Springdale Solar Farm

I believe this is class two agricultural land of superior quality and
of limited supply within Australia. 47% of Australia is made up of
non-agricultural land (Hulme, Grosskopf & Hindle, 2002), therefore it
seems nonsensical to take up 850 acres of agricultural land for such
facilities. This high quality land is worthy of protection and
retention for agricultural purposes because of its state and regional
importance.

There is no sound research on the environmental impact that solar
facilities have on the degradation of the land, particularly the size
of this proposed development.

I am aware that the proposed Springdale development is hundreds of
kilometers from the nearest priority renewable energy zone. Taking
this into account, this seems an inappropriate site for such a
large-scale development.

References:

Hulme, T., Grosskopf, T.,Hindle, J. (2002). Agriculutral land
classification. Retrieved from;
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/189697/ag-land-classification.pdf

My objection relates to using highly productive land which is situated in
a unique environment on the edge of Canberra being covered with Solar
Panels. People of Sutton have paid high land values to be part of a
community that takes pride in the environment and the landscape that
provides quality local food.

Solar farms should utilise low quality land that provide very little
productivity in the production of food.

I am not against solar farms in anyway but the criteria for site
selection should be appropriate, responsible, safe and transparent.
NSW has a large and varied landscape with significant areas of low
fertile soils.

Productive land is finite and the site selection for this project
seems clumsy at best.

I believe 850 acres of solar panels will prove a large fire risk to the
Sutton community. This would not only be putting endangered species at
risk, but vulnerable farm animals, which puts the livelihood of local
farmers in jeopardy.

Springdale is located on the North West side of Sutton, Sutton
township would be at risk if a fire was to start at the solar farm.
Known sources of fires are resistance heating or arcing within the
electrical switches (isolators) typically used in solar systems. This
can be due to poor component design, poor specification or poor
installation. Once again with Sutton in an area of risk if a fire
resulted from any of these errors, it would prove this site selection
negligent. NSW has a large and varied landscape with significant areas
of low fertile soils. Therefore, it would make far greater sense to
put it in an area of less fertile soil, which has lesser impact, for
both; productive land and fire risk.

Endangered species in the area (mulligans reserve).
Contribution to pollution.

I believe this project should not go ahead, it poses a significant impact
on endangered species in the mulligans flag reserve. It would also
have a negative impact on farmers in the area and also posss a
potential fire risk in an area that has already recently been exposed
to bush fires

The government has supported three potential priority energy zones in
NSW, the England, central west, and south west region of the state.
This certainly does not sit in any of these regions. This makes a
mockery of government identified areas.

Proposed Springdale development is hundreds of kilometres from the
nearest supported potential priority renewable energy zone.

This development will impact on the mulligans flat reserve and
gooroyooroo. solar panels of this magnitude will impact on birds and
wild life native to this area.

Surely there are more suitable locations for renewable energy
facilities, such as land with far less agricultural value.

Land with such high primary producing value so close to a major city
needs to be protected.

I object to this proposal. Apart from the obvious factors that YVC
opposes the development and that it is does not meet some NSW Govt.
environmental guidelines, my main concerns are noise and road safety
issues.
I live very close to Receivers 27 and 30. I can probably cope with the
short term (2-years) extra noise from construction traffic but have
concerns about the ongoing hum coming from the planned 22 inverter
stations during operating hours. 24-27dBA may seem a low noise output
level to add, but this is very subjective and in a quiet rural
environment, may be noticeable.

I have several road safety concerns. The anticipated 75 truck
movements/day (say every 10 minutes) during construction hours is
totally unsatisfactory for the chosen route through Sutton village and
up East Tallagandra Lane. The latter is already in a poor state, even
though YVC has just regraded the verges. It is a narrow bitumen
roadway with crumbling edges, and a nightmare to negotiate when there
is an oncoming truck or a flock of cyclists to avoid. The proposal
should include provision for permanent strengthening, widening and
sealing of this roadway.

The route through Sutton village is totally unsatisfactory for blindly
obvious reasons. The proposal should consider the alternative route of
trucks from Sydney taking Shingle Hill Way then left into Sutton Road,
then right into Mulligans Flat Road, then left into Tallagandra Lane,
hence avoiding Sutton village altogether at very little (if any)
travel time increase. Shingle Hill Way may need an upgrade and
certainly the unsealed sections of Mulligans Flat Road used would need
sealing completely and perhaps widening, plus one upgraded bridge.
A less complex route would be to take Shingle Hill Way then left into
Sutton Road, then right into Murrumbateman Road, then left into
Tallagandra Lane (mostly unsealed). This route would avoid contact
with most houses in the area.

I am not in support of this development and make the following
observations/comments

1. Sutton IS NOT in any renewable energy zones identified by NSW
Government.
2. It DOES NOT meet suitability criteria per NSW Department of
Planning and Environment Draft Guidelines for large-scale solar
development.
3. Yass Valley Council (YVC) has voted to OPPOSE any further wind
farms developments, so we would expect the YVC to also oppose this
large-scale renewable development.
4. Biodiversity (including critically endangered and threatened
species) WILL BE AFFECTED both directly and indirectly during
construction and operation.
5. FAILED TO MENTION the impact of fencing on movement corridors for
fauna, i.e. turtles, shinglebacks, skinks, kangaroos, echidna's etc
6. FAILED TO MENTION that Mulligans Flat Reserve is within 5km of the
project area, when this specific question was requested by the
Department of the Environment and Energy.
7. FAILED TO MENTION that this project is within the Greater
Goorooyarroo area.
8. FAILED TO MENTION birdlife movement across site when the area is a
flyway/flight corridor.
9. FAILED TO MENTION this key biodiversity area provides CONNECTIVITY
between "...the largest remaining and most intact contiguous area of
Yellow Box - Red Gum Grassy Woodland..." and other regions of NSW.
10. POSSIBLITY of additional Aboriginal archaeological artefacts being
found on project site.
11. Large-scale solar arrays WILL HAVE a NEGATIVE IMPACT on soil
functioning and the surrounding environment.
12. Whole of site affected by WATER INNUNDATION.
13. POTENTIAL IMPACT on flows into the Yass Valley Catchment.
14. FAILED TO MENTION in colder months the incidence of FOG.
15. BIODIVERSITY concerns, introduction of weeds.
16. Area will look like an INDUSTRIAL ESTATE.
17. FAILED TO MENTION `DROUGHT' like conditions across this area when
all surveys undertaken.
18. Proposed plantings WILL NOT provide screening for 20+ years.
19. Elevated properties WILL NEVER benefit from the proposed
screening.
20. NEGATIVE visual impact for tourists.
21. SIZE of the development (850 acres) the size of suburb i.e.
Bonner.
22. CANNOT guarantee there is no glint or glare from panels.
23. Proposed transport route for heavy vehicles - Sutton Rd through
the Village, over causeway, East Tallagandra Lane, Mulligans Flat Rd &
Tallagandra Lane.
24. POOR VISIBILITY exiting Sutton Post Office, Tallagandra Lane &
Mulligans Flat Rd intersections.
25. Route includes 40 km/h School Zone.
26. Heavy vehicle movements: 7 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and 8 am to
1 pm Saturday.
27. NO PLANS to upgrade any of the roads
28. MOVEMENTS PER DAY during construction - Up to 75 heavy vehicles
29. DANGER for cyclists.
30. NO ALTERNATIVES ROUTE(S) mentioned.
31. A 20,000-litre static water supply will be onsite. INSUFFICIENT
for firefighting.
32. If site is unattended and fire starts, what happens, surrounding
properties at risk until the RFS arrives, all volunteers.
33. WHAT FIRE EQUIPMENT will be on-site?
34. Are the plantings FIRE RESISTENT?
35. Economic benefit to NSW/Yass Valley region??
36. 457 visa workers used on solar projects in Queensland. A highly
mobile workforce.
37. Local tourism destinations such as wineries could be affected by
construction traffic.
38. This development is having a severe impact on people's mental
health and wellbeing, affecting family life and causing tension in the
community.
39. Are there potential negative health implications as a result of
residing next to these large solar developments.
40. 5km exclusion zone - NSW Department of Environment (NSW OEH), the
Yass Valley Council and the ACT Government all SUPPORT this exclusion
zone, to retain the rural character of the region.
41. NSW Department of Environment (NSW OEH), the Yass Valley Council
and the ACT Government all want this land to exclude intensive
development. An 850-acre solar facility is an INTENSIVE use of land.
42. Term of Project 30 years - Is obsolescence considered,
decommissioning?
43. Who is purchasing the renewable energy? Will it be the ACT?
44. Site remediation - What GUARANTEE is there for $$ to be available
at time of remediation?
45. What if company operating the facility goes `bust' and there is no
money to remediate?
46. At decommissioning will ALL ABOVE GROUND construction be removed.
i.e. buildings, concrete pads, security fencing, steel piles
47. What about below the ground construction?
48. What legislation is in place to ensure that PV panels are
recycled? And not sent to landfill.
49. Land values - Industrial size solar facility WILL be a detractor
for those wanting to live in the Sutton area. Most of the properties
in this area are `lifestyle properties' and are of high $ value. One
home that adjoins the site is already `for sale'.
50. Potential vandalism given already high vandalism activity along
Mulligans Flat Road (car burnings, car burnouts, criminal grass fire
lightings)

I just wanted to make a quick statement of support FOR the development to
go ahead.

I fully support this project. As a consumer of electricity, and from an
environmental impact perspective, I believe this solar farm will have
a lower impact compared to the coal fired powerstations currently in
use.

I have concerns with the construction traffic and workers in the area.
The roads in the area are unsuitable for local traffic let alone
increased construction vehicles. My children catch the school bus and
ride their horses along east tallagandra, mulligans flat and
tallagandra lane. This traffic, large vehicles and increased workers
to the area poses great risk to me and my family. We moved to the area
recently for the quiet , safe, and for the simple beauty that is
Sutton. Now that is all going to change, gone is the peace, no longer
I feel the area is safe for my kids. All for what, some extra cash at
the expense of the rest of the community. The rich really do get
richer.

Over more than forty years I have been fortunate to be able to spend a
lot of time in the Sutton area. I am very troubled to hear of the
proposed solar farm development. The area is significant for it's
landscape, prime agricultural land and habitat for endangered species
. The area is home to some families who have lived and farmed on the
land for several generations. To ignore all that to develop a short
term (30 year) solar farm that will destroy the natural beauty of the
area forever, and disrupt the village and surrounding residents is
unacceptable. Solar farms are necessary, but surely not at the expense
of valuable grazing land. There must be a more appropriate site that
isn't suitable for farming, away from this area, where the solar farm
could be built that will not impact so heavily on the natural
environment and the community.

I am not opposed to renewable energy, but the misuse of land and to
compromise rare and endangered flora and faurna in the region should
be taken into consideration. The are windfarms approx 50kms in two
ways from this 850acre submission so it is becoming inconvenient for
human or other habitation in the region of Australia.
The Norm Arm cove area makes more sense and the 850acres would not be
lost farming land with a longer period of sun daily and the area is
zoned as farmland though heavily treed.
This is an area has historical been tagged as a public area with a non
construction zoning.
Why is it that the state Government can consider this as anything else

Shirley Shoard
5 Leach St
Monash ACT 2904

6 Aug 2018



Attn: Director - Resoures and Energy Assessment

RE: Proposed Springdale Solar Development
Sutton NSW

I wish to submit a strong objection to the proposed solar development
in the Sutton area. Sutton has not been identified by the NSW
Government as a renewable energy zone. I agree with the concept of
renewable energy but this substantial industrial sized solar site is
completely inappropriate for this semi rural area. It will directly
impact at lease 34 homes within two kilometres of its boundaries.

This is a lovely, populated rural area close to the Canberra suburbs
where people have chosen to live because of the lifestyle and the
ideal grazing land for cattle, sheep and other farming activities. The
effect of a large solar development will also impact the flora and
fauna abundant in this district.

Not to mention the dangerous impact of the construction phase with the
heavy vehicles and other machinery required to access the narrow
country roads used by the many residents and visitors to the area.

I fail to see how this area was even considered for an 850 acre
industrial sized solar development. There are vast expanses of
undeveloped land further away from the cities that would be much more
suitable for this type of project.

I would hope that with further consideration of the impact on the
community, flora and fauna of this outrageous proposal that a more
suitable location would be found for the construction of such a large
and intrusive solar project.

Yours sincerely

Shirley Shoard
0401 714 926

Clearly there is conflicting issues regarding the proposed Springdale
Solar Farm. My objections i have listed clearly below.
The Location is unsuitable for Solar application, and clearly falls
outside of the renewable energy zones.
The location does not meet Suitability criteria.
The location does not in anyway benefit NSW or the community
surrounding it. The farm will service the ACT.
Yass Valley have opposed more wind farms.
The govt has made it clear that we already have enough renewable
energy resources approved to service the countries requirements.
The traffic during the build will be unacceptable on small country
roads and Sutton village. The size of Trucks etc is unacceptable for
that area.
Sight is a flood zone, and has had recently in the past 5 years at
least 3 incidences of flooding.
The site is a Biodiversity area
The farm will affect realestate prices for surrounding properties due
to the unsightliness of the panels. You only have to look on Google at
the backlash from owners close to areas of proposed Solar Development
If the ACT are going to benefit then the ACT should provide the land
to put in a Solar Farm not NSW.
Failed to mention Mulligans Flat was within 5km of Solar Farm
The project is within the greater Goorooyarroo area
Soil functioning compromised at the proposed site due to soil
compaction, this will also affect surrounding properties, with a high
level of toxic weed growth, that will spread to neighboring
proprieties.
The land is highly productive, I have seen it produce very good crops
for Cattle grazing, all studies of land productivity done during a
drought.
The size of the land is way too big at 800 acres, it will take over
the landscape.
There are families suffering health and mental anguish because of the
unsuitability of the site and the proximity to their homes. Serious
possibility of individual and class action lawsuits on the Govt, and
owners of the farm for the above issues.

I object to the springdale solar farm.

The whole sutton area will devalue in property values!

I strongly object to a solar farm in Sutton, It is a stupid location. The
surrounding area isn't flat for solar panels.

What happens if there is a fire within the site? The poor houses east
of the proposed solar farm site will go up in smoke if there is a
fire, particularly with such high fencing.

I object!!!!

How can i practice my driving with 75 big trucks on the roads of
sutton? It will be a danger to me and my fellow students.

I object to the solar farm in sutton.

My aunty moved to the farm and we love it. I don't want to be seeing a
large development full of solar panels near the farm. It will be
horrible.