FED: Barrow Island no "untouched place": Emerson

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2009
FED: Barrow Island no "untouched place": Emerson

CANBERRA, Aug 27 AAP - Western Australia's Barrow Island, home to endangered species
and a massive new liquified natural gas project, isn't an "untouched place", a federal
minister says.

Environment Minister Peter Garrett on Wednesday approved the $50 billion liquefied
natural gas development on Barrow Island, off WA's Pilbara coast.

Fellow frontbencher Small Business Minister Craig Emerson shrugged off suggestions
the Gorgon project should have been moved from the A-class nature reserve, where endangered
animals like the flatback turtle live, to a more environmentally suitable location on
the WA coast.

"It would have substantially affected the viability of it," he told ABC TV on Thursday.

"This is a proposal that has been developed and works in all engineering terms where
it is on Barrow Island now."

Almost 30 extra environmental conditions imposed on the project by Mr Garrett aim to
protect the island's ecosystem.

But Dr Emerson stressed Barrow Island wasn't an "untouched place".

"There's oil wells on Barrow Island now," he said.

The fact that the gas would be exported to Asia and used instead of emissions-intensive,
coal-fired energy meant it was actually an environmentally friendly enterprise.

"If we truly do take a global view of this ... you get a very clear net positive for
the environment and a clear net positive for the Australian economy," Dr Emerson said.

"If we reduce global emissions, that's got to be a tick for the Gorgon project and
everyone who supported it."

AAP bsb/rl/dep

KEYWORD: GORGON EMERSON

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