{"id":19714,"date":"2013-12-10T14:29:20","date_gmt":"2013-12-10T14:29:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecowatch.com\/?p=314774"},"modified":"2013-12-10T14:29:20","modified_gmt":"2013-12-10T14:29:20","slug":"protests-stop-chevron-fracking-operations-in-romania","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leedpoints.com\/green-building-blog\/protests-stop-chevron-fracking-operations-in-romania\/","title":{"rendered":"Protests Stop Chevron Fracking Operations in Romania"},"content":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"frackingFI\"<\/p>\n

U.S. oil company Chevron were forced to halt exploratory drilling for shale gas at their drill site in eastern Romania for the second time in as many months, following mass anti-fracking<\/a> protests.<\/p>\n

Around 300 local people turned out for the protest—while an equal number of riot police were called in to restrain activists.<\/p>\n[caption id=\"attachment_314780\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\"]\"frackingFI\"<\/a> Anti-fracking protests have spread across Romania as the government announced it would open the country up for shale gas. Photo credit: Kristian Ngoh \/Creative Commons[\/caption]\n

Protesters and local residents reported the use of police brutality<\/a> as some managed to break through police lines and entered the Chevron site near the town of Pungesti.<\/p>\n

The company gained rights to explore for shale gas in three remote villages in Romania but have been met with strong local opposition. Anti-fracking protests have also erupted across the country, following the government’s plans to open the country up to shale gas.<\/p>\n

The latest round of protests in Pungesti follow a similar event in October<\/a> where around 400 local residents joined together to block Chevron from accessing the site.<\/p>\n

Chevron have now restarted activity on the site<\/a>. The local protests also continue.<\/p>\n

The activists chanted “Stop Chevron” and held banners saying “No drilling allowed here.” Dozens were detained by police.<\/p>\n

Chevron said some equipment had been damaged on the site. “Chevron can today confirm it has suspended activities … as a result of unsafe conditions generated by unlawful and violent protester activities,” it said in a statement emailed to Reuters.<\/p>\n

“Our priority is to conduct our activities in a safe and environmentally responsible manner consistent with the permits under which we operate, however this was not possible today.”<\/p>\n

Shale gas faces opposition due to concerns around fracking, the process of injecting water and chemicals at high pressure into underground rock formations to push out gas.<\/p>\n

Critics, including the Pungesti protesters, say it can pollute water<\/a> supplies and trigger small earthquakes<\/a>. Advocates say it has a strong safety record and point to countries like the U.S., where extensive fracking has driven down energy<\/a> prices.<\/p>\n

Visit EcoWatch’s FRACKING<\/a> page for more related news on this topic.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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