Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what length of time baseline monitoring of methane in groundwater for hydraulic fracturing developments must take place before consent for such developments may be issued.

The Environment Agency would typically require a minimum of three months baseline monitoring of methane in groundwater for each site proposing to undertake hydraulic fracturing. The Environment Agency may require a longer period of monitoring should they deem it necessary.

The environmental permit will specify requirements for groundwater monitoring, including monitoring for methane. Establishing a baseline will enable any subsequent changes to methane levels in groundwater to be detected and managed. All monitoring must be conducted by companies accredited by the Environment Agency’s Monitoring Certification Scheme.