Community Release Frack Report for "Dirty As" tour

24th July 2012

Climate Justice Taranaki have teamed up with some other concerned locals to put on a public tour of some of Taranaki's 39 frack sites this Saturday 28 July. They will also be releasing a report on the Taranaki Regional Council's mismanagement of oil and gas related sites.

"The tour is looking to be a great opportunity for locals and those from further afield to visit some of the Taranaki frack sites. We already have a busload coming from another part of the country and the bus we hired is almost booked out." said member of Climate Justice Taranaki Emily Bailey.

"Our "Dirty As" bus tour will take media and anyone interested to several sites where fracking chemicals and drilling wastes were allowed to be put onto the land and be dumped into waterways. Some of these sites the regional council admit they didn't even know existed."

"We will see what it's like living next to the 24/7 flares and drill rigs. We will see why people worry whether their water is safe to drink and wonder about family members who are sick"

"As companies are aggressively expanding business, more and more people are rightly refusing to sign consents. The regional council, who is very much a part of the oil and gas industry with their council-owned port making millions from it, are going around those they are supposed to protect. Within the last few months fracking consents have been granted by TRC for many oil companies for multiple wellsites."

A report will be released at the beginning of the tour which details numerous problems with the council's management of fracking operations. One section has been released today which states:

"Todd Energy Ltd Hydraulic fracturing data for North Taranaki: A review of the 4 wellsites subject to 9 hydraulic fracturing operations in this area found no environmental monitoring reports published for 3 of the 4 sites and only visual monitoring occurring at the other. There are 3 more fracking consents recently granted for their Mangahewa A, C and D wellsites."

Everyone is welcome on the frack tour. Meet at Ngaere Hall near Stratford at 10am. Email climatejusticetaranaki@riseup.net to book a $10 seat on the bus or follow in your own car. Maps will be provided. A virtual tour will be repeated at 7pm at the Eltham Presbyterian Camp followed by social korero and a cup of tea.

For anyone concerned about damage to Taranaki's eco-tourism, the tour will also point out the many historic, beautiful and iconic sites of Taranaki too, for contrast.

Climate Justice Taranaki

http://climatejusticetaranaki.info
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_205878806095057
http://nodrilling.wordpress.com/taranaki/

ENDS

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