German Brauer: Fracking-law is inadequate – Handelsblatt

Osnabrueck The German brewers planned fracking law of the Federal Government have been criticized as inadequate. The Chief Executive of the German Brewers Federation, Holger Eichele said the “New Osnabrück newspaper” on Thursday that it was “preposterous and utterly incomprehensible” that drinking water wells from food manufacturers and fountain of breweries, mineral and medicinal springs are not covered. This would not specially protected.

the exception is justified by the federal government, according to the Brewers with Federal legal problems. Together with the Association of German mineral water as well as the union Food and Catering (NGG) called the Brauer-Bund according to the report an “alliance for the protection of water” to life, to achieve strict requirements for energy production through fracking.

Fracking: blessing or environmental crimes

• Bitter dispute

  New technologies are often controversial. But when the fracking controversy goes far beyond the normal level. Is the conveyor system for natural gas of the environment’s number one enemy since the nuclear power? Or just a misunderstood but promising technology?

• The technique

  When Fracking is miles deep drilled in the earth – and then again horizontally, sometimes six kilometers wide. In the channels a chemical cocktail is pressed, the tears the ground. Sand in the liquid ensures that the cracks do not close again. Through them, contact the natural gas – or other commodities – from which may be supported as usual

• The scenery <. / h5>

  The Canadian Dawson Creek only a derrick, 50 meters was high. Then the actual fracking came: six huge trucks are close together and pump the brine into the wells, 100,000 cubic meters per wellfield. One does not hear yourself speak, but the workers look almost bored on the measuring instruments. Your layers are hard, the wages are 70,000 to 140,000 euros a year. They’re gone, is also the noise away. Then to the gas 20, quietly exceed 30 years from the Earth in the pipelines.

• Opponents

  Don Vander Velde is 68 years old. He has lived in the country in Alberta, Canada his whole life, which is part of his family since 1904. For a decade, is gefrackt nearby. “Sometimes, the ground shakes,” says the farmer. “And what chemicals are in there?” Don is worried because he has children, grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. Little Aspen is ten months. “I am old, but I do not want to squander their future.” He had nothing against the promotion. “I want energy. Alberta needs the gas as it needs us farmers. So fosters! But make it sure! “

• Company

  Encana Fracking is a giant and Kellen Foreman is for eleven years. “We want transparency,” asserts the 29-year-old. That’s why tens of thousands of water samples were analyzed for millions of dollars. “And not a single contamination of drinking water is somewhere in Canada has been proven.” And the shocks? Measurable only with fine instruments. He could totally understand people’s concerns. “But there’s a lot of science behind fracking. We are not cowboys who go out there and dig up the earth. This is high technology. “

• The politician

  Hannelore Kraft is 8000 km traveled far to make for yourself. With a red jumpsuit and white helmet Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia is in the mud of Dawson Creek in the wilderness of Canada, speaks with workers, examined the drill heads and touches the chemical liquor that is pressed. “I can imagine that in the Münsterland not really,” she says. Force is impressed, it shows in her. Also from the openness of the workers and the drilling company – in the eyes of many but the “bad guys”. But the technique can be used also in Germany, a country that has more than twice as many inhabitants as America on a thirtieth of the area? “It is not yet ready to decide. But I can hardly imagine that in the densely populated Rhine-Westphalia. “

• The scientist

  Uwe Schneidewind is one of the few fracking experts in Germany. The professor and President of the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy sees four points for the assessment of Fracking: (“do not touch Unconventional carbon deposits as possible”) climate policy, economic (“workplace effect is present but limited”; “gas price drops, but in Europe unsustainable “), geo-strategic (” dependence on others decreases, but “) and ecological (” itself remains in the solution of many problems in Europe are not really attractive “).

• The Movies

  “Gasland” was a worldwide success. The documentary by Josh Fox from the year 2010 was not only nominated for an Oscar, but he has put the issue Fracking also for the general public only on the agenda. In the key scene of a faucet is turned on and lit the water – it burns. Sharp criticism came from the industry, but also by a colleague: In “Frack nation” accused filmmaker Phelim McAleer his colleagues Fox to have been knowingly inaccurate. So there have been reports of inflamed tap water long before fracking. There are now “Gasland II”. When the documentary was shown in April at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival, fans were of “Frack Nation”, despite cards not be admitted.

Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks (SPD) had announced in the “Rheinische Post” on Wednesday last week to ban the controversial fracking technology for shale gas until at least 2021. At the same time for the conventional fracking, which is available in Germany for decades, commencing with strict conditions. For the Federal Government of the protection of drinking water and health a top priority had, it said.

In the fracking method, a mixture of sand, water and chemicals is forced into the ground to split rock under high pressure and to promote the natural gas contained therein. The technology is controversial because the drinking water may be contaminated by the chemicals used.