LVIV – Lviv regional council has not obtained a draft agreement from Chevron on the extraction of shale gas, and the council is not ready to agree to it.
“It’s annoying, but the ecology and natural resources minister presented untrue information. Lviv Regional Council has not received a draft agreement. The lawmakers have not seen it and they don’t know its content. In particular, it’s unknown how the shale gas agreements will impact the local communities on the territory of which Chevron plans to develop fields,” reads a statement of Lviv Regional Council Chairman Petro Kolodiy.
“Mutual understanding is out of the question, as the regional council has obtained neither information on risks of shale gas extraction, nor the formula of the mixture used in hydro-fracking, nor information on how extraction threatens the quality and reserves of drinking water, nor guarantees of environmental and human safety from either the government and Chevron,” Kolodiy said, commenting a statement of Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Oleh Proskuriakov that the government has reached mutual understanding with authorities of regions, on the territory of which Chevron will extract shale gas.
He said that the position of Lviv Regional Council in the issue is steadfast.
“First we demand that there be conclusions on the environment risks of extraction on the basis of serious studies, which are to be examined by Ukrainian scientists. The communities are to receive guarantees on the fulfillment of investment liabilities of the company and the liquidation of possible threats to environment, while the regional council as a local government agency, is to thoroughly study the PSA agreement and bring the information to the communities, and after agreeing it with the communities, make a decision,” Kolodiy said.
