Help Stop A Coal Mine Next To The Great Barrier Reef Heritage Area
The
Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area needs your help to petition the Australian government to stop a coal mine from being built a mere 10 km (6.5 miles) away.
The coal mine is the brainchild of
Clive Palmer-owned
Central Queensland Coal. The project has not been met with approval from the scientific community. Scientists from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science found the project to be “
not suitable.”
According to many stakeholders, approving a new opencast coal mine 10 km away from the
Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area in the middle of a global climate emergency is arguably not the smartest way forward!
The Australian Marine Conservation Society has welcomed news that a flatback turtle stronghold in Broad Sound has been chosen by the Federal Government.
The Straits Times
Risks to Great Barrier Reef could thwart Australian tycoon s coal plans
In a photo from Oct 25, 2019, assorted reef fish swim above a staghorn coral colony as it grows on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns.PHOTO: REUTERS
Published5 hours ago
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Word Count: 314
The proximity of Central Queensland Coal’s proposed operation to the reef, off the country’s northeastern coast, other key ecological sites and groundwater ecosystems make it unsuitable to proceed, the state government’s department of environment and science said in a statement.
With an estimated operational life of 19 years, the project would “pose a significant risk to the saltmarsh, mangrove, seagrass and coral communities of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, and to threatened marine migratory species,” the department said.
A final decision on rejecting or approving the company’s plans will now be made by Australia’s Environment Minister Sussan Ley, most likely within the next 30 days. Central Queensland Coal is owned by Clive Palmer, a vocal businessman who’s used his mining sector fortune to make forays into politics and served for a single term in Australia’s lower house after winning a seat in 2013.
Under the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act 1983, food waste cannot be discharged within 22 kilometres (12 nautical miles) seaward of the boundary of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Authorities caught up with the ship s activities when they conducted a routine inspection of the Iron Gate. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority launched prosecution action in the Brisbane Magistrates Court against Iron Gate s parent company Kairasu Shipping and the ships chief officer, which was finalised last Friday. AMSA general manager operations, Allan Schwartz, said it was important to help protect Australia s precious marine environment from the impacts of shipping.