The film documentary, ‘Gasland’, will be shown by The Black Box, 18 – 22 Hill Street, Belfast BT1 2LA on Tuesday 15th November 2011 at 7pm.
‘Gasland’ is an award-winning independent documentary exposing the perilous effects of natural gas drilling (also called ‘hydraulic-fracturing’ or ‘fracking’) on communities in America.
A panel discussion will follow the screening: with Stephen Agnew MLA (Leader of the Green Party), Niall Bakewell (Friends of the Earth), Cllr Dónal Cunningham (SDLP, Moyle Council) and Domnhnall Ó Cobhthaigh (Fermanagh Fracking Awareness Network).
Plans are in place to allow fracking over a large area of Northern Ireland. Licenses have been issued for Central Larne-Lough Neagh Basin, Lough Allen Basin- including Fermanagh, Rathlin Basin and Rathlin Island.
The film has been called “a horror movie and wake up call to the process of fracking”, highlighting, as it does, communities who, lured by the promise of profit, are now experiencing the consequences of fracking, including the loss of potable ground water (i.e. water pure enough to be consumed), flammable taps and general environmental degradation.
The showing of ‘Gasland’ in the Black Box has been organised by local people appalled at the thought of the consequences of the fracking process.
In a joint statement Michael McEvoy and Tyler McNally said
“The people of Northern Ireland must become totally aware of what is planned. A full review of the decision to grant licenses must be sought together with a ban on the actual fracking process which could severely impact on our tourism industry, agriculture, water quality, environment and our health. We are encouraging as many people as possible to come along to this showing of ‘Gasland’. If people need persuading just imagine what it would be like if you turned on your kitchen tap and you couldn’t drink the water but you could light it.”
A recent report released by shale gas firm Cuadrilla Resources (Wednesday 2 November 2011) shows that fracking was the probable cause of the recent earth tremors in Lancashire. It has been admitted to The ‘Independent’ by Stefan Baisch one of the report’s authors that up to 50 tremors occured. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/exclusive-fracking-company–we-caused-50-tremors-in-blackpool–but-were-not-going-to-stop-6256397.html
Friends of the Earth and other environmental organisations in Northern Ireland are giving their full support to the anti-fracking campaign. Senior Climate Campaigner from Friends of the Earth, Tony Bosworth said
“This report shows fracking for shale gas caused earth tremors in Lancashire; experience in the US shows it could also pollute air and water supplies. Extracting shale gas would suck vital funding away from clean and safe energy alternatives that could create thousands more UK jobs. An early seismic detection system won’t be enough to make local people feel safe – there should be no more fracking in the UK until the health and environmental impacts are fully understood.”
For more information please call Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland 028 90233488 or Michael McEvoy 07519 567366.
For information regarding the venue please call The Black Box 028 9024 4400
