Endangered turtles and ‘exceptional’ coral at risk from Woodside’s gas drilling in WA, watchdog says
Reported by The Guardian World, not nibnow. We are not the publisher of this story, only the source is.
The proposed gas drilling could damage rare coral reefs and increase the risk of oil spills that threaten endangered turtles and pygmy blue whales, affecting biodiversity and local ecosystems.
Exclusive: EPA flags oil spill risk from proposed gasfield and threat to pygmy blue whales Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Woodside Energy’s plan to drill for gas off Western Australia’s north-west coast could significantly damage “exceptional” coral reefs and it may be impossible to reduce the risk of an oil spill to an acceptable level, according to advice from the state’s independent environmental watchdog. A draft letter from WA’s Envir
Western Australia’s independent environmental watchdog assesses projects for potential environmental harm, and gas drilling offshore can impact marine habitats and species that are protected under national and international conservation laws.
- •The state government’s decision on whether to approve Woodside’s drilling plan
- •Potential legal challenges or appeals by environmental groups
- •Any mitigation measures or monitoring programs announced by Woodside or regulators