Rye Park Wind Farm

I reside in regional NSW and I strongly support approval of this proposed wind farm project. It is of critical importance to NSW that our electricity generation meets 21st Century standards, i.e. it needs to be clean, sustainable and efficient. Wind farms meet all of these criteria. Further, they help to reduce production from our archaic and polluting coal fired generation fleet.

Rapidly moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy is of critical importance to the future prosperity of NSW. The recent storm damage suffered in NSW represents a small warning of what is to come if we don't take urgent action to combat climate change.

I have personally developed several wind farms and feel that this project is well designed and appropriate for the area.

Australia has dragged its heels on adopting clean, modern, renewable energy for too long. Our power system remains dominated by dirty coal-fuelled power stations which emit enormous quantities of carbon dioxide, in addition to other pollution from the mining and waste disposal processes. It is the carbon dioxide emissions which are responsible for destabilisation of the climate, contributing to events such as flood, drought, coral bleaching and sea level rise.

While extreme weather events have always happened on occasion, and will always happen, the number of "50-year" flood events or "once in 100 year" storms in recent years is becoming ridiculous, costing us lives and livelihoods. There is every reason to believe that this is a consequence of greenhouse gas pollution. Our only sane option is to reduce emissions. Displacing coal-fired electricity generation with clean power sources such as wind and solar energy is one of the most cost-effective ways to do so.

Please consider favourably the significant contribution which the proposed Rye Park Wind Farm will make.

I make this submission in order to promote action to minimise the effects of burning fossil fuels on the terrestrial and marine environments. Any clean energy project, such as a wind farm, contributes to this objective.
Australia contributes more per capita CO2 to the atmosphere and to the oceans than ANY other country.
It is our duty to our kids and the world that we take real action to save the climate.

I wish to lodge my submission in opposition to the proposed Rye Park wind turbine development for the following reasons:
1) In regard to the site and access roads of the above development, I deplore the obvious destruction and ongoing adverse affects on this fragile and pristine area of untouched bush and native grassland, known habitat for several endangered plants and birds.
2) This destruction will also apply to the widening of local access roads with the tearing down of many magnificent roadside eucalypt trees which provide shade, shelter and nesting sites for possums, sugar gliders and many birds
3) The noise and disruption brought by the constant flow of double D trucks, heavy machinery and long turbine towers to local roads making it even more hazardous for local traffic and school buses.
4) With one of the proposed access roads to be used by these large vehicles incorporating Banks Street and Yass Road, (the Main Street) right through the centre of the village, I am fearful for the safety of the several children who walk or ride their bikes to the local school as well as the school buses and residents who enjoy walking or horse riding around the village.
5) I am also concerned with the possible noise factor considering the quite close proximity of the turbines and the effect on the pupils and staff attending Rye Park School as well as other residents
6 Another grave concern of the majority of Rye Park residents is the significant drop in the value of their home or property. This possibility has been raised by several real estate and stock and station agents who themselves will not be affected by the above project from information but who have information gathered from other wind tower developments. Their quotes have been from 40 to 60% . Many residents rely on the sale of their property as future superannuation or as in my own case for funds to enter a retirement or nursing home facility,
7) When I attended an Information Day last September hosted by the Trustpower Company, I spoke to the Developer Manager
Rontheo van Zyl on the company's policy of pulling down the wind towers once they were no longer producing electricity. He informed me The Trustpower Company would be responsible in the dismantling of the hyear turbines, however should Trustpower sell their company onto another company, this policy may no longer apply especially if the new owners were declared bankrupt. When I asked Mr van Zyl would Trustpower consider
replacing defunked wind towers, he said,quote, " Probably not as Trustpower will be involved with developing solar energy by then" i.e after 25 - 30 years, the average life of a wind turbine.
In this light, I cannot understand why the government don' t for go wind power, already yesterday's news in Europe and the USA, and put all the money they are investing wind power into
Installing Solari panels on every available roof in towns and cities and feed the surplus into the grid..

I write in support of the proposal to establish the wind farm. I believe the benefits and positive aspects of the project are many, including:
- it will provide a significant financial benefit to landholders, employees, suppliers and the local community generally
- it's a necessary response to climate change and it helps support the carbon pollution reduction targets of the government
- it contributes to the necessary and urgent switch away from carbon energy to renewable energy sources
- the proposal has been well managed in terms of community consultation and there is widespread support for it to proceed.

I personally am convinced by the overwhelming weight of scientific studies and evidence that there are no significant demonstrable ill effects to human or animal health from proximity to wind turbine technology or operations, and I think that objections to the project on these grounds are baseless.

I recommend the approval of the project and congratulate the proponents on their contribution to clean energy and action to limit climate change, as well the well being and sustainability of the local community at and around Yass and Ryde Park.

Yours sincerely

Peter Page

I wish to see further development of such attractive alternative energy systems within both the State of New South Wales and the Commonwealth of Australia as is proposed here for the Rye Park Wind Farm project as is proposed here for the Rye Park Wind Farm project in the areas of Boorowa, Upper Lachlan and Yass Valley.

This particular proposal would appear to have many attractive aspects for both the local population and the wider population affected by both this and similar proposals.

Locally, it would seem to have many advantages, providing non-disruptive economic growth, long-term employment opportunities, and stable, drought-proof income to the immediate area now dependent on uncertain agricultural financial benefits.

More widely it would provide a large boost to the sustainable energy resources of the State, feeding a sizeable amount of clean and available energy into the State electricity grid.

The current proposal from Trustpower, in applying for Planning Approval, would appear to have addressed most of the concerns of local residents and business relating to its visual and economic impacts, leaving a most attractive package of minimal disruption and long-term benefits to the surrounding areas. The changes to income availability and distribution, and to employment opportunities would seem to be entirely positive for all immediately concerned.

In the longer term there is to be no impact on water resources or on grazing activities in the region, a position which is a welcome alternative to any involving the use, mining or destruction of fossil fuel reserves. As a visitor to the region, I would find that the appearance of the area is enhanced by the sight of such aesthetically pleasing and graceful, non-polluting structures as wind turbines, especially as they would be evident in only relatively small numbers, and would be of exotic appearance in a rural setting, eventually blending completely with the nature and style of the areas in which they would be located.

Such considerations are to be very favourably compared to the immediate destruction and visual degradation of any other type of energy-producing proposals, and to their long-term negative impacts on the clean and peaceful appearance and nature of this basically agricultural region.

I would strongly approve of your giving Planning Approval to this project.

This needs to go ahead. We have stalled too long on clean energy projects - compared to Europe or the US we are way behind.

The more clean electricity we have, the less coal we have to burn, the benefits of that are obvious.

Also, giving the local farmers another income source can only be a good thing.

Please let this project go ahead.

I fully support renewable energy. We need to use all alternatives to fossil fuels. Wind farms are a low impact form and support farmers in tough times.

I believe we should be using as much renewable energy as we can. The non renewable energy sources should be saved for things that can not use renewable energy as easy , that way non renewable energy will last for many generations to come. Of course there may be some negatives but the many positives out way them . I support the wind farm and I am jealous I don't have some on my propity.

Submission on the Rye Park Wind Farm near Yass.
I have no personal interest in the proposed wind farm apart from the fact that we all need a safe climate and a clean environment.
Renewable energy is one of the most effective ways to achieve that objective.
I also support the construction of this and other wind farms because they are a perfect complement to our agricultural amd pastoral industries. They not only provide reliable, non weather-dependent income for farmers but also strengthen the local
economies.

Lyn and Paul Magee welcome the opportunity to make a submission in favour of the proposed Rye Park Wind Farm.
We have lived and worked in the Rye Park / Boorowa area for over 31 years. As landholders in an area nearly adjoining the Rye park Wind Farm we can envisage the benefits that this project will bring to our community such as
-employment, not only for local residents, but will also bring new people and skills to the area.
-community funding benefiting various local organisations,such as schools, sporting organisations, non-for profit groups
-decentralisation and promoting our area as a "clean, green" area to live.
-consistent and reliable income for host families. This income will not only allow those landholders to preserve and nurture their environment, but will allow for those landholders to employ others, and so flowing on throughout the local community. The Wind Farm income will be not only a boost to superannuation (thereby reducing pension and other government payments), but will also allow for younger generations to stay or come back to the area.
Various Wind Farm companies have visited and investigated our area over the last 15 years and during that time the general community feeling has been positive toward construction of wind turbines in our area. There have been community meetings and discussion with information regarding Wind farms readily available to anyone over this time.
Wind turbines are one of the least destructive forms of energy production, especially when compared to gas and coal. And farming practices can still be continued. The turbines have little effect on primary production once constructed.
We feel the positive outcomes of the proposed Rye Park Wind Farm far out way any negative impacts and the community as a whole will benefit.
Thank you for this opportunity to respond to this proposed development.
Lyn and Paul Magee

This Project needs to be approved by Dept of Planning and Environment. It will: provide an important source of renewable energy for the grid; provide an alternative source of income for farms where the turbines will be situated; provide jobs for the area including visiting contracting jobs where money will flow through to the local community; will provide an important source of income for the local community through the Community Enhancement Fund; has been evaluated for it's environmental impact in line with the EP&A Act Part 3A requirements.

I am a Goulburn resident and I support the construction and commissioning of the Rye Park Wind Farm Project (1) because I am thoroughly in favor of clean, sustainable, renewable energy, in place of energy from polluting fossil fuels, and (2) because the project will promote new jobs and economic activity in a region that tends to flounder and be overlooked in these respects.

I am in support of the construction of the Rye Park Wind Farm.

I have lived and worked in the Rye Park area all my life. I own a Grazing Property neighbouring the project and parts of the present farm have been owned and operated for the previous 3 generations by my family, with my children being the 4th generation on this farm and the 6th generation in the district.

The Rye Park district has been financially reliant upon wool production with secondary industries being beef, and sheep meat. In recent years this has been supplemented by off farm income by working in Canberra, Yass and other towns. This Wind Farm will bring another income source to the district. This will improve diversity and resilience in the economy of the district. A very important thing when at present the area relies upon primary industries greatly influenced by seasonal conditions.

The employment opportunities this Project will bring to the area for locals are great too. Jobs like: Fencing, Truck driving, Catering, Accommodation, Earthmoving, Mechanics, Engineers, Electricians, Builders, etc.

Wider benefits to the Community will be enhanced by the Community Funding program. This will improve infrastructure like community halls, parks, libraries, etc. New jobs will possibly mean new students for local schools. This may well mean the difference between the likes of Rye Park Public School remaining open in the future and it closing.

Global warming is impacting on local farming as well as on a global level, the Rye Park community has an opportunity as well as a responsibility to do something to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Rye Park Windfarm is a way we can do this. If the Rye Park community want to be environmentally responsible there is no greater way of being so than to support and encourage this Project.

Having a large scale Project in our area has the potential to improve the infrastructure in the area. At the moment mobile phone and internet services are poor and in some places nonexistent. If done correctly this Project could enhance communications as part of its development.

With increased populations, road conditions will improve due to the demands and needs of that population.

Land prices will increase due to the job creation and more money being in the local economy. Perhaps this is not a positive thing for those of us who use land to create our income and as council rates are based on land values!

The financial resilience that this Project will bring to the area will create a much more robust community that is not so highly reliant on seasonal conditions and commodity prices for wool and meat.

The Rye Park Windfarm is an opportunity we do not want to pass up due to some in the community fearing change and the fear of some short term inconvenience during the construction phase.

I am happy to discuss these things in person if requested. There are people I know in the community who are not game to publicly say what they think due to intimidation by "anti windfarm and pro nothing" groups and individuals in the area.

Sincerely, Andrew & Michelle Southwell.

Regarding the Rye Park Wind Farm Project:
The wind farm will power a massive 130,000 homes with clean energy, deliver $5 million every year to the local community through payments to landholders, staff, councils and the community, and make the local farming economy more resilient with drought-proof income.

A number of modifications have been made to the project design to reduce the impact on local flora and fauna and I'm satisfied the community engagement is being done well.

The last time this project went to public comment, the process was swamped by opponents. This time, we want to turn this around.

I have lived at Rye Park for the majority of my life and my family have been in the Boorowa/Rye Park area for several generations, many of them are still here.
My ancestors were amongst the original settlers in this area and loved the land, and the landscape, as I do and would be horrified to see what this proposal will do to. The visual pollution this will create on the countryside is not hard to imagine, and life in the Village of Rye Park will never be the same again. The application paraphernalia suggests that putting wind turbines on the top of the ridges minimises the visual disturbance to residents. What a ridiculous comment. Putting 157m tall monstrosities on the tops of the hills, on top of the Great Dividing Range, can only make them more visible to more people!
I write this letter today on a lovely winter morning with light cloud on the hills, a slight breeze and the noises of a country village waking up for the day. The breeze would be enough to turn wind turbines, and the noise of 109 turbines winding away along the Rye Park valley would be horrendous. There is no denying wind turbines make noise, and if they weren't a problem there would not be the need for the extensive sound monitoring Trustpower have needed to do.
The proposal has already caused division in our close-knit community and this division will be very hard to mend.
I am a member of the Rye Park Rural Fire Service as a volunteer and have concerns about the possibility that aerial support for fire fighting in and around the village will not be possible, especially if the Bango WF also goes ahead and the village will be literally surrounded by turbines. It would be a brave pilot to enter into a 2000+hectare zone with zero visibility due to smoke to save the residents of a small village.
I also wonder about the actual planning of this proposal and doubt if a development of this size can be built to the rules when their application is not even accurate, and things such as permissions to access properties has not even been sought or given.
For example, there is a map in Appendix E showing the intersection of Boorowa Road and Yass Street. This is the main entry point to the village from Boorowa where most of the traffic will be arriving. It is also the corner of my property `Hazeldene". The map shows the travel of trucks around the corner, and how they will need to cut the corner to get around it. The ridiculousness of this photo is that the corner will need to be cut going north, the power pole on that corner will be wiped out along with the Telstra hut that provides vital communication to the village and surrounding areas (as there is no mobile phone service in the village). But what is most concerning is that I have not been approached, and have not given permission for the intrusion into my land. How many more instances like this are in the proposal? If Epuron/Trustpower have been in the Rye Park area for the last 6 years and still cannot get permissions, and the names of roads, right then what hope do they have of putting wind turbines, roads and power lines in the right place. How can they be trusted?
Wind power is an inefficient form of power generation. They admit themselves (Appendix K, page 7) that the operation will only have a 34% utilization rate. If I ran my farm at 34% efficiency I would soon be out of business. Maybe that is why the hosts of these things need the money, they think running their farms at 34% efficiency is all they can do too, and will go out of business if they don't have turbines! Solar power is the answer and with the money these people will be subsidised for wind power we could all be given solar panels and have the same affect without the need for destroying our environment.
I am an avid bird lover, and there is nothing better than the sight of a wedge tail eagle souring over the hills of Rye Park. In America it is well known that a lot of giant condors have been wiped out to the point of near extinction by turbines so how can a rare and endangered species such as the wedge-tailed eagle be allowed to suffer the same fate.
I urge you not to allow this development to be approved. I have grave concerns about the value of my land on a dollar per hectare basis, the future of our community and the inadequacy of the proposal put forward by Trustpower. The Response to submissions has not been able to convince me any more than the Environmental Impact Statement from Epuron in 2014. This proposed development has been like Bathurst Burrs, you think you have got them beaten after being sprayed and they sprout up again when not expecting it to return. We want these weeds to be gone for good.
Edwin (Bay) Kelly

I am a regular visitor to Rye Park and am distressed to hear of the proposal to build a wind generated power station along the beautiful hills surrounding the village.
The visual impact of 109 157 meter high wind turbines along the eastern boundary of the village would be awful, and to put that together with the proposal known as the Bango Wind Farm along the western boundary of Rye Park would be a situation that not even the supporters would be accurately able to imagine until the damage is done.
I live in an industrialised landscape, and for that reason have been interested in buying country in the Rye Park area to escape. The proposed industrialisation of the Rye Park countryside has prompted me to start looking elsewhere.
I realise the land values in the Rye Park area have dropped since talk of the wind farms, and I would probably pick up a bargain at the moment, but it would not be worth it to have to see wind turbines, and to put up with the noise.
From a disappointed Rye Park visitor,
Lisa Hanson and Family.

My family have been in the Rye Park/Boorowa area for a very long time and many of them are still there, including my father.
I am concerned about the Rye Park Wind farm proposal due to the impact it is currently having on the community. There has been a great deal of stress placed on the residents, my father included, knowing that there are members of their community who are willing to destroy the unique landscape, vegetation and wildlife that has been thoughtfully preserved by their forefathers under the pretence of `saving the environment'.
I currently live in a rural community and know the impact such a proposal would have.
I will one day inherit my father's property `Hazeldene', with the possibility of moving back there in my retirement, but this will not be an option for me if the village is surrounded by wind turbines, which it will be if the proposed Bango Wind Farm also goes ahead. I also have grave concerns about the declining value of the property and the very real possibility that I would not be able to live there and would not be able to sell it either.

Yours faithfully
Edwina Barrett

I am the landholder to 14 wind towers within the Capital Wind Farm near Bungendore which have been operating for 7 years, and have lived within close surroundings to them. My experience has been very positive. Good access roads have been constructed through rough boulder-strewn country allowing easy access for farm management and for fire trail purposes. Very few trees have needed to be removed, with replanting provided for 10 trees for each one removed. Livestock are totally untroubled, indeed sheep and cattle tend to rest around the towers for preference. Noise is of little if any consequence, and minimal compared to that of wind in the trees.

I am concerned to hear of the above proposal as I regularly visit family in the village of Rye Park.
I believe the industrialisation of rural communities is a very real issue that cannot be ignored. Our food and fibre industries are already under attack from coal seam gas, coal mines and low commodity prices. Our food security is not assured due to destruction of our food markets from countries with cheaper labour. The only thing that keeps some of us in country areas is the trade-off of living in a serene rural landscape, and to destroy this would be the last straw for many of the Rye Park farmers, just so a handful of them can `droughtproof' their farms.
Great for those remaining who could snap up the cheap land due to the lowering of land values, but not so great for the many endangered species of birds, animals, plants and ecological systems that have been so carefully preserved over many generations.
I trust you will listen to the majority of residents of Rye Park and the surrounding farmers who do not want this development to go ahead.
Andy Barrett