Ministers have been urged to close a loophole in the moratorium on fracking in a bid to protect communities from experimental gas extraction technology.
While the temporary ban announced by Environment Minister Fergus Ewing last week covers fracking for shale gas and mining for coal bed methane, it does not include the equally disputed method known as underground coal gasification (UCG).
A private company hopes to go ahead with plans to gasify the coal which lies beneath the Firth of Forth by setting fire to it.
Cluff Natural Resources has been granted licences for areas around Kincardine and Largo Bay and representatives from the firm are due to meet Fife Council planning officers this week.
Mr Ewing told MSPs that the Scottish Government only had powers over onshore activities and said the moratorium would not apply to offshore activities such as UCG.
However, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has now said it would have to issue licences under pollution control regimes before UCG could go ahead, prompting campaigners to call on Mr Ewing to direct Sepa to refuse consents.
