Silent Spring on steroids

Last night's fracking meeting in Dover painted a picture that was akin to Silent Spring on steroids.

Ian Crane talked eloquently about the misinformation and deceitfulness of the government and oil companies. He showed the process of lining the wells with concrete - a process that seemed to me so easily flawed that I would find it hard to believe that any well lining could ever remain properly sealed. He spoke about the 50% of fracking water that stays in the ground - some of which finds it way into aquifers and even more worrying, the 50% that needs to be disposed of once it comes back out of the bore hole. There seems to be no solution in this country to deal with this water.

He talked of the Australian problems, such as the attempt to evaporate the spent water. An attempt that threw chemicals into the air and caused illness to people living nearby. He talked of the early onset of dementia in Colorado, people in their 40s and 50s.

He spoke of the target for 10% of gas to come from fracking. A target that would need 3000 fracking sites across the country. 2 million gallons of water are used on each well - 6 billions gallons would be needed.

And to really upset the Daily Mail readers, he spoke of the house price crash around Blackpool and the lack of house insurance.

Graham Warren from CPRE showed the fault lines around Dover and the impact that would have on the water.

Sue Taylor, a Balcombe resident was quite moving as she discussed their situation. She spoke warmly of the protestors who had treated the village with respect and the villagers who had been a key part of the protest.

Most poignant was her comment that the birds left her garden after the drilling started. She lives 1/2 mile down wind of the site and her garden became silent.