GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - On Monday 11 July,the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, published controversial proposed regulations to facilitate exploration and production of onshore oil and gas requiring hydraulic fracturing.

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Karoo has been the subject of heated debate for more than a decade. 

The Graaff-Reinet-based socio-environmental organisation, Support Centre for Land Change (SCLC) has been resisting fracking in the Karoo since 2012 and made it clear that they will continue to do so.

"Water intensive extractive activities such as fracking can never be justified in a region without adequate water resources to sustain the livelihoods of its communities. The fact that most Karoo communities are already totally reliant on underground water qualifies the risk of fracking fluids leaking into the underground water table as an imminent threat to life in the Karoo. In addition to the probable contamination of our water resources, fracking will also put the air and soil quality at risk. Moreover, the evident climate emergency, with increasing climate disasters, urges a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy resources," SCLC said.

Methane released from unconventional gas has more than 80 times the warming capacity of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere and is responsible for at least 25% of global warming. South Africa is warming at twice the average global rate and therefore methane reductions are crucial for climate change mitigation.

Members of the public are invited to submit written comments or input on the proposed regulations within 45 days after the publication of this notice in the Gazette to any of the following addresses:

By post:

• Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
  The Director-general
  Attention: Dr Dee Fischer
  Private Bag X447
  Pretoria
  0001

By hand:

• Reception, Environment House, 473 Steve Biko Road, Arcadia, Pretoria

By e-mail:

• dfischer@dffe.gov.za

Any inquiries in connection with the notice can be directed to Dr Dee Fischer at dfischer@dffe.gov.za or (012) 339 8843.

Comments or input received after the closing date may not be considered.

The proposed regulations on the exploration and production of onshore oil and gas.

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