Valley of the Winds Wind Farm

Reviewing the submission in detail, my family strongly objects to the intentions & merit of the application based on both legislative and moral reasons. We trust the NSW Planning process will address the legislative errors of the application in due course, and therefore only wish to raise to the moral issues in this submission. The proposals intended region is one yes of no significant density/population, however still includes a reasonable number of long term farming properties & residences. We know first hand the challenges & difficulties these residences have faced in the past decade due to drought, fires and the mice infestations - these residences therefore don’t require additional man made impacts to their state of well-being. The natural challenges these residents have faced has caused mental health and suicide over a number of years - however is something not widely reported being so remote. Given the extent of the country side in NSW we strong encourage alternative locations be considered for this proposal which doesn’t have any residences within visable proximity to ensure we don’t contribute further to the hardship of some of our countries hardest working Australians. It’s time residents of this region are given a chance to recover. Please look beyond just the legislative issues of this application to consider the broader moral merits of the applications.

Biodiversity - Kookaburra and supreme parrot population will be disturbed
Visual and Noise pollution from both of the towers and the high voltage lines that will be constructed
Bushfire - concerns about ability to use aerial water bombing which has been so effective in the major bushfire threats recently

I am a landholder affected by the proposed Valley of the Winds wind farm. I am extremely concerned about the environmental impact that this wind farm will have on my property, business and the surrounding area. In my attached submission I mention how unsuitable the proposed site of the potential construction workforce accommodation is. I have attached photos from 2019 when heavy rain created massive erosion and undermining of the road only 100m up the hill from this proposed site. Most of this water and any current runoff ends up on this potential site making it extremely unsuitable for such a construction.

My property will be impacted by the wind farms. I will be looking at them from our kitchen window and most of our property. The visual impact on our scenery is huge. I believe the land value of our property will be reduced.
If the wind farm is approved is there any financial support to the surrounding properties?
I look forward to receiving a written response

I wish to register my objection to the proposed windfarm in the Coolah Valley between Coolah and Leadville for the following reasons.
Firstly, a colossal loss of ammenity affecting all those who live and travel through this area. Not just visually but also practically for those wishing to practice farming sustainably and with regard to the ecology of the area. These hills and through to the Coolah Tops are essential for many species of soaring birds for example.
"Community Investments", generally reward the whole community whereas these eye-saws return substancially only to the remote investors living far from these installations. The limited time alloted for community consultation also is a problem. It is unreasonable to expect individuals to study and comprehend such a vast array of what is 'not- necessarily-proven-to-be-factual' arguments for the proposal.
More time needs to be given for community consultation and the due dilligence that needs to be adhered to for such a massive change to this area. I would urge you to look on this personal petition favourably.
Regards Kieran Renshaw

The visual impact of industrial structures in this rural landscape will be an almost certain transformational deterioration to our environment. The Valley of the Winds and the Liverpool Range Wind farm will see 370 plus, 250 metre high, wind turbines installed in our small community.

Page 66 of the EIS, table 2.2, grossly exaggerates the “refinements to avoid or minimise potential and perceived environmental and social impacts”. For example the Developer claims the Girragulang Road cluster has been reduced from initially 122 turbines to 51 turbines. The Developer claims 69 turbines have been excluded from this cluster “due to the perceived cumulative impact in conjunction with the approved Liverpool Range Wind Farm”. This is a falsehood.

There was never any possibility of the Developer gaining landholder consent to install wind turbines on this land (I know this as the entirety of our farm is depicted in figure 2.4). These landholders are already adversely impacted by the Liverpool Range wind farm and ANY turbines in the Girragulang Road Cluster will further reduce their resident protected and threatened bird and bat population. Biodiversity impacts have only been assessed within the development site not on the land sandwiched between these two industrial developments.

The Valley of the Winds wind farm will have an overwhelming negative impact on the community of Coolah. The overall cost to the community from an environmental, social and visual perspective outweighs the potential renewable energy benefits.

The Valley of the Winds wind farm is not in the public interest.

I do not think this will benefit the area or the county

How will aerial access to one of the largest dams in the district be impacted during a fire given the proximity of substation/transmission infrastructure/Wind turbines?

Will the risk of wire strike or proximity of multiple 250 metre high wind turbines mean that helicopter pilots will not be prepared to access this water source during a bush fire event (given reduced visibility from the smoke)?

This dam was used extensively in the Sir Ivan fire given its aerial access, pivotal location and enormous water supply.

Will the wind farm developer, wind farm operator, NSW Government and associated Government agencies be taking responsibility for any adverse outcomes resulting from the transmission infrastructure/substation/wind turbines adjacent to this large water source?

The EIS makes no mention of this significant bush fire resource.

The Valley of the Winds wind farm (in addition to the already determined Liverpool Range wind farm) will put key bush fire assets at risk and increase the likelihood of adverse outcomes in future bush fire events. This is one of many reasons why the Valley of the Winds wind farm is not in the public interest.

I strongly object to the proposed location of wind turbines in the Coolah valley for the following reasons:
1. Visual impact and environmental impact on a beautiful landscape that has taken millions of years to develop
2. Impact on valuable farming land, especially when we are facing serious global food shortages.
3. Fire risk to Coolah restricting water bombing (knowing how important they were with controlling the 2017 Sir Ivan fire) aerial agriculture.
4. Negative effect on communities through payouts to those accommodating wind turbines on their land and those forced to look at impaired views from the introduced structure. If it ever became so necessary to ruin the landscape everyone should be compensated.
5. I believe that the climate change argument is far to hyped up and needs more time to research alternatives such as a subsidising all home owners and industrialists to install solar panels on their roofs. Unless we do this the central west is likely to become overwhelmed with structures destroying valuable farming land.
Just stop and think, its not all about money , we have to protect what beautiful countryside we have inherited....

I do not believe that the approval process has spent enough time reviewing the effect on the farming industry in the area. Key elements that I think should be reviewed are potential negative effect of the value of the land, the effect of the extra traffic on the existing road during construction and potential freight increases for farmers, and the operational effect on farmers on such things as aerial spraying.

Main concerns- 1. affect flying in the area especially during peak bush fire events e.g. the 2017 Sir Ivan bushfire where planes were deployed in the area.
2. Location of these large energy sources should be located closer to where they are needed. e.g. coastal areas.
3. Deceptive marketing and promotion of their visual aspect and impact. Placing white clouds behind the large turbines in the photographs as though they will not be noticed. That is an insult to the local people.
4. This extremely large project is causing division and conflict in a once harmonious community. Mental/emotional health issues have been on the rise due to recent global health/virus situations; we don't need anymore unnecessary stressful situations adding to it.

I object to the proposed Valley of the Winds wind farm project. My family own a farm within this area and it has been apart of the family for many many years, it has been passed down through generations! When travelling through this area it always has such beautiful scenery, it looks so peaceful and beautiful, 250 windmills will greatly destroy this beautiful area of NSW! They have already been through so much with the Sir Ivan Bush Fires and are finally back on their feet, I would hate for something to affect their farm again!

I object to the Valley of the Wind Farms project as my family lives in this valley and the family farm has been in the family for more than 50 Years. The farm has suffered drought & the Sir Ivan Bush Fire. The hills have barely recovered from the fires and seriously the hills are not suitable for this project. Why destroy such beautiful country with 250 wind mills. J

Don’t build on people’s private properties. They have already had massive bushfires along there too. These properties are these peoples properties and my godmother lost a lot during those fires! So I object!

As a landholder that would see most of the towers in the Valley of the Winds Wind Farm I think these massive eyesores will ruin the scenery in our area. Electricity should be generated where it is needed rather than causing a huge impact on some excellent farming and grazing land (not only with the towers but the power lines used to get the power where it needs to go). The upheaval caused to get the towers where they need to go is massive and unwarranted!

I object strongly to the project unless:

1. the project should be 100% subsidy free from all government or private subsidies
2. a personal bank guarantee bond provided by the developers for the removal of all infrastructure at life's end at life end values to return to predevelopment condition
3. it does not interfere with any existing agricultural pursuits including not developing any formed roads that interfere with any farming practises such as GPS farming.
4. absolutely no towers on private land so that all benefits, if any, are shared by the public.
5. no tower be seen for greater than one kilometre so as not to ruin the visual landscape - towers to be less than the height of the tallest tree in the one-kilometre radius of proposed tower site.
6. towers in regional areas to be less than 30% of the total towers based in a radius of 10km of capital city CBD's where the greatest population is based.

A project of this size needs to be where the power it generates is closer to where the power is used. i.e. On the East coast near population centres.
The proposed towers are far to tall and will dominate the landscape for many kilometres around the district.
The height and number of towers will severely restrict aerial firefighting capability over the large area this project covers.
There is no guarantee that when the Wind Farm becomes obsolete or such projects are deemed uneconomic because of new technology the environment will be restored to its natural state.

John and Trista Stibbard
“Cambawarra”
1217 Vinegaroy Rd
Coolah NSW 2843
Project Name:
Valley of the Winds Wind Farm
Application No – SSD-10461
Reasons:
Restrictions on machinery that can be used under the turbines and associated infrastructure.

Disruption to aerial agriculture for weed spraying, fertilizing and pest management.

Restrictions for aerial management of bush fire control.

Loss of production due to these transmission line towers being built on prime agricultural land.

The potential drop in land value of properties which have transmission infrastructure.

The general negative aesthetics to our landscape.

Insufficient ongoing compensation for landholders who are forced to host transmission infrastructure.

Biosecurity breaches.

John and Trista Stibbard
“Cambawarra”
1217 Vinegaroy Rd
Coolah NSW 2843
Project Name:
Valley of the Winds Wind Farm
Application No –
We ‘OBJECT’ to this the development application for this project.
Reasons:
Restrictions on machinery that can be used under the turbines and associated infrastructure.
Disruption to aerial agriculture for weed spraying, fertilizing and pest management.
Restrictions for aerial management of bush fire control.
Loss of production due to these transmission line towers being built on prime agricultural land.
The potential drop in land value of properties which have transmission infrastructure.

The general negative aesthetics to our landscape.

Insufficient ongoing compensation for landholders who are forced to host transmission infrastructure.

Biosecurity breaches.

We object to the proposed Valley of the Winds wind farm project.