400-days environmental protest stopped shale gas drilling in Poland
Chevron Corporation had to stop shale gas drilling in the village of Zurawlow (Poland) as the huge environmental protest burst out.
During 400 days citizens from polish village Zurawlow and other four neighborhood villages kept on blocking drilling site belonged to Chevron, an American corporation with tractors and other agricultural machines. Finally the company had no choice but to abandon its plans concerning shale gas drilling in this region.
“Every time they performed any activity we went on strike”, - says the leader of “Green Zurawlow”, a local protest group, - “We made banners and posters and put them around the village. There are only 96 of us in this village including children and old people, but with the combined efforts we managed to stop Chevron’s actions”
This protest made strong influence on people who are against shale gas drilling and caused similar protests in all regions of the country as Poland became so-called European front line in shale gas drilling.
Shale industry was supposed to start commercial drilling back in 2014 and according to former Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s announcement there was no harm to environment.
Still the plans to revive the national economy by shale gas drilling remained unperformed. Wells tests were not carried as it was expected or there were constant regulatory delays. After all foreign investors refused from this project and showed their support to environmental protests like that one in Zurawlow when citizens prevented the company from starting their drilling process.
