MOD 1 - Tip Height Increase

Submission Re: Rye Park Wind Farm Modification (SSD-6693 Mod 1)
From: Rod Gibson
488 Grassy Creek Road
Rye Park
NSW 2586
I am writing in support of the Rye Park wind farm and the modification to increase the tip height. I am a permeant residence of Rye Park and this is where I live full time. There are no turbines on my property, however I will have six turbines on the property across the road in full view of my residence, (R14), the closest is only 750 meters away. Also, noting there are 10 turbines within 2 kilometres and 20 within 4 kilometres from my residence. Our residence is on Grassy Creek Road, one kilometre before the main northern entrance, this will mean that most of the workmen, materials, and turbines will have to go past our place to access the main entrance.

I would think that this residence would be the most impacted residence in the project and despite this, we support the project. It will bring great benefits to our community through Rye Park community payments, land holder payments, and employment opportunities. The annual payments for the life of the project will improve the lives of the citizens of Rye Park regardless of what is said by a small but loud group of people who oppose the project. Most people I speak to are not fussed or are in support of the project.

Rye Park is a great place to have turbines as it is not known for any other reason other than sheep grazing country. There will be minimal impact to these farming enterprises and to the people in the district once it is up and running. The benefits will come from improved roads and money for the local community.
The changes to the height will have little effect visually to the already approved project. Plus, with the new tip height, there will be a lot more renewable power generated, 35% more compared to the existing approved project.

After speaking to the local Land Care committee, they tell me that they have been negotiations with Tilt and are hopeful to be involved with regeneration projects. This will involve planting trees and building fences, all of which employ people locally. This will create many ongoing jobs for several years. This work will not just replace vegetation removed by the project but includes regenerating areas cleared over the many years since white settlement.

The project is aligned to the state goal of zero emissions by 2050 and could play an important part in the post-COVID economic recovery. Tilt have indicated that this will be their next major project in Australia with a starting date hopefully in 2021.

I see these changes as greatly enabling Tilt to generate more renewable power from less turbines, and with less impact to the community.

The Rye Park Action Group comments in opposing the Modification are attached.
The Rye Park Action Group reserves the right to add to this submission should further information come to light.
It should be noted that members of the community received a hard copy of the Submission on Wednesday 27th May for viewing at the Rye Park Post Office, which had restricted hours due to COVID19, limiting effective access by members of the community without internet access. This has greatly limited the opportunity of the community to fully consider the impact of this Modification.

Please see attached document

The project will badly impact local people , birds , bats , fauna , flora and valued scenery via excessive air pressure generation , damage to landscape , blade damage to birds , bats and bees , Tele-communications from the magnetic effects on copper cable and microwaves Via high voltage (H.V.) electricity transfer from planned Transgrid upgrades and this project’s own planned , to be installed underground and overhead H.V. electricity transfer cable and even by microwave charging medium for internal and external communications.
Accordingly , we will be taking the appropriate legal actions to prevent this foreign entity and it’s associates being aided and abetted by your Department’s complicity and management. I look forward to meeting you all in or out of Courts.
Please be advised that both I and my neighbours and friends will be impacted by this New Zealand company , the foreign owned / leasing entity Transgrid and your own NSW Government Department of Planning.
The whole project is completely untenable for this Yass District fine wool hub of the world and it’s other primary production and Yass Landscape Guardians of which I am a member.

I am writing to lodge an objection to the proposed Modification 1 to Development Consent SSD-6693 for the Rye Park Wind Farm. My objections are based on the lack of governance and due process throughout the entire development process, the misleading information provide to the public by the applicant, visual impact, noise impact and substantial effect on biodeversity in the region.
I am not aligned to any part of the political spectrum or party, nor am I against renewable energy as part of a modern energy solution. I am however against poor decision making and due process in relation to development applications such as this.

My concern with the visual impact of the revised proposal is that despite the Department of Plannings own assessment report expressing serious concerns that the original height of the turbines would have on some residences has in no way be addressed correctly. The proposal to increase the height only adds to this issue exponentially and the token gesture to remove some turbines as a trade off is a fallacy as the removed turbines in no way reduce the visual impact on the properties most effected. The Visual Impact Assessment in support of the proposal does not address this issue and also fails to address the issue of night-time hazard lighting and the impact on residences.

The proposed revision to turbine size also leads to increased noise impact in the surrounding area. The change to tip height has taken a proposal that was barely compliant at a number of sound receivers to non-compliant. The proposal also, once again, compares noise impacts to different criteria in what can only be described as an attempt to downplay the significant increase in noise levels and variation from the original proposal. I also note that an independant report conducted by L Hudson and Associates calls into serious doubt the assumptions made and parameters used in the Modification Environmental Noise Assessment which, if corrected, would lead to nosie levels at a number of non-associated residences becoming non-compliant. The MENA also fails to account for increased construction noise and duration to accommodate the larger infrastructure requirements of the proposal.

As someone who grew up on a property in the Wargeila/Rye Park area, has family who still run a property in the area, lives in Yass and pursues a number of recreational activities in the area subject to the proposal I am most concerned about the impact on biodiversity as a result of the modification proposal. Despite the number of turbines decreasing the footprint of the development has increased significantly from 254Ha to 542Ha pointing to a significant error in the original proposal. This alone should require the modification to be rejected and the original consent reviewed. This increased footprint also requires additional clearing of endangered habitat in the form box and gum woodland. Whilst acknowledging that the proponent is offering to "offset" this increase in clearing this does not provide an immediate solution for the issues caused by clearing of this ecosystem, nor account for the cumulative effect of the impact of the large number of operational, approved or proposed windfarms within 60 klms of the proposed development.

The four fold increase in removal of hollow bearing trees from 893 to 4047, including over 200 suitable nesting sights for the endangered superb parrot, is not acceptable in terms of impact on nest sites but also the flow on effects of removal of prey animals from the landscape. The application does not address the issue of habitat fragmentation and its impacts on species such as the Squirrel Glider particularly in relation important wildlife corridors.

The increased footprint of the proposal and required earthworks, impact on local infrastructure and severe risk of extensive and long term environmental damage through erosion etc dictates that the proposal should not proceed with the current modification and the original consent require immediate review.

In summary, whilst recognising the need for alternate energy sources is of critical importance it does not negate the need for good planning processes and assessment of the environmental and social impacts to be followed. Obfuscation and misinformation by proponents is unacceptable regardless of the nature of the application and a development application, or modification for a wind or solar power development needs to be subject to the same level of scrutiny and rigorous assessment as would a proposal to build a coal burning power plant. We cannot gloss over the process and fail to adequately assess a proposal due to a perceived end benefit of the development. The current modification should be rejected and the original consent requires re-assessment based on current information and planning requirements.

I object to this wind farm modification due to the expanded off site impacts on neighbours and others nearby. The increase in tip height will greatly increase the amount of visual pollution and the number of locals that will be affected. This proposal and the continued revision of plans, personnel and proponents over a long period has meant that the local community has had to endure ongoing disruption and angst. This has divided the once happy community, put a hold on all their own plans and created a poor social atmosphere.

The only constants in the process have been the ongoing concerns of the local community regarding their health, well being and asset values and the Department's insistence that this is still the same project. If a project very similar to the original cannot be built in a reasonable time frame then the proponent should be asked to start again. If they did so, I am sure they would come up with a much different and better proposal. The current proposal is simply the last in a series of additions and adjustments to a flawed plan that has been retained only because the original was approved by the NSW government. It is time for the government to stop this wasteful process and put an end to what was always a bad job.

We object to the Rye Park Wind Farm modification application and adopt the submissions of Andrew Field and his family dated June 2020

I object to the Rye Park Wind Farm modification application and adopt the submissions of Andrew Field and his family dated June 2020.

Please see attached

“I object to the Rye Park Wind Farm modification application and adopt the submissions of Andrew Field and his family dated June 2020”.

I object to the Rye park Wind Farm modification and adopt the submissions of Andrew Field and his family dated June 2020

I Nanette Betts object to the Rye Park Wind Farm modification application and adopt the submissions of Andrew Field and his family dated June 2020

Thank you for the opportunity for Hilltops Council to make a submission. Should you have difficulty accessing the attachment, please do not hesitate to contact myself on 63842536 or email [email protected]

Regards
Claire Scott

I object to the proposed increase in tip height from 157m to 200m and the impact on transport routes and the development corridor
I support the reduced number of turbines if they stay at 157m. I do not support reducing the quantity of turbines from 92 to 80 whilst increasing the height another 43m from from 157 to 200m.

Please find attached my submission to Modification 1 of the Rye Park Wind Farm and photos of our peoples land.

We are objecting to the changes to the height of the wind turbines at the Rye Park Wind farm and the use of our local streets for heavy vehicle traffic. These companies cannot keep moving the goalposts to their advantage. The height of the turbines was originally approved and they should not be able to change that in a whim. There are too many wind turbines as it is, and should be drastically reduced.

It is devastating enough that there will be a wind farm at all, let alone the disruption to our peaceful rural RESIDENTIAL village that we hope will not occur. We strongly object to any thought of allowing any type of trucks trundling through our village, and we are sure this would not be approved as a heavy vehicle route by the RMS by any stretch of the imagination.

The roads are barely capable of handling the low volume traffic of local residents let alone Heavy Combination & Heavy Rigid vehicles. We have a large number of people that enjoy quiet walks with their dogs & children so that any thought of having these vehicles using our local streets is ridiculous.

This wind farm should not have been approved in the first place. Any modifications should not be approved. The very thought of a government department approving any kind of project like this near a RURAL RESIDENTIAL VILLAGE speaks louder than words that it is these companies that the government are looking after, NOT the taxpayers and residents just trying to get quiet enjoyment out of life.

SHAME ON YOU.

I am not in support of the Modifications to the Rye Park Wind Farm Development for the following reasons;
- The preferred Transport Route will affect me and the operations on my property. I do not believe that the roads that have been named are an appropriate choice for the amount and size of the traffic that will travel them. These are rural roads yes, but they are also residential. The school buses that travel these roads are likely to be on the roads at similar times to workers travelling to the site which poses an increased safety risk to our children. I also have to drove stock up and down the road at times and am concerned about the increased traffic on the road as I do this - it is dangerous enough without numerous vehicles travelling the road.
-I appreciate that there is a large amount of works to be completed on these roads to make them suitable for this amount of traffic but this will mean that all residents on these roads feel the effects of the development for even longer as the roadworks are completed. For this to happen there will be an even longer period where extra vehicles and heavy vehicles are on the road.
-Some of the variations proposed to the road affect farm owners.I know that land owners with their land marked for use have not yet had any communication or indication that this could be a possibility. I find it absurd that this could be published online in a report, yet not be brought to the attention of the landowner. This is the lack of consultation everyone is going on about.
-I am also concerned about the main street in Rye Park. The low power lines over the street would surely be too low for large vehicles, and to move them would create great inconvenience to the residents. I am concerned that if the large scale upgrades to the main street and turn onto the Rye Park/Boorowa Rd happen it will absolutely change the look of the town in an irreversible way changing it from the quiet rural setting it is now.
-My last concern is the size of the wind farms that are now proposed. The increase of 27% in height is very large and will make an impact on the viability of the entire project. I feel this is an unnecessary increase - and it means the reduction in the number of turbines was pointless if they were only to be replaced by higher turbines.

To Director-Energy Assessments,Planning and Assessment
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

SUBMISSION TO RYE PARK WIND FARM MODIFICATION 1 (SSD 6693-Mod1) Tip Height Increase

We OBJECT to the Rye Park Wind Farm Modification 1;
Our family properties were in the footprint of the Rye Park and Bango Industrial Wind Turbine projects and it is incomprehensible any Government would allow such wanton destruction of virgin bushland as proposed on the Rye Park hills. Increasing the footprint of vegetation clearing and the prospect of 30m wide roads on this fragile landscape ---- THE DESTRUCTION TO THE ENVIRONMENT WOULD BE IRREVERSIBLE
The cumulative effect of the saturation of these Industrial Wind Turbine projects in the Yass Valley and Hilltop regions is unacceptable
The Mental anguish has become a serious concern, as these projects are all consuming with the prospect of our lifestyle and previously close communities being destroyed,
Landowners who have lived on their properties for generations and had intended to succession plan, find the property devalued by 40% approx. and may no longer be a viable living for the family
These Industrial projects have been thrust onto small rural communities without adequate consultation and without any SUPPORT
Projects are approved prior to consultations, and regardless the submissions objecting to the project are over 80-85% they are disregarded
THE INDUSTRIALISATION OF THE RURAL LANDSCAPE ---MUST STOP

See attached

I wish to lodge my objection to this proposal. There has been no correspondence from the project management team, with any resident that will be effected by this application, in relational to travelling through the township of Boorowa to obtain access to the site at Rye Park.
The route on which they are proposing, is used by our local children who walk and ride on these roads to get to school each day, visit friends or to go over to the local shops. Their safety is of a massive concern with an estimated number of heavy vehicles being approx. 33, 000, weighing 42.5 tonne per vehicle for just the turbines themselves, plus all the over-size and over mass vehicles which will carry huge amounts of equipment such as 50 tonne diggers and cranes that will weigh well in excess of 100 tonne. This also does not include all the escort and work related vehicles which will also be travelling this route. Please consider the safety of our children when assessing this application.
Our existing infrastructure and roads are not designed for the volume nor the weight of the vehicles that will travel through residential parts of our town. The impact and cost that will be associated with not only the additional traffic in our township should not be at the expense of our residents and local businesses.
There has already been an extensive amount of infrastructure/roads put in place, through rural land for the Bango Wind farm project. The roads that are already in place turn off the Lachlan Valley Way and go through rural property to Tangmangaroo Road. I understand that different companies own these projects but why can’t these companies be made to share infrastructure to limit the impact on the environment and residents in small country towns.
The Rye Park Road is not B-Double rated so how can this volume of oversize over mass vehicles travel on this rural road? When there are other options are available such as turning off the Lachlan Valley Way directly onto the Tangmangaroo road, using the Bango Wind Farm and I am sure there would be a number of other options if there was more time to investigate. Yes it may cost the company more but it would protect the residents of our small country town.
I wish to lodge my objection to this proposal. There has been no correspondence from the project management team, with any resident that will be effected by this application, in relational to travelling through the township of Boorowa to obtain access to the site at Rye Park.
The route on which they are proposing, is used by our local children who walk and ride on these roads to get to school each day, visit friends or to go over to the local shops. Their safety is of a massive concern with an estimated number of heavy vehicles being approx. 33, 000, weighing 42.5 tonne per vehicle for just the turbines themselves, plus all the over-size and over mass vehicles which will carry huge amounts of equipment such as 50 tonne diggers and cranes that will weigh well in excess of 100 tonne. This also does not include all the escort and work related vehicles which will also be travelling this route. Please consider the safety of our children when assessing this application.
Our existing infrastructure and roads are not designed for the volume nor the weight of the vehicles that will travel through residential parts of our town. The impact and cost that will be associated with not only the additional traffic in our township should not be at the expense of our residents and local businesses.
There has already been an extensive amount of infrastructure/roads put in place, through rural land for the Bango Wind farm project. The roads that are already in place turn off the Lachlan Valley Way and go through rural property to Tangmangaroo Road. I understand that different companies own these projects but why can’t these companies be made to share infrastructure to limit the impact on the environment and residents in small country towns.
The Rye Park Road is not B-Double rated so how can this volume of oversize over mass vehicles travel on this rural road? When there are other options are available such as turning off the Lachlan Valley Way directly onto the Tangmangaroo road, using the Bango Wind Farm and I am sure there would be a number of other options if there was more time to investigate. Yes it may cost the company more but it would protect the residents of our small country town.