Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro Energy Storage.

4th generation landowner farmer, I support the project.

I like the project because it complements green intermittent electricity production. It will provide employment and upskilling opportunities.

i strongly object to the construction of the project due to the unsuitability of the remote steep location. the unrealistic stated construction costs which do not include the millions of dollars required for road construction, the potential for massive pollution of the Macleay River and the other options for battery storage in more suitable locations that has not been considered.

I have a deep concern around the proposed upgrade of the transmission line 965 caused by the Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro Storage (OMPHS) project.

We purchased our property 'Wild Rivers' 88 Gara road, Armidale in early 2020. Our property currently has low level 132kV transmission lines running through it. We were obviously ok with these lines as we proceeded with the purchase. If we had of known that these lines were going to be upgraded to over double the size (330kV), we would never have purchased the property.

For obvious reasons, it makes my wife and I ill to think that we could potentially be living close to high voltage 330kV transmission lines. Our farm is only 100 acres with our home on top of a hill close to transmission lines that go over the same hill. Upgraded 330kV transmission lines carried with horrible large lattice stanchions would be a terrible defining feature of our property. These lines would have a major negative impact on the properties aesthetics which would instantly and significantly reduce the properties value.

Other major concerns that come with 330kV lines are around health, particularly for children, environmental issues with impacts on beneficial microbes and invertebrates, native fauna etc, and agricultural issues such as animal infertility and fencing restrictions. The continuous humming coming from these lines is also extremely concerning.

We need to be compensated for having these 330kV lines through our property. It is clearly not fair for us to suffer a decrease in the value of our property to enable the multi-billion dollar OMPHS project to profit from running electricity through our farm. It is not fair for us to have our property devalued for the benefits of renewable energy.

Can the electricity generated from the OMPHS be brought into Armidale on high voltage lines already in place to the north of the Waterfall Way road? Far less homes would be impacted this way. Alternatively, can the transmission lines be put underground through our property?

If the transmission lines are going to be upgraded, we want them to be run on single green concrete spun poles and not the horrible large lattice stanchions. This is in addition to decent monetary compensation. We all know that the owners of the OMPHS project can well and truly afford to compensate us, and it is the right thing for them to do. Unless there is an alternative way to bring electricity from the OMPHS to Armidale, the project won't be able to go ahead without accessing our property.

Anyone in my family's situation with this proposed transmission line upgrade would be wanting exactly the same things I am requesting.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Mark Fisher

Freshwater Group is in full support of the Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project as it is a critical piece of infrastructure in supporting the energy transition and decarbonisation of our economy. It will also provide power system resilience by storing excess renewable energy to be used when solar and wind resources are limited. This will also help keep prices down for consumers.
It will also create employment opportunities, which as a recruitment business, we are fully supportive of. It will also provide economic growth and improved infrastructure for the local area.
It has also outlined a provision of biodiversity offsetting of the Project’s vegetation clearance to protect a much larger area than is directly impacted, which is another benefit.

I am in full support of the Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project as it is a critical piece of infrastructure in supporting the energy transition and decarbonisation of our economy. It will also provide power system resilience by storing excess renewable energy to be used when solar and wind resources are limited. This will also help keep prices down for consumers.
It will also create employment opportunities, which as a recruitment business owner, I am fully supportive of. It will also provide economic growth and improved infrastructure for the local area.
It has also outlined a provision of biodiversity offsetting of the Project’s vegetation clearance to protect a much larger area than is directly impacted, which is another benefit.

the project will provide great benefit for the local and greater community, as well as the business generating project that ultimately will assist the environment once coal fired power stations are decreased. I can see only a win-win view if this project is to be completed.

As detailed in the attached submission.

This is something area needs with the growing population of the Macleay and New England area
Renewable energy and water storage is the way to go
Its also creating jobs which the area desperately needs

I support their project

I object to the project on the grounds of: significant risk to the local environment (detailed below); and the lack of a meaningful consideration of likely more economic alternative means of storing and supplying green energy in more accessible, connected, and already-industrialised locations.

The Project EIS defers many important environmental assessments to a later 'detail design phase', including a more detailed soil erosion risk assessment and mitigation plan, and decommissioning plan. If approved, this project would permanently alter and industrialise a remote part of the Macleay River valley and gorge country, country that is immediately adjacent to World Heritage listed Gondwana National Parks. I find the "we'll-sort-that-issue-out-later" approach to significant environmental risks unacceptable, and a reason to defer any development approval in such a fragile environment. In my assessment the risk is too great, especially when there are almost certainly more cost-effective green energy storage solutions which avoid the risks (incl to biodiversity) of development of this scale in this location.

Many of the 'deferred detailed assessments', including traffic management and road building, Aboriginal cultural heritage, Erosion and sediment control plan, and a decommissioning plan, have the potential to massively increase the cost of the project, and so greatly reduce the benefit/cost ratio. The deferral of detailed assessments thus makes it impossible to accurately estimate the cost, and increases the risk of significant cost blow-outs (such as with other pumped hydro projects, eg Snowy 2.0) and thus the project should not be approved without more detailed costing and examination of alternative, likely more cost-effective, energy storage options (notably large scale battery storage located near existing transmission capacity).

I also fully support the comprehensive submission of 'Save Our Macleay River Inc'

Sincerely

Dr Peter Fletcher, Kempsey

i have submitted a file regarding this proposal

I believe that the project will bring jobs and commerce to the Macleay region, something that is greatly needed in a lower socio economic area. Turnbull Industries is a firm supporter of the concept of green energy and will continue to support the project.

Please see attached submission for comment on the proposed project.
Thank you,
Heidi McElnea

Please find attached a cover letter, submission and attachment to the submission.

Please see attached Kempsey Shire Council's submission.

I strongly object to the project on many grounds. These include unacceptable Environmental Impacts in a remote area with conservation and cultural heritage value associated clearing and building the dams and associated roading and infrastructure. The impacts of build high voltage transmission lines and access roads will be massive in a remote wilderness area. The visual scar will be horrific next to the iconic Kunderang homestead. The evaporation of the reservoirs during ever increasing periods of drought will require constant topping up of water to make this plan viable. The threatened species impacts have been underestimated. New Holland Mouse has been recorded at and near the site and should have been included for assessment of impacts. The project should be relocated to a less bushfire prone area, closer to electricity markets and in degraded industrial land not in the highly significant remote water catchment of the Macleay River and Carrai Plateau. I have witness first-hand the incredible floods and fires which are experienced ed on the Carrai Plateau since working there on the initial proposal in 1995 and over the years since.

RE: Submission Of Objection by a female who lives on the Drainage Divide of the Vital Upper Tributary Catchments of Macleay and Clarence and Macintyre and Gwydir River Systems, under Threat from the Fools in government who don’t live here, but believe Consultant reports paid for by companies who want to Harm and Create Loss To Sacred Land Macleay Catchments, Sacred To.
If I can say something to government, Australian, it is this:
Get Off Sacred Land Upper Maclaey River Catchments, Sacred Land Sites interconnected to Australia and into Oceans vast, Southern Hemisphere.
Get Off Sacred Land.
Who let you in here please.
It is Sacred Land you entered without Permission.
Without Permission. Who let you in there, please?
I Object vehemently to this Project, Oven Mountain Pumped Hydro Project, in, on, under, upon, within, and far from Sacred Land.
I Demand it Cease and Desist right Now, an Idea to Pump from Catchments under Threat from Cumulative Impacts numbering 88 on the Macleay Catchments, Sacred To.
Who enabled this project. They must take full Responsibilty if it touches 4 Sites, Sacred.
This Project is extremely large scale. How Dare You think you can enter this area on the Macleay Upper Tributary catchments, Vital to Our Wildlif , under Threat from the government of Australia, All departments, into mayors who think they can Decide the Future for Who, hm ? The Project is in such an isolated natural area. Read that. In an Isolated Area. Isolated. What Is going on in our government, who have No money yet are Increasing Debt to Australian people, who Pay for All their Mistakes, they never admit to, do they, gov.au all departments, in need of a thorough Investigation Immediately, into Harm and Loss To Environment, Sacred to Mob in this area a Hydro Pump is Planned, Huh? Why would you do such a thing, Why. Tell me Why. I Need you to Tell me Why you would do this in a Isolated area that’s Sacred to Mob, Yes.
In a Future where our government are no longer able to Waste Public money, I offer A Better Solution than Hydro, in a Gorgeland Environment, ever so Sacred to Mob, don’t you know that. You should know that. Why don’t you. Who have you consulted with please, re this Hydro Pump Idea , that will Endanger 8 Sacred Sites you are not to know of, you see, but are in.
Who let you into this are of Sacred Sites , please. Who did. They have broken a Lore you see.
Lore is about the Gorgeland on the Macleay you are in and must leave alone, or what. Or what ? Well. Ask Mob. They know all about it, yeah.
They do.
Environmentally intrusive engineering works, massive earth-works for roads, tunnels, reservoirs, bridges across the Macleay. What for ? For a Hydro Pump that won’t work when it’s dry, and it will be because of Cumulative Impacts on the Macleay now, 88 of them, yes.
88 of them, Cumulative Impacts you haven’t even Seen have you ? Who do you think you are, being in this area of 8 Sacred Sites you haven’t known about, have you, or you wouldn’t be in here, you wouldn’t, would you, if you had consulted Mob. So which Mob have you consulted with? Tell me. I need to know.
Sacred Land is Gorgeland where you have not been able to be taken out of there, the area of 8 Sacred Sites. Who let you in there. I need to know. I know about them. They are my research you see, Sacred Sites on the Drainage Divide Upper Tributary catchments of 4 Major River Systems that are From Ben Lomond, as the Highest Altitude mountain on the Northern Tablelands, Watered by Rain Only now, Only, Only. Do you understand that, Watered Only By Rainfall Now, when Prior to 1984, the area you are in was Watered By Catchment Flow, Plus Rain, Plus Fog, Plus Mist, but Now, Only Rain, when it falls, where it falls.
You are doing the Wrong thing in this area of 8 Sacred Sites, you see. Get out of it please. You do not know what you are doing there and, don’t.
Don’t move forward with this project you are not mean’t to be offering in the Gorgelands of Upper Tributary Catchments of the Macleay River Sysytem, under 88 Cumulative Impacts To.
Cease and Desist Transmission lines in this isolated, steep, erosive and significant natural Gorgeland area, with 8 Sacred Sites in it.
You Trespass this area you do, and do. Leave it alone please. Thanks. You must know why you must leave it alone, eh.
It is in a Isolated area of Signifiicant Gorgeland to Macleay Catchments you have not researched for Cumulative Impacts To, because you are going ahead with a proposal for a Pump Uphill , for God’s Sake, why? You must be Insane, you lot in government. Insane. Wasting Public money when there are other solutions to electricity generation, that will not Harm the Environment, in a Sacred area you haven’t known is. Hmmmmm. I wonder what’s going on up there, up there, Armidale Regional Council, yeah, there, yeah.
Go away from this area with 8 Sacred Sites you haven’t realised are there.
Why is government offering ideas for electricity generation In Isolated Areas, as Sacred Sites and Gorgeland? What is going on? Hmmm. What? This is Insanity that will Cost us All as Australians and residents of NSW, who face Cost Rise Increase for No Reason, just for…….Jobs, power, huh? Leave this area alone please. Put Electricity Supply On Rooftops, for God’s Sake, and Leave the Gorgelands Alone please please, please.
The Site is 100km from Kempsey via public road, with major access issues. This is unacceptable. Have you been up this road? You reading this. Don’t think so, or you would have stopped the Project a long time ago, when you understood how much it was going to Cost, who, us, Australians in NSW, under Threat from Ridiculous High Cost Ideas for Electricity in Isolated areas, on Gorgelands, with Sacred Sites in them.
Put Electricity Supply On Rooftops, and Save The Environment, yes.
Put Solar and Wind On Rooftops, All.
Lots of Jobs for Locals when government get Real about Cost to Their People, and Decide to offer Rooftop Power to the People, all over a Dry Continent, now Rain-watered Only. Rain-watered Only. Australia doesn’t have Glaciers you see. White man has harmed Every single Catchment in a Dry Continent, yes. Leave the Gorges Alone, you Fools, who plan a Worse Future for who, but yourself, no, but those on Australia, under Threat from the Most Harming Future Ideas for Electricity than the ones here now, that are power lines altering the Heart region of Every Animal with a Nervous System, in Australia and Earth, Planet Earth, facing a Worse Future each and every day, Money Talks.
What Transmission Lines are you proposing in this Sacred Area you know nothing about, do you.
Watch out, because Sacred Sites are Connected to All the others, yeah.
You don’t know what that means or you wouldn’t be here in this area on the Macleay Upper Tributary Catchments.
Please Cease and Desist this Project for a Pump Uphill in a Dry Continent you don’t understand.
Get out of this area please.
Cease and Desist a Plan to be here, where Consultation has not been offered, has it, eh.
Get Off this Sacred Site area and do it now. Choose the Appropriate Alternative please, being Rooftops, All, with Wind And Solar upon them, without a need to Immensely Harm Gorgelands you have stepped on without Permission, without Permission.
In my research on Human Impact to Vital Upper Tributary Catchments, I have a Reason to need a Royal Commission into Renewables and Transmission Lines, and Add Hydro Pumps in one of the Driest areas of Australia, now, the Gorges of the Great Divide.
Not long ago this area was in a Drought, The Worst Ever In History, you see. 2019 into 2021. It is Now, you see. La Nina had a way of watering the Land of NSW, now Dry, only 8 months after She left us, as Australia.
La Nina Saved NSW. She won’t be back for 18 years, or so, depending on what else happens to this Poor Planet under The Worst Threats Ever Offered to a Living Planet. When will we Stop Harming this Planet of Life, Life, L i f e. We can right now.
Stop the Pump being offered to a Dry Catchment in 2022 to Now, into 2048.
It cannot happen, a Hydro Pump, you have not been able to Understand, will Harm The Macleay. The Macleay, not yours to Harm. Not yours to Harm. You will Harm it, if this goes ahead. Don’t allow it, Don’t. Do Not. You have No Idea what you do to Catchments in NSW. You haven’t noticed Cumulative Impacts to Catchments increasing, not decreasing, Why? What are you doing in a Climate Emergency? Adding further Harm to Environment, for No reason, None.
Water.
Water.
I live On the Drainage Divide of the Macleay you see. I Watch Harm and Loss gov.au Harm the Catchments they know Nothing about, Nothing.
Go Away from this area, Sacred, Sacred, Sacred.
Go Away with Ideas of High Cost Power to which people, eh, who? Wake Up and Choose Rooftops for for our Electricity Future, Forever upon Rooftops we All Live under, and can receive power from. With lots of Jobs for Locals in every town and city in Australia, as we Journey toward a Care-Filled Future, where we leave the Gorgelands alone, as Sacred Site areas of State Significance, which they Are, you see, into Australia, you see, into Oceans around Australia, which is None of your business, you see, but is, if you Threaten these Catchments in NSW, watered by Rain Only now. Only by Rain, Now.

While I support the project in principle, I object to the amount of traffic it will create. My house is situated less than 30 metres from the Kempsey to Armidale Rd. This project will create thousands of traffic movements everyday on this road which is already extremely dangerous. I will only support this project which is less than 10 kilometres from my residence if a crossing is provided at George’s Junction to take the traffic away from my front door.

Please see attached Dunghutti Thunggutti Traditional Owners submission from the Macleay Valley Aboriginal Community Controlled Forum.