GULLEN Range Wind Farm has lodged an application to modify its project approval after a Planning & Infrastructure (P&I) investigation found a number of the wind farm’s turbines were built in unauthorised locations.

P&I Executive Director Chris Wilson encouraged the community to have its say on the application, which will be on extended public exhibition from today until Friday May 2.

Given the high level of community interest in the project, it is likely the final determination on the project will be made by the independent Planning Assessment Commission.

Mr Wilson said the P&I’s compliance investigation into the location of the turbines is ongoing and all enforcement options are still being considered.

In response to the investigation, the wind farm agreed to stop work on 16 turbines located closer to nearby residences.

The modification application seeks for the project approval to be updated to reflect the current locations of the wind farm’s turbines, as opposed to the locations in the previously approved site layout.

Mr Wilson said if P&I’s assessment finds that any of the relocated turbines are unacceptable, the agency will consider all of its options, including seeking rectification.

“Our assessment will identify the acceptability of the turbines in their current locations,” Mr Wilson said.

“In particular, we will be closely examining the potential visual and noise impacts on nearby properties.

“The community’s input will be a vital part of our assessment and we encourage residents to review the proposal and send in their submissions during the extended public exhibition which starts today.”

Key NSW Government agencies and Upper Lachlan Council will also be consulted with during the assessment process.

Goldwind applies to alter approved plan

The developer of the Gullen Range wind farm, Goldwind Australia, is applying for a modification to its approval conditions because of a dispute over where most of the 73 turbines have been built.

The Department of Planning and Infrastructure argues 69 turbines have been built at locations up to 187 metres away from those originally planned and authorised. Work on the wind farm was stalled last month.

Goldwind has maintained its allowed "minor relocation" of turbines and the social and environmental impacts of the changed locations are small or negligible.

However the company says it's now agreed to apply for a modification to incorporate the final layout of the turbines.

The application is open for public comment until May 2.

Wind win for farmers under tax changes

FARMERS hosting wind turbines will be able to claim additional financial benefits for their businesses and families if a new tax amendment is passed by Federal Parliament, the Clean Energy Council said recently.

Clean Energy Council Deputy Chief Executive Kane Thornton said the proposed changes would help farmers earn more income from activities other than traditional farming and still be eligible for the Farm Management Deposit Scheme.

“The Farm Management Deposit Scheme is an important initiative that helps farmers use the revenue from successful years to support their income during leaner periods,” said Mr Thornton.

“The amendment would increase the allowed threshold for ‘off-farm income’ for farmers participating in the program. This means that farmers could earn more money from hosting wind farms, without it affecting their ability to use the scheme to bank their farming income and withdraw it during tough times at a more favourable tax rate.

“Life on the land is tough and getting tougher. The Federal Government should be congratulated for an amendment that basically helps farmers to help themselves, and we encourage all sides of politics to get behind something that makes it easier for many of those involved in primary production,” he said.

Mr Thornton said income from hosting wind turbines could make a real difference in helping farmers drought-proof their properties, providing additional, and stable, sources of revenue outside of growing crops and running stock.

“Wind farms perfectly complement traditional agriculture. They don’t use any water, they have a small footprint on the land, and the extra roads built by the wind farm developer can be a real help to farmers for property access and as fire breaks,” he said.

“In many cases we have seen that hosting wind turbines has been the difference between staying on the land and being forced to sell the family farm.

“Favourable tax regulations will not only benefit farmers, they will also benefit electricity consumers as we grow our clean energy resources at the lowest possible cost under the Renewable Energy Target.”

Community comments sought for Paling Yards wind farm

THE GENESIS of the proposed wind farm project by Union Fenosa Wind Australia at Paling Yards goes back a decade, when the wind resource was first assessed and stakeholder landowners first joined the project.

As it became clearer that the project was economically viable, based on wind data and initial assessments of the site, community engagement activity commenced in 2011 and the project received a statement of the Director General’s Requirements (a type of roadmap for preparing a planning application for a major infrastructure project) in 2011.

The progress of the project proposal has slowed in the last two years, as there has been some ongoing uncertainty about planning requirements for wind farms in NSW, and some further uncertainty about whether the new Federal Government intends to maintain its ambition for the deployment of renewables in Australia.

However, despite slow progress they are pleased to announce another recent milestone, being the Public Exhibition of the Paling Yards Wind Farm project proposal for community comment.

For the information of our readers the Environmental Assessment report package for the proposed Paling Yards Wind Farm has been deemed adequate to be put on Public Exhibition for the regional community’s information, review and comment.

The reports in the Environmental Assessment report package include:

* Decommissioning and Rehabilitation Plan

* Socio-Economic Impact Assessment

* Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment

* Noise Impact Assessment

* Flora and Fauna Impact Assessment and Threatened Species Impact Assessment

* Aeronautical Impact and Night Lighting Assessment

* Transport Impact Assessment

* Telecommunication Impact Assessment

* Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

* Geotechnical Assessment

* Hydrology Assessment

The Environmental Assessment report package describes the first stages of a plan to build a wind farm comprising up to 55 wind turbines, with a maximum blade tip height of 175m and a total installed capacity of approximately 178MW.

The wind farm would include associated infrastructure such as an electrical cable network, an onsite substation, a control room and facilities buildings, electrical kiosks, access tracks and monitoring masts.

The project also includes above-ground connection to the 500kV Mt Piper to Bannaby transmission line.

The Public Exhibition period is one opportunity for the community to comment on the Wind Farm proposal.

The period extends until Friday May 30, 2014.

During the Public Exhibition period members of the community and government agencies can make submissions in support of, or against, the proposed development.

The submissions are due by May 30, 2014.

Union Fenosa Wind Australia has written to all residents within 10km of the project proposal to advise them of the location of the exhibition documents, and to give them details about the submission process.

The Public Exhibition information was advertised by the DPI in the Goulburn Post, the Goulburn Post Weekly, the Crookwell Gazette, the Oberon Review and the Western Advocate on or around Wednesday March 26, 2014 and Thursday March 27, 2014.

Community members that want to make a submission in relation to the Paling Yards Wind Farm proposal should follow the instructions described on the DPI Major Projects website: 

http://www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/

using the search functions on that site to find ‘Paling Yards’.

Union Fenosa values all input into the planning process for the Paling Yards Wind Farm proposal.

1. Previous to Public Exhibition, Union Fenosa has sought the Director General’s Requirements (DGRs) to establish what needs to go into the reports that are now on public exhibition. We have conducted community consultation within 10km radius of the project proposal, and modified the plan in response to that consultation.

2. The Public Exhibition Period will include an Information Day held at a meeting hall in the Paling Yards area – we will advise details of this Information Day once it has been arranged (including advertisements in the Crookwell Gazette).

3. After the conclusion of the Public Exhibition period the DPI will provide us with copies of all submissions that have been made about the project.

4. We will then review these submissions and provide DPI with our Response to Submissions Report.

5. Our Report, once it is deemed an adequate response by the DPI, will then be published on the DPI website so that everyone can review the actions that we propose to take to address their comments, concerns, or suggestions.

6. The DPI will then prepare a comprehensive assessment report that recommends whether to approve or reject the proposed development.

7. This DPI report will then be provided to a Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) for review, and the PAC will conduct a public meeting (inviting community members who made submissions, Oberon Council, and Union Fenosa Wind Australia).

8. The PAC will then make their determination.

The Paling Yards Wind Farm project proposal is being assessed according to the NSW Government’s new State Significant Development (SSD) assessment system.

There is information about the project proposal available on Union Fenosa Wind Australia’s website www.unionfenosa.com.au, and they can be contacted to answer queries or questions on Freecall 1800 457 181 or by email: toinfo@unionfenosa.com.au.

Footnote: The wind farm is proposed in the area north of Upper Lachlan Shire Council area (within Oberon Shire), north of Taralga, and north of where the Goulburn-Oberon Road crosses the Abercrombie River.