Editing Great Barrier Reef (section)

====Abbot Point coal port dredge dumping controversy====
In December 2013, [[Greg Hunt]], the [[Minister for the Environment (Australia)|Australian environment minister]], approved a plan for dredging to create three shipping terminals as part of the construction of a coalport. According to corresponding approval documents, the process will create around 3&nbsp;million cubic metres of dredged seabed that will be dumped within the Great Barrier Reef marine park area.<ref>{{cite news |title=Greg Hunt approves dredging off Queensland to create huge coalport |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/dec/10/greg-hunt-approves-dredging-off-queensland-to-create-huge-coalport |access-date=18 December 2013 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=10 December 2013 |author=Oliver Milman |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217221419/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/dec/10/greg-hunt-approves-dredging-off-queensland-to-create-huge-coalport |archive-date=17 December 2013 }}</ref>

On 31 January 2014, the GBRMPA issued a dumping permit that will allow three million cubic metres of sea bed from [[Abbot Point]], north of Bowen, to be transported and unloaded in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Potential significant harms have been identified in relation to dredge spoil and the process of churning up the sea floor in the area and exposing it to air: firstly, new research shows the finer particles of dredge spoil can cloud the water and block sunlight, thereby starving sea grass and coral up to distances of 80&nbsp;km away from the point of origin due to the actions of wind and currents. Furthermore, dredge spoil can literally smother reef or sea grass to death, while storms can repeatedly resuspend these particles so that the harm caused is ongoing; secondly, disturbed sea floor can release toxic substances into the surrounding environment.<ref name="Spoil">{{cite news |title=Dredge dumping: just because you can doesn't mean you should |url=http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2014/01/31/3935720.htm |access-date=1 February 2014 |publisher=ABC News |date=31 January 2014 |author=Dermot O'Gorman |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203074313/http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2014/01/31/3935720.htm |archive-date=3 February 2014 }}</ref>

The dredge spoil from the Abbot Point port project is to be dumped {{convert|24|km|mi}} away, near Bowen in north Queensland, and the approval from the Authority will result in the production of an extra 70 million tonnes of coal annually, worth between A$1.4&nbsp;billion and $2.8&nbsp;billion.<ref name="Spoil" /> Authority chairman, Dr Russell Reichelt, stated after the confirmation of the approval:

<blockquote>
This approval is in line with the agency's view that port development along the Great Barrier Reef coastline should be limited to existing ports. As a deepwater port that has been in operation for nearly 30 years, Abbot Point is better placed than other ports along the Great Barrier Reef coastline to undertake expansion as the capital and maintenance dredging required will be significantly less than what would be required in other areas. It's important to note the seafloor of the approved disposal area consists of sand, silt and clay and does not contain coral reefs or seagrass beds.<ref name="Spoil" /></blockquote>

The approval was provided with a corresponding set of 47 new environmental conditions that include the following:
* A long-term water quality monitoring plan extending five years after the disposal activity is completed.
* A heritage management plan to protect the Catalina second world war aircraft wreck in Abbot Bay.
* The establishment of an independent dredging and disposal technical advice panel and a management response group, to include community representatives.<ref name="Spoil" /><ref name="Marine Parks dredge dumping permit">{{cite web |title=Marine Parks dredge dumping permit |url=http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/123166/G34897.1-signed.pdf |publisher=Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority |access-date=12 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211212121/http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/123166/G34897.1-signed.pdf |archive-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Australian Federal Government announced on 13 November that there would now be a ban on the dumping of dredge spoil in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The World Heritage Committee asked Environment Minister Greg Hunt to investigate alternative options to dump on land instead. The Queensland government and the Commonwealth have now accepted the alternative option and advice from The World Heritage Committee and will now commence dumping on land.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dredge dumping banned on Great Barrier Reef |url=http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2014/11/dredging-banned-on-the-great-barrier-reef |access-date=17 November 2014 |website=Australian Geographic |date=13 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129043341/http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2014/11/dredging-banned-on-the-great-barrier-reef |archive-date=29 November 2014 }}</ref>