Walla Walla Solar Farm

I am a local of Gerogery, approximately 10km’s from the proposed development and I whole heartedly support the Walla Walla solar farm. I work in the transport industry and obviously in my job I get to see a lot of country. I can’t understand why there would be objections to something that other areas have embraced and are enjoying the benefits of.

It doesn’t seem fair that property owners that already have a wealthy asset get to object to something that would spread a bit of love to so many. Don’t the retailers; manufacturers, health services; schools and hospitality industry deserve a leg up too?

I wish the project the best of luck and look forward to hearing the approval of it.

I live within the Greater Hume Shire LGA and live within close proximity to a number of the proposed solar developments. I object to the Walla Walla Solar 'Farm' on a number of points, it should be noted that I am NOT against renewable energy, but strong consideration needs to be made as to the where it is placed:

1. Loss of Highly Productive Agricultural Land - The land upon which this proposal is planned is highly productive agricultural land. Over the last two years close to 100% if not 100% of NSW has been drought declared. Land with Greater Hume Shire Council has been consistently productive agricultural land for many years. This is in essence our 'food bowl'. You only need travel a very short distance out of this Shire to see the devastation and barren fields caused by drought. Farmers within our Shire are producing grain and fodder (hay) for livestock. This is sustaining farmers who are unable to produce their own hay. Although the purchase of hay is expensive for these farmers, it alleviates a lot of mental and financial stress as opposed to watching their livestock wither and die. Agricultural land within our Shire needs to be preserved to continue to provide food.

2. Visual impact - The proposed development will directly impact Orange Grove Gardens with their function centre having direct views over the proposed development. From being a guest at several weddings and private functions at Orange Grove Gardens over the last few years, this development is going to cause long term damage their business and be harmful to local tourism in this area. I personally would not want to hold a function overlooking an industrial site or stay in the eco cottages on the property. I am unsure how Orange Grove Gardens will be able to advertise rural farm stays when guests be looking at industrial development.
The property ‘Mountain View’ will also have a huge visual impact over the proposed site and will also be in the direct line of the substation. I believe this could easily be moved back towards to the ‘Bega Plains’ homestead this would help reduce this visual impact of ‘Mountain View’. Why should neighbouring landholders be affected by these developments? The developers need to listen to the concern of neighbouring landholders and take real steps to address their concerns.
Walla Walla is a small rural town close to Albury/Wodonga. It is a community where many people choose to live and they are going to go from enjoying a rural existence and outlook, to living adjacent to an industrial development. These developments are repeatedly referred to as 'farms'. They are not farms. They are industrial developments that are converting agricultural productive land to weed infested industrial sites. It is NOT possible to farm this land when covered in solar panels. Sheep may well graze the weeds and grass, but weeds and grass is not conducive to productive animal growth as it contains no protein and is almost worthless as feed for livestock. The impact of living in close proximity to the large scale solar developments is already causing mental stress upon local landholders and residents.

3. Vehicular traffic - During the construction phases (many months), there will be a significant increase in truck and car movements. This poses an increased risk to residents due to increased traffic and directly affects, increasing traffic includes increased noise and pollution to local residents. At the intersection of Benambra Rd and Olympic Highway alone has 4 buses stopping at various times picking up /dropping off children twice a day with one driving past the proposed development. I personally was stuck behind a truck on the dirt section of Benambra last week when the school bus was coming in the other direction, firstly I could not see due to the dust, secondly the truck slowed down and I could not see his brake lights and thirdly the bus and truck were almost completely off the road to make way for each other, not only was this a danger for myself, the truck driver, the bus driver, but most importantly the school children on the bus.

4. Fire Danger - The proposed development will be surrounded by a chain mesh fence. I have visited several solar developments within NSW including the Coleambally and Finley site. Both sites were extremely infested with broad leaf weeds. The management of both sites was using lawn mowers (ridiculous) to try and control the weeds. It is impossible to control broadleaf weeds by mowing. This action simply spreads the seed and causes the plant to grow wider and lower. This significantly increases fire damage. I am a member of the NSW Rural Fire Service. I have spoken with dozens of Rural Fire Service members. It has been a unanimous decision that we WILL NOT enter a solar development in order to fight a fire. This is due to the increased risk of entrapment due to the fencing and the way that the solar panels are installed, increased risk of electrical shock exposure and increased risk of inhaling dangerous and potentially carcinogenic chemicals due to burning electrical cabling, electrical equipment and solar panels. A decision has been made by many brigades to wait until a fire exits the site. This will cause larger and more difficult fires to be require containing but reduces the risk to the life of volunteer fire fighters. It is apparent that the developers are showing little concern for adjoining land holders as they are glossing over fire risk. I have many years experience as a fire fighter. The risk to adjoining land and households by fire can not be understated. Fire is extremely dangerous and is a major part of our climate. I believe that the only way to mitigate the fire risk is for extremely stringent conditions to be enforced relating to weed and fire mitigation.

5. Dust will be a huge, impacting anyone living within kilometres of this project. How is this ever going to be mitigated in these drought conditions without using hundreds upon thousands of litres of water daily? Simple things like pegging out the washing, opening windows or having evaporative air conditioners running will not be able to happen to residents living near this development. Orange Grove Gardens will have increased impacts; I can’t imagine a bride wants her wedding ceremony covered in dust or her guests hearing the constant noise of the posts being driven into the ground over her wedding vows.
Regards
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The proposed Walla Walla Solar Development falls within the area of responsibility for the Culcairn South West Rural Fire Service Brigade. Meetings have been held to address concerns as to fighting fires within and around this site.
The sheer size of the proposed development is staggering. The Walla Walla Solar Farm proposed by FRV is a 300 megawatt site, comprising in excess of 900 000 solar panels, electrical conduits, transformers and a substation. This site will be on a 605 hectare (over 1500 acre) site. This land has been mapped as bushfire prone.
Discussions have been held as to the method of combating a fire within these sites and the risk to fire fighters. A number of issues have been identified:
1. Entrapment – Both sites are to be surrounded by 6 – 8 foot high chain mesh security fencing with locked gates. The rows of solar panels are connected with steel drivelines, that are approximately 300 – 450mm off the ground. These drivelines prohibit vehicles from driving between the panels. The effect of the fencing and gates and the drive lines running perpendicular to the solar panel arrays creates a significant risk of entrapment and creates restricted manoeuvrability for fighting vehicles causing increased risk of injury to firefighters.
2. Electrocution – These developments are large scale electricity generating sites. Attempting to fight a fire within the sites exposes fire fighters to electrocution through residual current being held by the solar panels and by damaged electrical conduits and wiring; not to mention the many hundreds of inverters and transformers in use. The application of water to burning electrical infrastructure exposes firefighters to electrocution, serious injury or death.
3. Exposure – Burning solar panels, wiring, transformers, inverters battery energy storage systems and other associated electrical equipment will release toxic chemicals and smoke. Members of the local RFS brigades do not have breathing apparatus or training to combat these fires without firefighters being exposed to potentially dangerous chemicals. Fighting a fire within these sites will likely cause significant respiratory effects and potentially on-going health concerns. Fires within these sites are HAZMAT incidents, however, NSW Fire and Rescue have insufficient staff to combat large scale fires within these sites.
Members of the Culcairn South West RFS have decided that they will not enter either site to combat fire due to the unacceptable risk to the health and safety of members. In the event of a fire within these sites, a position will be held on the outside perimeter of the site and the fire will not be engaged until it leaves the site. The only other option would be to request air support to combat the fire within the site, this would not jeopardise the health and safety of volunteer firefighters.
The development has rural properties on all sides. Should a fire start within or enter either site, the lack of safe firefighting measures will mean that the fire will be immeasurably large by the time it traverses and leaves the site. The risk to neighbouring rural and residential properties and the risk to local towns cannot be understated.

I wish to object to the proposed Walla Walla Solar Farm development primarily as it requires the use of large amounts of productive agricultural land in Greater Hume.
Agriculture contributes $98M to the Shire’s economy and is the largest sector for employment. Source: Greater Hume Shire Economic Development and Social Plan 2017