Reuters: UK environment agency likely to grant permits for shale firm Cuadrilla
Britain's Environment Agency said on Monday it would likely approve environmental permits for shale gas firm Cuadrilla Resources at a site in northwest England.
The approval, which is pending a second-stage consultation during which the public can comment on the agency's draft permits, would be a next step for Cuadrilla to press ahead with a four-well exploration programme at Preston New Road in Lancashire.
Britain is betting on the development of shale gas extraction to counter a decline in energy resources from the North Sea, but concerns about the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, used to extract shale gas have caused local protests.