The federal government has declared the dusky sea snake, a species only found at Scott Reef and surrounding waters, endangered. The Browse gas basin, Australia’s largest untapped conventional gas field, is located beneath the extraordinary Scott Reef off the coast of the Kimberley in WA.
The Conservation Advice informing the decision, provided to the Environment Minister by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), recommends the government “urgently review all activities for the fossil fuel industry across the Browse Basin”, highlighting its “known and potential impacts”.
The Conservation Advice states that these threats include “a high risk of blowout releasing vast quantities of oil”, “excessive marine noise” which is “almost certain”, “pollution from heavy metals and other toxins” and “disturbance of the sea floor” which “can kill corals that provide habitat for the dusky sea snakes.”
The Conservation Advice states that “the stronghold for the dusky sea snake is the Scott Reef complex”, which sits above the Browse gas field that Woodside proposes to exploit, and which is also crucial for the survival of endangered blue whales, green sea turtles and a wide range of other marine life.
https://www.ccwa.org.au/browse_gas_field_endangered_species_dusky_sea_snake. (Conservation council of WA)
I can't make any judgement on the snake myself but I accept the CCWA argument.
Plibersek is proving to be inconsistent and seeming irrational. her decisions throughout this term have shown the Labs aren't at all concerned with sustainability of the ecology or about GHG emissions.
clearly she's failed as Environment Minister.
