Scotland Imposes Moratorium on Shale Plan Permits

Scotland has imposed a moratorium on shale gas planning permits and is launching an assessment of the impact of shale gas on public health, Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing told the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday.

"We are imposing a moratorium on granting planning consents," the minister, a member of the Scottish National Party, said.

There are currently no shale gas projects underway in Scotland, but a moratorium means no Scottish shale gas plans will be approved until it is lifted.

Scotland is estimated to have around 80 trillion cubic metres of shale gas resources, enough to cover all of Britain's gas needs for more than 30 years.
 

Reporting by Karolin Schaps