Australia rejects a coal mine near Great Barrier Reef

The Australian government on Wednesday turned down a proposal for a new open-cut coal mine near the Great Barrier Reef, invoking environmental laws and the risk of “irreversible damage.” The mining project, proposed by controversial Australian businessman Clive Palmer, would have been located less than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the reef on the Queensland coastline, about 700 kilometers (435 miles) northwest of Brisbane.