MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Friends of the Earth network of environmental organizations launched a petition called "the People's Declaration" on Tuesday to oppose the recent decision by the North Yorkshire County Council to support the extraction of shale gas in the Ryedale district by fracking.
"North Yorkshire County Council have said Yes to dangerous fracking. This is despite the opposition of thousands of local residents, businesses and Ryedale District Council… The people of Yorkshire want to make it clear that this decision is not in their name, and they will continue the fight against fracking," the People's Declaration reads.
Third Energy submitted an application to extract shale gas in the Ryedale district in May 2015. Fracking technology has not been used in the United Kingdom since 2011, when the extraction method caused two earth tremors in the area.
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, involves injecting a mixture of toxic chemicals into the ground at high pressure. Along with causing tremors the method is also widely criticized for contaminating ground water, causing soil pollution and producing noise.
