The Australian government approved a controversial plan to dump 3 million cubic meters of dredge soil in the Great Barrier Reef Park, disregarding warnings from activists that the soil will jeopardize the Reef's most beloved coral, the BBC reported Friday.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority approved the soil dumping to prepare for a future coal port, which is expected to be one of the largest in the world. GBRMPA said the section of the Reef, the Earth's largest living structure, where the soil will go will not affect the Reef's abundant life.
"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," GBRMPA said in a statement.
The statement said the construction will be "subject to strict environmental conditions," and that port development will be "limited to existing ports."
The Great Barrier Reef is over 1,680 miles long, stretching along the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Reef's park is home to thousands of marine life including coral, fish, sharks, whales, jellyfish and mollusks, CNN reported.
Over 200 scientists signed a letter in early January, pleading with GBRMPA not to proceed with the dredge dumping. UNESCO warned in 2013 that the dumping site could end up on the World Heritage list of places in danger if the water was not cleaned up, the BBC reported.
The environmental group Greenpeace also lobbied against the decision.
"This go-ahead for dumping is one more body blow for the reef, which further threatens marine life, its World Heritage status as Australia's tourism and fishing industries," Louise Matthiesson, Greenpeace Reef campaigner, said in a statement.
"The government's priority should be to protect a reef which took millions of years to form, not take active steps to damage it," Matthiesson said. The activist concluded that GBRMPA's development is "an international embarrassment for the Queensland and federal governments."
