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April 18th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda A freshwater turtle species could be at risk if a proposed central Queensland dam goes ahead, a conservation group says.
SunWater’s proposed Connors River Dam and Pipeline project was approved by the state government in January.
The $1.17 billion project could produce up to 49,500 megalitres of water per year and would see the construction of a dam 110km east of Moranbah and an 133km pipeline to the mining hub.
The federal government is reviewing the state government’s decision to approve the dam.
A decision by the federal Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities is expected on Thursday.
The Capricorn Conservation Council (CCC) says Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke should reject the proposed dam under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act.
CCC coordinator Michael McCabe says not enough is known about the Fitzroy River turtle, which is listed as vulnerable.
The “bum-breathing” turtle, unique to the Fitzroy system, lives in pools along the catchment and can spend up to two weeks at a time underwater.
“Putting weirs and dams in their habitat will reduce the amount of space they have to live and breath,” Mr McCabe told AAP.
“Weirs are also highly threatening because turtles can be killed or severely injured if they are washed over dams.”
He said while this project would not wipe out the species, it would place significant pressure on it.
Several other projects in the river system are also threatening the turtle.
“It just adds another layer of unidentified and uncertain threat,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities said the impact on the turtle species was being considered in its assessment of the project.
SunWater says the company is taking steps to protect the Fitzroy River turtle.
A spokeswoman says SunWater is obligated to protect 68km of the river upstream and downstream of the dam to provide habitat for the species.
This was a condition imposed by the state government.
SunWater is also contributing $1.25 million to the state’s environment department for further research into the species, the spokeswoman said.
Additionally, the company is working on a prototype “turtle transfer system” to enable the animals to safely negotiate weirs.
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