Following Gaia’s revelation that “independent” medical charity Medact’s report into fracking was a nothing more than green propaganda written by anti-fracking activists, Lancashire County Council’s planning officers have poured scorn on the report’s authority.

“The Medact report has not produced new epidemiological research but has reviewed published literature and has requested short papers from relevant experts in particular subject areas. It has also interviewed academics and experts. Unfortunately one [Mike Hill] of the contributors (contributing to three of the report’s six chapters (ie 2, 4 and 5)) has led a high profile campaign in the Fylde related to shale gas…. This has led to questions from some quarters about the report’s objectivity. In light of these uncertainties it is not clear how much weight the county council should attach to the report.”

Medact will be wheeling out their “experts” at a public meeting in Preston today, in an effort to influence Lancashire County Council’s decision over whether to green-light the drilling of two fracking wells next week. They don’t know when they’re beaten…