Following a move by DCCEEW to push back the approval decision on Woodside’s application of its North West Shelf (NWS) project by two months, Greenpeace Australia Pacific has urged decisionmakers to use the additional time to thoroughly assess all available evidence, including very recent evidence about the project’s impact on Scott Reef.
The following lines are attributable to Joe Rafalowicz, Head of Climate and Energy, Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
“Recently, Greenpeace Australia Pacific submitted a reconsideration request to the department, calling on the Environment Minister to assess Woodside’s NWS extension with all of the facts in front of her—including new evidence showing this project could devastate our environment, particularly Scott Reef.
“Contrary to the attempts to downplay the scale and complexity of this decision by Woodside and the fossil fuel lobby, the North West Shelf extension project is an incredibly significant environmental decision, which will have impacts over 50 years.
“Woodside’s plans to extend the life of the North West Shelf gas processing facility are directly linked to its proposed Browse project, which entails drilling up to 50 gas wells near Scott Reef. These plans endanger threatened species like Green Sea Turtles and Pygmy Blue Whales, while also jeopardising fragile coral reef habitats with noise, light pollution, and the potential for oil spills.
“If approved, the NWS extension is also expected to produce nearly 4.4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases, equivalent to over 11 times Australia’s annual emissions. This will worsen climate change, which is already having devastating impacts on WA’s reefs, forests, and communities.
“Rigorous assessment and due process are critical for a project like NWS and the other components of Woodside’s Burrup Hub, given their potential for serious and irreversible harm to the environment.”
—ENDS—
