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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Aletha Adu

Liz Truss urged to relax earthquake limits on fracking ahead of ban lift

Liz Truss is being urged to relax the limits on earthquakes caused by fracking to unlock Britain’s gas reserves.

The Prime Minister is set to lift the ban on fracking as soon as next week to make Britain energy independent by 2040.

Current rules require drilling to stop if it causes tremors of 0.5 or more on the Richter scale.

Experts say the limit blocks the ability for shale gas to be exploited fully.

According to the Royal Society, tremors of up to magnitude 2 are not generally felt by people above ground and fracking is not expected to cause tremors of more than magnitude 3.

Liz Truss speaks outside No10 Downing Street (REUTERS)

Fracking is a technique for recovering gas and oil from shale rock by drilling into the earth.

It was banned in England in 2019 after new research raised fresh fears over the risk of earthquakes.

Ms Truss's plan to lift the fracking ban in England comes despite the Tory manifesto pledging not to do so unless it was scientifically proven to be safe amid concerns over earthquakes.

The Government was due to publish a British Geological Survey review into extracting shale gas on Thursday, which officials said showed more drilling is required to establish data.

But Downing Street said this will now not be published until after the mourning period, with the official spokesman saying it will come “as soon as that period has concluded”.

Liz Truss's own Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, said only six months ago that fracking was not the answer to the energy crisis (Getty Images)

The manifesto-busting move enraged green groups, with Friends of the Earth saying it is "disruptive, unpopular and will do little to boost energy security or bring down bills".

Critics questioned whether the policy will actually make much difference, since locals could block fracking wells in their area. Leveling-Up Secretary Simon Clarke confirmed: "Consent will lie at the heart of our energy policy - community consent."

And Ms Truss's own Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, said only six months ago that fracking was not the answer to the energy crisis.

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