Save Australian turtles from Big Oil

From the Sea Turtle Restoration Project in the USA:

NO DRILLING IN SEA TURTLE HABITAT AT KIMBERLEY’S SCOTT REEF

In a further blow to the Kimberley’s heritage values, Woodside Petroleum is proposing to drill up to 90 gas wells in and around the sensitive Scott Reef area off the Kimberley coast in Western Australia. The public has until January 25 to make comments on this devastating proposal.

Scott Reef is an untouched jewel of the Kimberley coast. Its pristine waters are inhabited by an extraordinary profusion of marine life including the elusive whale shark, the pygmy blue whale and are the breeding grounds for green turtles.

The green turtles that inhabit the waters around Scott Reef are considered to be a genetically distinct population of the globally endangered species. If allowed to grow to maturity, green turtles can grow to 1.5 meters in length, weigh an impressive 300 kg and live up to 80 years old.

Destruction on land and sea

After drilling its gas wells into Scott Reef, Woodside wants to pump the gas to its proposed gas hub at James Price Point – potentially dealing a double blow to the environment on both land and sea in this extraordinary part of the Kimberley.

Woodside has recently released its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Scott Reef drilling plan. Unfortunately, Woodside have already shown a failure to undertake even a basic level of scientific rigor in its previous Environmental Impact Statements for the proposed development at James Price Point.

You have until 25 January 2012 to comment on Woodside’s latest plans so send in your comments today!