Dear Friends
Thank you to all who have signed the petition and a really big thanks to those who spoke out at the coal mine planning inquiry about the earthquake/subsidence risks to Sellafield. Because of all of you the Planning Inquiry will now *touch on* seismicity and proximity to Sellafield. (The Planning Inspector stated this at the beginning of today’s proceedings)
We need to make sure that Cumbria County Council do more than *touch on* serious public health and safety concerns by requiring the developer West Cumbria Mining to agree to s106 conditions on seismicity at least as stringent as the Fracking Traffic Light System (s106 are conditions to be placed on the coal mine should the Secretary of State give approval)
Please do write to Cumbria County Council and copy to the Planning Inspectorate asking that a Traffic Light System at least as stringent as that for fracking is placed on the coal mine as part of the s106 conditions.
It is Cumbria County Council who have the power to insist on this condition on seismicity to safeguard us from earthquakes should this coal mine be given the go ahead. It is incredible that the issue of tree planting and landscaping is being given far more attention than the almost taboo fact that this coal mine, just five miles from Sellafield, WILL induce earthquakes.
The earthquake likelihood and potential nuclear fallout including resuspension of radioactive silts under the Irish Sea would have gone unrecorded had it not been for those who spoke on nuclear impacts.
Heartfelt Thank you to Irene Sanderson from North Cumbria CND, Lindy Powell, John Ashton, Neil Wilson and Samagita Moisha who all raised the nuclear/earthquake issue. I spoke on behalf of Radiation Free Lakeland and followed up with a letter urging Cumbria County Council and the Planning Inquiry to put conditions at least as stringent as those for fracking on the coal mine should the Secretary of State grant permission.
Please do write to Cumbria County Council and copy to the Planning Inspectorate asking that a Traffic Light System at least as stringent as that for fracking is placed on the coal mine as part of the s106 conditions (conditions placed on developments).
Email Cumbria County Council: Paul.Haggin@cumbria.gov.uk
copy to the Planning Inspectorate: ELZABETH.HUMPHREY@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
Our letter can be seen here – your letter doesn’t need to be long – here is a suggestion for inspiration : Please ensure a Traffic Light System at least as stringent as that for fracking is placed on the coal mine which is just five miles from the world’s riskiest nuclear waste site and directly under decades of radioactive wastes now on the sea-bed.
Remember to include your name and address.
The coal mine operators do not propose stopping operations even if earthquakes of a far greater magnitude than 0.5 ML occur. This is outrageous given that coal mining is known to induce earthquakes of 3 ML and more.
Geologist Peter Styles in his 2018 paper said: UK Seismic Traffic Light Thresholds postulate a cessation and subsequent modification (or even halting) of fracking activities if an earthquake of magnitude 0.5 ML occurs. This size of event corresponds to a movement of only a few millimetres on a short fault segment of a larger fault. Fracking and Historic Coal Mining: Their relationship and should they coincide? by Professor Emeritus Peter Styles
Finally, Thank you for signing the petition Coal Produces More Earthquakes than Fracking, So Lets Talk About Sellafield and the Mine, we will keep the petition open to raise awareness, you can help spread the word by sharing.
Many Thanks!
Marianne Birkby
Keep Cumbrian Coal in the Hole 
Reblogged this on RADIATION FREE LAKELAND.
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My comment on coal mine induced seismicity – From memory in the (Peter?) Styles [of Keele University] (Fracking induced) report to Parliament (approx 3 years ago). From memory a record of a (deep) coal mine induced tremor near Stafford 0.1stronger on Richter scale than (recorded) strongest UK Fracking induced tremor Have been issues of disclosure of Fracking induced tremors – suspect Non Disclosure agreements.
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