment.
Speaking about the impact fracking can have on the water table Mr. Mager said;
“This site is on top of the second most important aquifer in the whole of the UK and contributes to drinking water, supplies farms and accessed by all the food and drink production industries in the area.”
“All of this water under here goes to over half a million people and now Rathlin Energy UK will be allowed to carry on drilling right through that aquifer.”
“No well site can be guaranteed to be 100% safe so this is dangerous but more importantly this is Rathlin Energy UK coming into the whole of the East Riding.
“We now know they (Rathlin) have got a 50 year option on the site here in Walkington and the one at West Newton to produce oil and gas.”
“The rock they are drilling into can only be exploited for gas if it is fracked, and because of the nature of fracking that means at least 2,000 or maybe 3,000 wells could be drilled in the East Riding over the next 50 years.”
“That’s Rathlin ‘s plan which and that spell’s disaster for the whole of the East Riding and Hull.”
I have read Rathlins applications and my husband and I questioned the company very forcefully on the things we have concerns about in thier enviroment application.Mr & Mrs Mager with all due respect you can not have taken the time to do either of these things.Your suposition & personal views & suggestions are so far from what is really happening that you really ought to be ashamed of some of the things you are saying and doing.You obvuoisly have your own motives, but scarmongering like this does not seem befitting of two people who claim to be and have been championed as pillars of our local community.One other final thing, where is your real local support?Reading the local papers, watching TV and scanning the pictures, which tell a thousand stories incidentally, would all seem to indicate around half a dozen local people are regularly involved.Everyone else seems to be from other areas of the country all happy to push the police so far before stepping away and letting the local people take the rap.Am I wrong?Rhonda
Rhonda, rather than concentrating on what Raithlin say in their applications, perhaps you should widen your own enquiries to read the plethora of independent reports, articles and news stories about the consequences of fracking. Then perhaps you could attend one of the public meetings which are well attended by locals and listen to the discussions. If you “take the time” to do these things you will be better informed and I suspect your views may change. After all, surely you can’t make your mind up having heard less than half the story? Or am I wrong? Local support was obvious during the protest March through Beverley in July with at least 150 people joining in. I attended and handed out over 100 leaflets to locals and was encouraged by both the interest and concern our community has over Raithlin’s intentions. As a local, I am in total support and although the Mager’s have never claimed to be “champions” of the community thank god we have them and the protectors who are motivated and informed enough to raise awareness and protect this community against what could be an environmental disaster. Cari Wells.