Letters in the Westmorland Gazette – For and Against the first deep coal mine in the UK for 30 years

From this month’s Guardian (whose lack of critical coverage of the first deep coal mine in the UK for 30 years is viewed with growing alarm)

A couple of weeks ago there was a letter in the Westmorland Gazette (based in Kendal) from Kent Brooks.  The letter was critical of opposition to the coal mine plan and advocating nostalgic support for the first deep coal mine in the UK for 30 years.  The same week a Kent Brooks from Kendal also had a letter in the Sunday Times advocating strong opposition to “the most environmentally damaging of energy sources”  coal mining while plugging the “need” for new nuclear.  Quite a feat that, having two opposing views printed in the press in the same week!

Following Kent Brooks letter there have been other letters of support for the coal mine in the Westmorland Gazette but these have been overwhelmed by letters of opposition!

Kent Brooks in the Sunday Times two weeks ago speaking of Angela Merkel“After the disaster at Fukushima she closed down the German nuclear power stations, to the delight of the Greens, although these installations were not threatened by earthquakes and tsunamis.  To plug the gap there has been a massive upsurge in the burning of coal, the most environmentally damaging of energy sources:  a blunder that has worldwide consequences.”

Kent Brooks, Kendal, Cumbria.

Kent Brooks Letter to the Westmorland Gazette “A Long History of Mining” (1st March 2018)  “this mine is part of a proud tradition”

In Support of the view that there should be a nostalgic return to coal mining in Cumbria :

“I fully support the views of Kent Brooks…he is quite right when he says it is an indigenous industry and would be of great benefit to the area”  R Quirk

In Opposition :

“In coking coals heyday … Sellafield was a farming hamlet. Now it is a sprawling nuclear site reprocessing spent nuclear fuel….As well as subsidence risk  on the Irish Sea bed it is well documented that extraction of fossil fuels causes earthquakes.”   Marianne Birkby (Keep Cumbrian Coal in the Hole – edited out)

“Anyone who has children and wants them to grow up in a safe world should be demanding that the plan for new deep coal mining in western Cumbria must not be allowed to go ahead”  Andy Mason

“Coal mining is a backward step and one of the technologies that threatens the viability of our planet. Far better, and more responsible for Cumbria, would be to move with the times..”  Dr Ruth Balogh West Cumbria and North Lakes Friends of the Earth.