Frog Link

Frog forces detour of pipeline
Source: AAP
Published: Tuesday April 4, 7:11 PM

After landing Olympic organisers in hot water with environmentalists, endangered green and golden bell frogs have now forced the detour of a major pipeline.

Twelve of the national-colour bearing amphibians were discovered yesterday on a farm east of Queanbeyan - 19 years after they were last seen in the area.

The green dozen were stumbled across during an ecological assessment for a proposed 24km gas pipeline to Canberra.

Their leap back into the spotlight comes just twelve months after Olympic officials were attacked by green groups for failing to consult them over the removal of the same frog species from Homebush Bay.

The Olympic site frogs had to make way for a $13.8million water recycling facility.

'Rediscovering this species gives hope to wildlife managers that other remnant green and golden bell frog populations may exist in the tablelands,' said ecologist Bruce Mullins, of Charles Sturt University.

'The actual location is a secret because of fears of contamination.'

'We are currently assessing an ulterior route and what route that will be, will depend upon further ecological assessments and Environmental Impact Studies,' a spokesperson for AGL said.

She said the cost of changing routes was negligible as it is still in the planning stages.

The proposed pipeline extension will provide the ACT community with an additional supply of natural gas by connecting to the Eastern Gas Pipeline.

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Comment:
As ever humble scribe for the Bro Possom Antipodean Rodent Revolution, 'Long Live the Rodent Revolution!!!', I wish the advise our guiding inspiration, The Squirrel King of the Land of the Free, of our recent foray to frustrate and infiltrate.

When our spy in Canberra, National Hot-air Basin of OZ and home of sundry gasbag politicians, discovered more gas was to be piped there, we rallied the frogs. They hadn't croaked at all and only awaited the clarion call to our great cause! "Long Live the Rodent Revolution! Long live the dirty green dozen!"

Submitted by grovelling 'It's not easy being green' scribe,

Regards from Down Under's Amalgamated Rodent Push

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), April 04, 2000

Answers

Pieter:

Thanks for keeping the revolution alive!

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), April 05, 2000.