In SA we seem to have a lot of armchair activists. You know the type, they receive one hysterically worded chain email on the latest disaster about to befall them or the country, before hastily sending it on and discussing it, in loud scandalised tones, at the next social gathering. Each one, suddenly having become an expert based on a tiny snippet of information, posting smugly to Facebook their outrage at *insert latest hot issue here*.
The recent lifting of the moratorium on franking in the Karoo has not only released an army of these armchair activists but also an outflow of the specific bread of vitriolic greenie beanies who vehemently see any form of mining as pure evil, to be stopped at all cost, forgetting that the very components of all the devices they campaign off were in some way or another all mined for (refer to earlier post 'A Necessary Evil' for more on this). What most people seem to be missing, in this whole fracking commotion, is the facts of the matter and a basic understanding the processes involved in fracking. Now this is not anybodies fault except perhaps maybe those greenie beanies who paint only doom and gloom from their soap boxes. So bear with me while I try to paint a more balanced picture.
Firstly let us look at some of the facts:
- The moratorium that has been lifted simply allows people to apply for Prospecting Rights. This allows the mining companies to explore the resource and see if it is feasible to frack in the first place. Should they find the resource is minable they will then apply for a Mining Right which requires numerous environmental approvals. So the moratorium being lifted just allows us to better understand what the pro's and con's are and to quantify the dangers.
- South Africa has some of the most stringent environmental law in the world. In order to mine any area one needs approvals from Environmental Affairs, The Department of Mineral Resources and from Water Affairs. Not to mention town planning and other various applicable legislations. Each of these application processes requires widespread public consultation, in which all comments have to be addressed. Furthermore each of these processes has an appeal process some of which are independent tribunals. Any authorisation given and upheld on appeal can also be challenged in the courts including the Constitutional Court. Now I know the greenies and armchair activities will argue that then why do mining companies get away with any environmental damage. Basically it comes down to how determined people are to challenge an activity. Appeals and court challenges can be lengthy and costly but if you are willing to go the distance, as shown with the e-toll saga, approvals can be challenged in court.
- The karoo is a sensitive landscape and the environmental law makes specific provisions for these types of areas. In addition the water act requires water reserves to be calculated before any licenses are issued to ensure that no one activity will result in communities or other water users being denied access to water.
- Should all the requisite environmental controls be in place, the groundwater should not be affected by Fracking. This is because the shale gas is situated in very deep rocks well below the water table (which we access for drinking and irrigation). Water that may be affected is something called the 'ancient water'. In the ancient waters natural state it is subject to intense pressure and exposed to high quantities of mineral contaminants which result in this water being toxic and unsuitable for human consumption or crop irrigation. This water does not interact with the groundwater and thus there is limited risk of cross contamination.
- Monthly water monitoring is standard with any mining operation. Risk assessments and emergency plans are in place to deal with any contamination of water resources should it be detected. In addition such contamination would only occur if there was a failure in the fracking infrastructure at which point the gas companies would detect the problem before any spills resulted in significant groundwater pollution.
- Fracking has been taking place in the Waterberg for over twenty years. There has been no implosion of the ecosystem or water resources to date.
Now I am neither for nor against fracking but I am against any mass hysteria that results from a lack of fact and understanding. The best course of action here is to remember that mining in a necessary evil to keep your lights on and your life as you know it. Even solar and wind power require steel and copper components to produce energy. There is no truely green energy or technology. Treading carefully is always advised and a proper understanding of the possible dangers as well as the pro's will only allow us to make a better decisions with regards fracking. The lifting of the moratorium simply allows us to acquire these facts. It is a long road to mining in the Karoo and there is no need for anybody to panic...
'The scream no more mariachi' - Anangelia Thompson
