Plans to build a rocket launch site on the home of a tiny bird that's on the brink of extinction has sparked a furious debate. Southern Launch has applied to clear , west of Adelaide, which conservationists argue is “critical” habitat for the Eyre Peninsula Southern Emu-wren — just 750 survive in the wild. “The bulldozing of habitat, shock waves, noise pollution and potential rocket fuel fires would be a disaster for this beautiful little bird,” Australian Conservation Foundation (AFC) nature campaigner Darcie Carruthers said.
The non-profit group has issued a joint warning with BirdLife Australia saying approving the project would “erode the public’s trust” in federal laws designed to protect wildlife. It's not the first time a rocket project has sparked environmental concerns. littered the home of rare plants and animals in Texas with debris.
But Southern Launch's CEO Lloyd Damp told Yahoo News the success of the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, which provides sanctuary to 1,500 plants and animals shows rockets and wildlife can coexist. “Southern Launch is determined to develop a sustainable operation that delivers a net environmental benefit to the region,” he added. Damp argues the project will improve other areas of the site, creating a net win for the species.
And he maintains the sound of blasts at the site will last for less than a minute and only impact three per cent of bird habitat. The privately owned Southern Launch will fire much smaller rock.