The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO's) World Heritage Committee expressed "extreme concern" at the Queensland government's backing of Curtis Island multi-billion dollar liquid natural gas processing facilities, which require dredging around the island and dramatically increasing shipping traffic in the local port. In notes from the meeting last month, the organization suggested the project could affect the Great Barrier Reef's "Overall Universal Value" and called for a comprehensive assessment of the reef and a long-term plan for sustainable development. Environmentalists have expressed concern about the three multi-billion dollar projects, and Queensland Greens Senator Larissa Waters said that the state government should be embarrassed for treating the reef as a "gas and coal highway." However, the state government was certain that the appropriate environmental protections were in place. "We are very confident in the rigorous nature of the environmental assessments. I think UNESCO might not understand how seriously Australia takes its obligations," said Queensland Premier Anna Bligh. Meanwhile, a group of environmental organizations released a report last week indicating that sections of the ocean floor off the coast of Australia are being "bulldozed" by fishing practices such as trawling and the use of eight-kilometer-wide fishing nets. The report indicated that the practices are damaging to marine life and undermining crucial breeding and feeding grounds. The report came as the deadline draws closer for public comment on a proposal to establish a massive 538,000 square kilometer marine national park, which would be one of the largest in the world. The area will span from north of Perth to south of Adelaide, where 90 percent of the species are unique to region and home to one third of the world's whale and dolphin species. For the full story about the liquid natural gas projects, see http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/un-concerned-about-lng-threat-to-reef-20110805-1iep1.html. For the story on the sea floor report, see http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10742825.