MOD 4 - Transmission Line & Turbine Dimensions

I wish to lodge an OBJECITON to Flyers Creek Wind Farm Modification 4.

Please refer to Flyers Creek Wind Turbine Awareness Group submission.

I wish to lodge an OBJECTION to Flyers Creek Wind Farm Modification 4.

Please refer to Flyers Creek Wind Turbine Awareness Group submission.

I wish to lodge an OBJECTION to Flyers Creek Wind Farm Modification 4.

Flyers Creek Wind Farm Modification 4
Application No 08_0252 MOD 4

To whom it may concern,

We are writing to object to Flyers Creek Wind Farm MOD 4.

Firstly, the Proponent wishes to increase the height of the wind
turbines, or the wind turbine envelope, by 10m. By increasing the
length of the blades, there will be even more of a visual impact on
our property. The Proponent has stated, in 6.2 Visual, that their
assessment of the visual effects associated with this increase will be
"Low to Negligible". As a dwelling that will have direct sight of the
turbines, we feel that that statement is misleading and unjust.

We currently have a beautiful view along Flyers Creek Valley and the
surrounding hills. The erection of Flyers Creek Wind Farm will change
our view forever. As shown in Green Bean Design, Figure 25 Wire Frame
W14, Residence 17 (page 110), you can clearly see multiple wind
turbines. Now many people will argue that 10m is not much, however
that makes a huge difference when you are looking at these already
massive structures every day. We have a very clear view of the blades
of Turbines 10 and 11. Our front veranda and main living area have
views in this direction. To say that the visual impacts will be Low to
Negligible is not fair and in no way represents how our beautiful
views will be disrupted. In Table 7 - Magnitude of visual effect
matrix, our residential dwelling (number 17) has been listed as having
Moderate-Low impact visual rating. How is this negligible??? It is
also stated that trees help to block the visual impact of these
Turbines (Table 8 - Visual assessment matrix). If you come and look
along the ridge where Turbines 10 and 11 will be visible, there are NO
trees, so this is not a valid argument. By changing anything, whether
it be a Wind Turbine blade or the speed you are driving, by nearly 7%,
it can NOT be considered negligible.

By increasing the length of the blades, we will also see an increase
in Shadow Flicker at our residence as the Wind Turbines lay east to
north east of our property. WSP Australia Pty Limited have undertaken
an updated flicker assessment that considers "worst case" scenarios,
with no cloud cover. In this current climate, where we have been
drought declared, with limited rain and also clouds, there is a
possibility that "worst case" could become more likely. We currently
experience no shadow flicker, so how can we be certain that this will
have no impact on our young family. In a worst case scenario, we will
experience 7 hours of flicker per year, 19 minutes a day (WSP,
Appendix A Shadow Flicker Results for FCWF. Table A.1), and
realistically 2.22 hours of flicker per year. We feel that there has
been no appropriate mention of how this Shadow Flicker will be
monitored throughout the lifetime of the windfarm. All `non
associated' residences surrounding the windfarm should have a form of
monitoring at their residence to make sure the Shadow Flicker is not
being exceeded.

Increasing the length of the Wind Turbine blades will also see an
increase in noise at our residence. It is clearly stated the increase
in height will "generate a slight increase in predicted noise levels".
Our property is approximately 1.7km from the closest Wind Turbine, so
we will definitely have an increase in noise. We have 3 young children
and their health and wellbeing is naturally a major priority in their
upbringing. Any increase in noise could have a detrimental effect on
their sleep patterns. If people do not get an adequate amount of sleep
each night, many studies have shown that this can cause many health
problems.

The Proponent has Nosie Loggers situated throughout the Flyers Creek
Wind Farm (as seen on Figure 4 - Noise Monitoring Sites and
Receivers), however the closest Noise Logger to our Residence is over
3kms away. This same Noise Logger is over 3kms away from Turbine 10,
which effects our Residence and over 2kms away from the nearest Wind
Turbine in the opposite direction! We are approximately 1.7km from
Turbine 10. How can the results be adequate for everyone surrounding
the Wind Farm? We do not feel that the associated noise with the
Flyers Creek Wind Farm is being taken seriously enough, and more Noise
Loggers should be an option, in more appropriate positions. We also
feel there is no direct way to contact anyone in the Wind Farm if we
feel the noise is too much at any one time and how this will be
actioned by the Proponent.


Secondly, the Proponent wishes to reinstate a 132kV transmission line.

We object to the 132kV transmission line along Panuara Road and where
it travels in front of our Residence (number 17).

Table 9 of the Green Bean Design report states that our Residence
(number 17) will be 75m from the transmission line. This section runs
directly in front of our house, which not only visually disrupts our
views, but we also fear it is very close to our residence and makes it
unsafe. There are limited trees to block the view of this section of
the transmission line, and we would be limited by what trees we could
plant to "hide" the transmission line as you need an easement for the
transmission line.

The said 132kV Transmission line may also be above ground along
Panuara Road. Given that the easement of the Panuara Road near our
entry is only approximately 22m wide, we can't understand how that is
viable. It must also be noted that Panuara Road is very busy during
the early mornings and evenings due to traffic coming and going to
Cadia Mine. Having power poles that close to the road would be
extremely unsafe.

There is a very thorough report on Aviation in the modification.
Further to our objections, we would also like to add that another
worry is that we will now be in a `no fly' area, which will have
terrible repercussions in the event of a bushfire. Recently there was
a major bushfire on Mount Canobolas, near Orange, not far from where
we live. The planes and helicopters that were used to help fight that
fire were irreplaceable. In the event of a bushfire, we fear that our
house and surrounding property would be majorly damaged without the
assistance of firefighting aircraft.


Incidental to our objections, we must also comment that in the most
recent map (Figure 1 FCWF approved wind turbine layout) by Flyers
Creek Wind Farm Modification 4, it still saddens us to see that the
"Non Associated" dwellings outnumber the "Associated" dwellings 35 to
21, within a 2.15km radius. On an even larger scale of a 3.2km radius,
this number grows substantially with Non Associated dwellings out
numbering Associated dwellings by 78 to 24. So approximately 25% of
residents within a 3.2km radius will benefit from the Flyers Creek
Wind Farm, whilst the other 75% will suffer the visual, noise, shadow
flicker, reduced land values, and whatever other problems may arise
for years to come. Not really a fair outcome.



Yours sincerely,

Geoffrey and Vanessa Knox

I cannot support the development of Flyers Creek Wind Farm in either its
original configuration, or as Modification 4. Enlargement of the wind
turbine size will present a cascade of adverse impacts which will
encompass the health and welfare of the local community, the dangers
to fauna (particularly birds and bats), and the significant visual
pollution it will create.
I strongly argue for the total removal of this project.

I oppose the Modification 4 to the FCWF. The increase in size of the wind
turbines for this industrial complex will cause a comparable increase
in the negative impacts of the wind farm, which is unacceptable. I ask
that this modification NOT BE APPROVED.

Please see attached

I am deeply concerned that the local community continues to be placed
under uncertainty by this modification number 4 for the Flyers Creek
wind turbines, without adequate attention to the department's own
policies and procedures.

See attached

Find attached my submission

I object to the Flyers Creek Wind Farm proposal

See attached

See attached

Please see attached

Please see attached

To whom it may concern,

Hills of Gold Preservation Inc understands that Infigen has applied to
the Department of Planning and Environment for a Modification 4 to its
Flyers Creek Wind Farm, approved on March 2014.

Hills of Gold Preservation Inc objects to the modification proposing
the following increases:

Maximum height from 150m to 160m to blade tip
Turbine capacity of 2 and 3.6MW to 4.2MW
Blade length from up to 56m to up to 70m
Rotor diameter up to 112 to up to 140m
Turbine footings from 12m x 12m to 19 x 19m

The proposed modification to increase the wind farm envelope will
raise the capacity, (and consequently income of the wind farm) by
15-20%, while further reducing landholders' enjoyment of their homes
and exacerbating environmental impacts.

The EIS does not assess the impact of movement on landholders'
enjoyment of their homes. One of the key attractions of choosing to
invest in an area of rural character is the stillness. While the EIS
addresses shadow flicker, noise and visual impact, it does not
acknowledge the annoyance caused by movement, where previously there
was none.

In addition, the Department of Planning and Environment guarantees for
decommissioning are unsatisfactory. It is recognised that if the wind
farm owner becomes insolvent, decommissioning liability falls to the
landholder. Given that the cost of decommissioning is likely to be
more than the turbine income, the community needs surety that
decommissioning funds are quarantined before project construction
begins.

Since the March 2014 approval of Flyers Creek Wind Farm important
health information has come to light regarding annoyance as a pathway
to illness. The most significant recent Australian assessment of
noise/health issues is that published by the Federal Administrative
Appeals Tribunal (December 2017). It made important findings on wind
farm noise and health impacts, including:
* Annoyance from wind farm emissions is common in Australia and
overseas.
* A significant proportion of wind farm noise is in the low frequency
range.
* Humans are more sensitive to low frequency sound, and it can
therefore cause greater annoyance than higher frequency sound.
* Even if it is not audible, low frequency noise and infrasound may
have other effects on the human body, which are not mediated by
hearing but also not fully understood.
* Noise measurement using dB(A) is an inadequate measure of relevant
wind farm noise; and wind farm noise measurement should not average
noise over time and frequencies.
* Wind farm low frequency noise can be greater indoors than outdoors
at a dwelling.
* There is as yet no properly established "dose-response" curve which
applies to wind farm noise which can be used by policy makers to set
appropriate limits on wind farm sound emissions.
* Some wind farms create noise annoyance for members of the community
and that there is a well established pathway from annoyance to adverse
health outcomes.

Furthermore, the National Health and Medical Research Council has
awarded $3.3 million to two research projects: Flinders University of
South Australia exploring relationships between noise from wind farms
and effects such as annoyances and reduced sleep and quality of life;
and University of New South Wales investigating the broader social and
environmental circumstances influencing the health of people living
near wind farms.

Hills of Gold Preservation Inc rejects the assessment that increasing
the envelope of Flyers Creek Wind Farm will not significantly impact
on neighbouring residents, and objects to the approval of Mod 4.

Yours sincerely

See attached

See attached

Please see my attached submission.

Please find attached my submission in opposition