Monday November 2, 2009, 10:48 am
I registered my support for Kimberly this summer. You can do it by folloving the green button above.

After you register, there is another link for more action:

West atlas oil spill – the plot sickens update from Nov, 01. Please, go there and read.

I've got an e-mail today:

"Hello Kimberley supporters!

On 21 August, an oil/gas well off the Kimberley coast blew out, uncontrollably spewing oil into the ocean. Since then, the oil has spread through an area known as a marine wildlife super-highway, and now covers thousands of square kilometres of turtle, whale, dolphin and fish habitat.

In this update (these links will take you to the website at the relevant section):
Oil Spill – The Wilderness Society organizes an action
West Atlas rig ablaze
Second leak comes to light near the West Atlas disaster
Traditional Owners Traditional Owners horrified by oil leak
Wildlife affected and spill impacting on Timor and Indonesia
Greens call for resignation of Resources Minister Martin Ferguson over his handling of the oil leak

Take action!

This email update contains only headlines and brief paragraphs for you to quickly digest, to read more detail and find links to the sources of the information head to: http://www.wilderness.org.au/articles/west-atlas-oil-spill-2013-the-plot-sickens

The Wilderness Society organizes ‘never again’ action to highlight the impacts.

On Friday 30th October, volunteers gathered in a colourful action to protest against the oil spill and campaign for greater protection of our Kimberley marine life!

On 21 August, an oil/gas well off the Kimberley coast blew out, uncontrollably spewing oil into the ocean. Since then, the oil has spread through an area known as a marine wildlife super-highway, and now covers thousands of square kilometres of turtle, whale, dolphin and fish habitat.


On Friday The Wilderness Society put the oil and gas industry on notice in response to attempts to downplay the significance of this environmental disaster. Activists smeared themselves in ‘oil’, representing the oil affected wildlife and displayed placards and cut outs of marine life being affected by the spill. The event was held outside the offices of Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) the peak body representing the Oil and Gas industry in Australia.

It was remarkable that the oil and sector continued to crow about its world best practice - despite the West Atlas oil spill being the largest platform oil spill in Austalia's History.

With proposals for huge oil and gas development on horizon for the Kimberley marine environment, this risk can only get greater.

Our Kimberley marine environment is world class and deserves the highest protection, a network of marine sanctuaries where marine life is safe from dirty polluting oil and gas industries.

West Atlas rig ablaze.

On Sunday 1st November the oil rig at the centre of Australia’s worst oil rig blowout ignited. A fourth attempt to stop the blowout had been undertaken in the morning, but it is unclear how the fire started.

Second leak comes to light near the West Atlas disaster

It was reported on Thursday 29 October that a second leak at the Puffin oil field around 50km North of the West Atlas rig has also been leaking for nearly 10 weeks.

The leak was discovered early last month as part of a routine inspection but the information has not been released until now. This emphasizes the way in which information has been withheld from the public throughout the course of this environmental disaster of national importance.

Traditional Owners horrified by oil leak
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/31/2729464.htm?site=news

The Djelk rangers recently celebrated the declaration of a major new Indigenous Protected Area which stretches from the rocky Arnhem plateau, 400 kilometres east of Darwin, north to the coastline.
They are hoping to extend the conservation area 20 kilometres north from the coastline into the Timor Sea within months.

Traditional owner Dean Yibarbuk says he would like to exclude oil and gas development from new marine conservation areas.

"That's the hope, that's what people want to do because with the oil spill it is very dangerous for our environment," he said.

Wildlife affected and spill impacting on Timor and Indonesia
Associated press have reported that Indonesian fishermen have seen thousands of dead fish and clumps of oil have been found drifting near Indonesia's coastline.

“Residents in the seaside villages of Nunkolo and Bandi, located on small islands off the coast of West Timor, were suffering skin problems and acute diarrhea after eating contaminated fish, local environmental groups said.”

Meanwhile a the report has been released from a hastily-organised five-day marine environmental survey commissioned by the Federal Environment Minister in the region impacted by the Montara oil spill. The report shows large numbers of false killer whales, birds and sea snakes in the area.

The report reveals a high level of diversity and abundance of species and warns that many of these were observed feeding and moving in the oil – activities that the report says are likely to put them at ‘immediate risk’.

“It also notes that animals that are dead or dying may not stay afloat for long periods of time, meaning it is unlikely that observers would find large numbers of dead animals – so the number of casualties may be far higher than reported."

Greens call for resignation of Resources Minister Martin Ferguson over his handling of the oil leak.
Quoted from: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/6418946/greens-call-for-ministers-sacking-over-oil-leak/
The Australian Greens have called for the resignation of Resources Minister Martin Ferguson over his handling of the oil leak which has been spilling into sea off WA's Kimberley for 10 weeks.

Greens leader Bob Brown says the government's responsibility for assisting the clean up had failed under Mr Ferguson.

"He is an oil industry parrot and he should resign" Senator Brown said.

Take action!

We're asking everyone who is as outraged as we are to contact the oil and gas industry's representatives APPEA and our Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.

Contact the APPEA - Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association

Contact PM Kevin Rudd

Join the Supporter list and map an read including 1000’s of thoughtful comments here.
https://secure.wilderness.org.au/cyberactivist/cyberactions/09_02_map-cyberaction.php?

Read ‘10 reasons why the LNG development should not go on the Kimberley coast’ here.

Best wishes to you and your family.
Heres hoping that this spill is plugged soon.
NEVER AGAIN


Josh Coates
Kimberley campaign coordinator

The Wilderness Society WA

josh.coates@wilderness.org.au"

Monday November 2, 2009, 10:54 am
The Wilderness Society needs 5000 supporters, 4559 people have signed so far.
But, you know - more is better.

Monday November 2, 2009, 1:32 pm
Thank you Jelica...I did put my Hand on the Map!!!!

Thank you for this article...please guys make your imprint be known too!!!

Monday November 2, 2009, 11:38 pm
Noted & already signed ~ Thanks Jelica

Friday November 13, 2009, 3:49 am
Update from The Wilderness Society

"Significant win in the campaign to protect the Kimberley – major bauxite miner pulls out.
Norwegian-owned aluminium corporation Norsk-Hydro confirmed at a meeting with The Wilderness Society on the 12 of November 2009 that it will not be pursuing plans for bauxite mining in the Mitchell Plateau region of the north Kimberley, and has returned its mining leases to the State Government.

The Wilderness Society welcomed the decision, saying that other mining companies holding bauxite leases in the north Kimberley should follow the responsible lead of Norsk Hydro.

We would like to thank the thousands of members and supporters who sent letters to the company, which we delivered for them. This is a great outcome and all of our supporters should be proud of their contribution to this important decision.

The North Kimberley / Mitchell plateau region is a last refuge for wildlife and an understudied region where new species are being discovered all the time, as evidenced by the recent release of survey data identifying dozens of new plant species.

The Wilderness Society’s Kimberley Campaigner, Josh Coates said, “We congratulate Norsk Hydro on their decision to terminate their joint venture project and return the bauxite leases to the State Government.”

“The State Government should now announce that these leases will not be given to another company, and that the entire Mitchell Plateau region will be considered for protection in conservation tenure instead.”

“The rugged and breathtakingly beautiful north Kimberley region, including the Mitchell Plateau, is one of the world's last great wild places – and one of the only places in Australia with NO recorded species extinctions since European settlement. New species are being found in this region all the time and it is a last refuge for many rare animals, It is far too important and valuable to be strip mined for bauxite.”

Norsk Hydro Project Director Wenche Agerup said "Hydro has together with UMC decided to terminate the Kimberley bauxite and alumina joint venture and the joint venture have surrendered and relinquished the exploration tenements in the Mitchell plateau region of the North Kimberley."

"This decision has been taken based on a number of considerations, among other things the current lack of knowledge and scientific documentation relating to the environmental values of the region. We support the present process of establishing a better documentation. Development decisions in this region should in our view be taken in the context of a comprehensive development plan for the Kimberley."

The Wilderness Society has been calling for a comprehensive conservation and compatible development plan for the area as part of our alternative vision for the region based on our WildCountry principles and we warmly welcome these comments from the Norwegian company."