Calls For Clarity On Unconventional Energy Plans

Fife Council is calling for clarity from the Scottish Government around the future of unconventional oil and gas developments.

Fife Council are calling for MSP support on the plans for underground coal gasification (UCG), a technique that produces gas from underground coal seams.

Fife is one of the local authority areas which is likely to be most impacted by unconventional energy.

Councillors are seeking to ensure that both elected representatives and communities play an active role in the planning and consultation process.

Fife Council's Depute Leader and Executive Spokesperson for Economy and Planning, Councillor Lesley Laird, is urging Fife MSPs to get behind her call to the Scottish Government to include UCG as part of the moratorium on unconventional oil and gas developments.

Councillor Laird says "UCG must be included in the moratorium. It is unthinkable that Fife could be put in the position of having to deal with a planning application without due diligence being carried out in terms of non-conventional energy. Clarity and transparency are now needed around this pressing issue."