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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Australia: Dinosaur report could threaten gas hub

From 7NewsL ABC: Dinosaur report could threaten gas hub

A report on the prehistoric times of Western Australia's Kimberley region is the latest potential threat to the State Government's proposed $30 billion gas hub.

Palaeontologist Tony Thulborn has spent decades researching dinosaur footprints around the area north of Broome, and recently published a report in a peer-reviewed online journal.

The oil and gas company Woodside wants to use the area to process liquid natural gas from the Browse Basin.

Dr Thulborn says his report finds the James Price Point area is the only site in the world created by dinosaurs and should be protected.

"I said in my article I think it's the only place you can actually see an ancient landscape that has been moulded on that scale by the comings and goings of the dinosaurs in that day," he said.

"I've explained my interpretation in that article and I've tried to do it with pictures as well as words and I've put it in a journal online with open access."

Woodside has raised concerns about the report.

The company says it believes the footprints researched in the precinct area are not of museum grade and that those in other parts of the Dampier Peninsula are greater in number and of better quality.

The Environmental Protection Authority says Dr Thulborn's report will be considered as part of the final environmental assessment by the Federal Government mid-year.

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