November 4, 2019 View all news Cher Announces Opposition to Shannon LNG and Campaigners Cheer Her Support The controversy around Ireland taking US fracked gas after banning fracking continues to become an international issue Days after Cher performed in Dublin with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the audience, the legendary artist announced over social media her opposition to the fracked gas Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import terminal in the Shannon Estuary which plans to import fracked gas from the USA. She posted a series of tweets (Tweet 1, Tweet 2, Tweet 3) as well as posted on her Instagram page a copy of a letter that over 50 Irish and American NGO’s as well as actor Mark Ruffalo and filmmaker Michael Moore sent to the Taoiseach to take the controversial project off the EU’s ‘project of common interest’ list. <LINK TO LETTER> If the project remains on the list, it will become eligible for EU subsidies, and it would fast track planning permission that would override environmental impacts that the project would have on the protected Shannon Estuary. There is still time in the next few months for the Taoiseach and the Irish government to remove support for the Shannon LNG project and halt its development. Cher a longtime human rights advocate noted in her Instagram post:I know the Irish people don’t need actors and singers from Hollywood getting into their business but it’s because we care and we have had experience with the kind of people & companies who frack and sell the gas !! She posted the letter from 50 organizations as well as providing links to a video posted by Friends of the Earth from the Director of Frack Action, an American anti-fracking organization, who noted the devastation of fracking in US and plea to stop Shannon LNG which will increase fracking in US to supply Ireland (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajA5aYzSXig) as well as a fact sheet about New Fortress Energy the American corporation behind the Shannon LNG project and how the gas for the project will be from fracking in Pennsylvania. (https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/sites/default/files/fs_1904_fortresslng-web.pdf) “We are thrilled to have Cher adding her vocal support to our campaign to stop the Shannon LNG project from being approved in Ireland,” said Aine O'Gorman from Friends of the Earth responding to the popstars support “We are happy to have her join the growing chorus of advocates who care about human rights and our environment in both Ireland and the US.” Eddie Mitchell from Love Leitrim said “It is great to have Cher support our campaign to stop the import of US fracked gas. We have to stop the Shannon LNG project because it will lock Pennsylvania into decades of more fracking for Ireland as well as lock Ireland into decades of more fossil fuels at a moment when our climate depends on a transition to renewable energy.”Local Kerry group 'Safety Before LNG' strongly welcomed the intervention of global figures on the plans to import of fracked US gas into Europe on a massive scale as a worldwide call-to-action for real Climate Mitigation at a global level. John McElliott said, 'Greenhouse gas emissions are a global issue, and Ireland must take responsibility for the impacts and emissions at the point of extraction of fracked gas, particularly if the US withdraws from the Paris Agreement'ENDS Categorised in: Energy Tagged with: Gas