Controversial plans are in the pipeline to develop a 94 acre site on Blackburn’s outskirts for industrial development. But a dispute has blown up over whether nuclear waste was dumped under this site when it was a disused coal mine back in the 1950’s.
At the same time another interested party has also expressed a desire to develop this land near Blackburn’s junction 5 of the M65 motorway. An unnamed fracking company said this land would be ideal for carrying out hydraulic fracturing operations and they are so confident rumours of past nuclear dumping are false, they want to carry out a controlled explosion to demonstrate this site’s safety.
Still reeling from fracking activity being banned in Britain, this fracking firm believes it could help kick-start their drilling process back into action across Britain. They rubbished accusations of causing earth tremors not so many miles away from Blackburn, claiming what everybody really saw was freak activity out at sea, probably caused by a mini tsunami. They say these events happen across the world and are part of nature.
One of the fracking directors said there is nothing to worry about as regards this current disputed site. People have been watching its surroundings very carefully for donkey’s years due to rumours of alleged nuclear dumping. Even the slightest hint of any kind of dumping activity would have bound to have been spotted by environmentalists. There have been no signs of problems with wildlife either. Nobody has seen any two headed sheep, lop-sided seagulls or owned dogs with learning difficulties.
This director stated fracking would be ideal to take place in what was originally a former coal mine. After all, wasn’t the hydraulic fracturing process a form of mining? What could be better for Blackburn than bringing back its mining heritage and one of its old industrial sites. Plus, being a former colliery, there’s bound to be loads of gas down there, just waiting to be put on tap.
He also said he thought those gigantic wind turbines a few miles away were an eyesore and a blot on the landscape. Whereas a fracking well would mean a big improvement for the local landscape. When questioned about previous fracking protests complaining about dangers which had been caused to places around the world, the director said there was no need to worry about accidents, especially with an A&E Department at Royal Blackburn Hospital barely a mile down the road from this proposed site.
Not many people are happy with fracking. Even less with the idea of hiding nuclear waste underground. Out of sight is definitely not out of mind. A very difficult subject, but it’s certainly not ‘boring’.