I FEEL the need to respond to Mark Smith's piece on fracking (“SNP’s hot air on fracking is a gross dereliction of duty”, The Herald, October 7), which is problematic is so many ways, although most offensively, it seems to be a huge misrepresentation of the anti-fracking movement in Scotland. It is amazing to me that someone can see the merits of bulldozing years of hard work by Lancashire campaigners and a decision built on the back of a community mobilised in self-defence, although that is not what I am really taking issue with here.
My point is that activists here in Scotland already do act as though we have already have raised the tone of the debate. Groups in Scotland are increasingly referring their members to scientific literature on energy, economics, public health and the environment.
The Broad Alliance of Scottish Communities United Against Unconventional Gas is recognised as an official stakeholder in the Scottish Government's Consultation Process. This meant that community members were invited to publish impact assessments on health, climate change, decommissioning, transport and economics. Community organisations like the Broad Alliance are increasingly signposting to policy-makers and communities what has already been demonstrated in the United States and Australia and has been published within peer-reviewed journals. They are all available on the Broad Alliance's website, so maybe Mr Smith would like to give them a read before judging that communities fearful for their health and future are “hysterical”.
Dan McMahon,
2a Bellevue Road, Kirkintilloch.
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