Press release – 29 January, 2014Brisbane, 30 January 2014. Greenpeace says dumping dredge spoil in the Great Barrier Reef is like dumping rubbish in the Grand Canyon, and would be an international embarrassment.The Great Barrier Marine Park Authority must make a decision by tomorrow on whether to allow the dumping of 3 million cubic metres of dredge spoil in the waters of the World Heritage listed reef for the expansion of Abbot Point coal port.
Reef Campaigner Louise Matthiesson will be available for comment in response to the Authority’s decision. Extensive still and vision are also available from Greenpeace.
“The rapid industrialisation of the Reef comes at a time when climate change is already diminishing this precious place,” said Louise Matthiesson Greenpeace Climate Campaigner.
“We wouldn’t throw rubbish on World Heritage sites like the Grand Canyon or the Vatican City, so why would we dump on the Reef?
“Scientists are clear that the potential impacts of dumping the dredge spoil so close to fringing reefs and the WW2 Catalina plane wreck are significant.
“Saying yes to dumping will only add the pressures the Reef is already facing from climate change, land-based pollution and crown of thorns starfish outbreaks,” Ms Matthiesson said.
Video and Stills of Reef available: Greenpeace has extensive quality stills and footage of the coral reef closest to the proposed dump site (above and below the water), aerial vision of the Abbot Point terminal and other Reef related images.
Contact: Greenpeace Media 0418 408 683