That's an odd story because it doesn't list any sources. However, it looks suspiciously like a February 2001 release from the Geological Society of America.Have a look at what NASA is saying about the Permian-Triassic extinction:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/28jan_extinction.htm?list159275
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/template.cfm?name=PermianEvent