News Update: Consultation on unconventional oil and gas
Added on 19 March 2017
On 31 January, Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, announced the launch of the public consultation on unconventional oil and gas in Scotland. The consultation explores the evidence on the potential impacts of shale oil and gas, and coal bed methane, and the technologies involved in extraction, including hydraulic fracturing.
The Minister confirmed that the consultation is open to all, and encouraged all interested parties to take part in the consultation via the Scottish Government’s consultation platform, Citizen Space, at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/fracking-unconventional-oil-and-gas/. The consultation will last for four months, and we are inviting responses by 31 May. The news release on the launch of the consultation can be read here: http://news.gov.scot/
There are a number of ways for you and your members to engage in the consultation. In addition to publishing this consultation document, we have launched a temporary unconventional oil and gas website, which you can access here: www.talkingfracking.scot. The site has been designed to provide a user-friendly route to accessing all the materials and evidence that support this consultation. We encourage those wishing to explore the issues further to visit this site.
A discussion pack has been prepared to help communities and stakeholders to explore and discuss the issues in groups. This can be accessed through our unconventional oil and gas website: www.talkingfracking.scot. The results of those discussions can be submitted to the Scottish Government and will be treated as a formal response to this consultation.
The consultation is also available in alternate formats on request, including Easy Read, large print, Braille, British Sign Language and other languages. You can request these by emailing us at requestalternativeconsultation@gov.scot or calling us on 0131 244 9380. We are also happy to receive responses in alternative formats, e.g. spoken responses, other languages.
Further information, including frequently asked questions and group discussion packs, can be found at www.talkingfracking.scot. The consultation document can be accessed at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/fracking-unconventional-oil-and-gas/.