Today’s announcement by the Premier of Western Australia, Mr Colin Barnett, of the preferred site for an LNG processing precinct at James Price Point, supported by the Chairman for the EPA, Paul Vogel, ignores critical environmental data from independent whale surveys and the recently released “Draft North-West Marine Bioregional Profile” carried out by the Federal Department of Environment and Heritage for Peter Garrett.
The waters surrounding James Price Point have one of the highest concentrations of humpback whales on the Kimberley Coast. An independent survey by Kimberley Whales in conjunction with the WA Naturalist Club showed that the concentration of whales between Broome and James Price Point during the peak migration period in August, was greater than anywhere else on the coast.
The establishment of an industrial complex and large scale shipping port will pose a major threat to cows and calves using the coastal waters in this fragile marine environment. Colin Barnett’s desperation to deliver a hub site for the oil and gas industry makes a mockery of the consultation process and the environmental approvals process at both a state and federal level.
The Northern Development Taskforce Force’s terms of reference has not allowed for the consideration of Woodside’s preferred options, namely floating LNG, Scott Reef or piping the gas to the Burrup.
Barnett should expect stiff opposition from local environmental groups who are determined to ensure that the Kimberley coast remains one of the great wilderness areas left on the planet.
Kimberley Whales
Richard Costin
Photo Damian Kelly
ACTION OF THE DAY
A MAJOR national bank has been forced to remove more than 100 misleading out of order signs from its ATMs after being targeted by anti-coal activists.
A MAJOR national bank has been forced to remove more than 100 misleading out of order signs from its ATMs after being targeted by anti-coal activists.
A score of ANZ Banking Group machines sprawled across six capital cities were plastered with "out of order" signs on Sunday after campaigners launched their latest bid to draw attention to the bank's funding of the coal industry.
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It's not just the whales - it's the improved road access, the visual blight, the whole caboosh that come with this.
ReplyDeleteThe prat declared earlier that this would have "no environmental impact" - he's a dismal mixture of Charles Court and CY O'Connor without the vision or charisma.