By Isle of Wight ObserverA Frack free Isle of Wight protest took place in Newport on Wednesday afternoon (September 19).
Around 15 protestors met outside County Hall as part of a wider national demonstration that seeks to raise awareness about a proposed change in planning law.
Campaigners are worried the government’s changes to the law will lead to more fracking and oil drilling nationally – as well as here on the Island.
Sylvia May, a member of Frack Free Isle of Wight said: “Fracking is an untried and untested method of extraction. There have only been two wells drilled in the UK since 2003 – we’ve got lots of evidence from abroad that it’s detrimental to the environment.
“Fracking is not an answer to the future.”
Vix Lowthion, Island Green Party parliamentary candidate was present at the protest, she said the danger of fracking coming to the Island is very real.
She said: “[Fracking] is on the UKOG website (UK Oil and Gas), they are going to put a planning application in – in 2018. I’ve actually had messages from anti-fracking groups across the country that have flagged this up as well.
“A planning application will be going in, in the next few months.
“The Isle of Wight’s reputation is clean, it’s green, it’s family – oil drilling doesn’t really go with that.
“This is not a job creation. For each well it’s about 10 jobs – and most of those come from the mainland. Our jobs are in renewables, not in fossil fuels.”
The protest organisers plan to ask the Isle of Wight Council a question during tonight’s full council meeting.
The peaceful protest ran from 4.30pm until the meeting begins at 6pm.
Isle of Wight Observer