20 Amendments of Silvia-Adriana ȚICĂU related to 2011/2309(INI)
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that various estimates of shale gas resources in Europe have been made, including by the US Energy Information Administration; recognises that, although these estimates are, by their very nature, imprecise, they point to the existence of a large indigenous energy resource; notes that most of Europe’s oil shale reserves are concentrated in Estonia and that other sources of uncpoints out that these estimates are imprecise, and that there is insufficient data on the dangers arising from shale gas exploration and oil shale; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that the safety of European citizens and the health of the environvmentional oil have yet to be explored in Europe on a wider scale are not impaired by the exploitation of alternative resources;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that policy-makers would benefit from more exact data to enable them to make informed choices; agrees, therefore, with the European Council that Europe’s potential for sustainable extraction and use of shale gas and oil shale resources should be assessed and mapped; welcomes the assessments made by Member States andcalls on the Member States to carry out impact studies on the impact of these operations on the environment and the local communities; encourages them Member States to continue this work, and asks the Commission to contribute to determining the level of available shale gas reserves in the Union by assembling results from Member States’ assessments and available results from exploration projects with a view to analysing and assessing the economic and environmental viability and the impact on the local communities of domestic shale gas production;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission, in the face of gas market evolution and the growth of hub-based pricing in Europe, to address, at the next meeting of the EU-–US Energy Council, the potential impact of worldwide shale gas development on the LNG markeenvironment and on the lifting of possible restrictions to global LNG tradesafety of the population;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Observes that consumption of natural gas is on the rise; recognises, therefore, the crucial role of worldwide shale gas production in ensuring energy security and diversity in the long term, including in Europe; is aware that domestic production of shale gas willcan contribute to security of supply, bearing in mind Member States’ dependence on natural gas imports from third countries; stresses, however, that it is crucial to adopt other security-of-supply measures and policies, and to protect the environment and the local communities close to these operations, such as improving energy efficiency, ensuring sufficient gas storage facilities, diversifying gas supplies and transit routes and building reliable partnerships with supplier, transit and consumer countries;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that a fully-functioning, interconnected and integrated internal EU energy market is also essential, including with a view to taking full advantage of possible shale gas production in the EU which should not adversely affect the environment and the local communities close to this type of operation; calls on the Commission and the Member States to pursue this objective vigorously, in particular by ensuring a smooth transition to the requirements of the EU third energy package, with a view to harmonising European markets by 2014;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Is of the view that developing shale gas in the EU will help achieve the EU’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80-– 95% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels, which is the basis of the Energy Roadmap for 2050;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Agrees with the Commission that gas will be critical for the transformation of the energy system, as stated in the above- mentioned Roadmap, since it represents a quick and cost-efficient way of reducing reliance on other, dirtier fossil fuels, thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions; believes that shale gas could, as a ‘bridge fuel’, play a critical role in this, particularly in those Member States that use large amounts of coal in power generation should the impact studies conclude that these operations do not adversely affect the environment, particularly groundwater, nor the local communities close to these operations;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Remarks also that certain forms of renewable energy –— for example, wind power –— are not constant and need to be backed up by a reliable and flexible energy source; expresses the view that natural gas – including shale gas – could serve that purpose; recognises, however, that without carbon capture and storage (CCS), gas may, in the long term, be limited to such a back-up and balancing role;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission, in line with the EU Energy Roadmap 2050 strategy, to evaluate the impact of andeconomic and environmental impact and the impact on the local human communities as well as the prospects for unconventional gas in the EU, whilst recognising that the extent of unconventional gas use in the EU will ultimately be decided by the market;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Underlines the importance of supporting the development of the shale gas industry by carrying out in-depth studies on the impact of these operations on the environment and on the local human communities, and, should these impact studies be favourable, by establishing the necessary infrastructure, particularly in terms of pipelines and roads;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the Commission to evaluate the possible economic benefits of shale gas, including employment opportunities, as well as the impact of these operations on the environment and on the local human communities;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that the EU’s energy and climate policy needs to recognise and tackle the potential investment barriers to shale gas development in the EU, should the in-depth impact studies prove that there is no negative impact on the environment and on the local communities;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on the Member States to ensure they put in place the necessary administrative and monitoring resources for the development of shale gas activities, including the carrying out of impact studies on the effects of these operations on the environment and on the local human communities;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Notes that the current licensing procedure for shale gas exploration is regulated by general mining or hydrocarbon legislation; expresses the view that the regulatory framework in the EU for early exploration is adequateshould be adapted to the particular conditions of this type of operation;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Stresses the importance of fully consulting the public, particularly in the context of the introduction of a new approach in gas exploration; points out that, in certain Member States, there is a lack of public consultation in the authorisation phase; calls on the Member States to evaluate their legislation to see whether proper account is taken of this aspectinclude, in this aspect, the obligation of a public consultation process in the legislation relevant to the licensing of shale gas exploration;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that the modifications to the legal framework necessary for the licensing of shale gas exploration requires an obligatory approval from the local authorities affected;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Is well aware that public attitudes to shale gas development vary between the Member States; calls for better public information relating to shale gas operations and supports the creation of portals providing access to a wide range of public information on shale gas operations, as well as their possible impact on the environment and on the local human communities; urges companies that intend to extracting shale gas in the EU to provide, prior to drilling, full information on their activities, including public disclosure of the chemicals they intend to use in hydraulic fracturing;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes that it is particularly important for EU shale gas operators to engage and build strong relationships with local communities at every stage of their operations, given that the EU has a higher population density than the USA and landowners in Europe do not own underground resources and so do not benefit directly from extraction, as in the USA; calls on shale gas companies to ensure local communities benefit from shale gas development and hold insurance and financial guarantees to cover eventual damages should there be a negative impact on the environment and on the local human communities;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Underlines the importance of operatorsCalls for the establishment of an obligation to reclaiming and restoringe the land used and conducting post-operational monitoring on completion of their activities;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Recalls that the ‘polluter pays’ principle would apply to shale gas operations and that companies would bexploiting shale gas are liable for any damage they might cause;