Baldon Wind Farm

Our family operates the neighbouring pastoral property along the eastern boundary of the project area, with 4 full-time residents. I believe our two houses are the closest non-affiliated residences to the turbines. The houses are serviced by two dirt roads, Baldon Rd to the south and Keri East Rd/Dry Lake Rd running east-west. Both roads run into the project area almost directly past our houses. These roads receive minimal traffic, just the odd farm ute to do sheepwork in Baldon. These roads also run directly through our livestock paddocks without being fenced off.

We note that the traffic management plan for the project says they will only access the project via the Sturt Highway and very southern portion of the Baldon Rd from Moulamein. We would like the emphasise how important it is to us that all traffic relating to the project, including subcontractors, comply with the traffic management plan in its current form, and do not use Keri East Rd or the northern portion of Baldon Rd. Such traffic would both affect the quality of life of our residences and cause disturbance to our livestock production.

Further, we expect that turbines will be visible in the area, but we would appreciate any consideration to reducing visual impact to our house i.e. if the project scope was reduced, consider removing turbines closest to our homes.

Sincerely
Fergus Dye

I strongly oppose the BALDON WIND ELECTRICITY GENERATING WORKS + BESS which plans to install 180 turnines Site: 46,266 ha

SSD-40138508




A staggering , nearly 900 hectares of high value biodiverse vegetation will be cleared.

Field studies recorded
• Ten native vegetation communities – dominated by moderate condition grasslands
• Two threatened flora species - Chariot Wheels Maireana cheelii and Mossgiel Daisy Brachyscome
papillosa
• Two threatened fauna species in the Development footprint - Southern Bell Frog Litoria raniformis
and Plains-wanderer Pedionomus torquatus
• Nine threatened bird species during the first year of bird utilisation surveys - White-fronted Chat
Epthianura albifrons Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides, Black Falcon Falco subniger, Spotted
Harrier Circus approximans, and Black-breasted Buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon
• Two threatened species of microbat during the first year of bat utilisation surveys - Forest Bat
Vespadelus baverstocki and Little Pied Bat Chalinolobus picatus.

The impact on the listed flora and fauna species is significant and unacceptable to the wider public. The cost to our Threatened Species is too great

This project is an environmental disaster and an agricultural disaster. Where is the maps showing exactly how much land in this area is being covered with turbines, transmission, BESS , solar and substations? Is anyone taking into account the cumulative impact on vulnerable, threatened and protected flora and fauna in this area?

This project is only for the benefit of Goldwind and it's related entities (Squadron, Tattarang, Fortescue). Unreliable wind projects will be an economic disaster for everyone.

This is yet another unreliable energy development that will only benefit Goldwind and Co who will likely on sell it as soon as possible to the next company who is farming government subsidies.

Filling agricultural land with gravel, cement, transmission towers, towering wind turbines, BESS and Substations all the while using endless water and spreading BPA from blade erosion is not CLEAN or GREEN.

The only winner here is Goldwind and Co. Land hosts will find they cannot live in their homes, their land is unsaleable and they will likely be responsible for decommissioning despite the assurances of the $10 company set up to build this industrial unreliable monstrosity.

I object to the Baldon Wind Farm by Goldwind (part of Andrew Forrest's group of companies along with Squadron and Tattarang)

It is deeply concerning that this group of companies is behind so many renewable energy projects, gas "firming" stations and the new Port Kembla gas import terminal. Thus positioning themselves to be in total control of our energy system, they know that wind is unreliable so they will be sure to control the gas that will undoubtedly be used to provide base load power. The consumer will pay.

Meanwhile our agricultural land will be littered with industrial turbines spreading BPA from leading edge erosion of turbine blades.

This project is only in the interest of Goldwind and Co.

I object to the unsustainable environmental damage being done to our region. These wind projects offer only short term insignificant benefit and long term environmental contamination. Already seeing the downfall ...."sale processes launched"...there is no love for country only money transactions...disappointed in any landholder that gets sucked into this vortex of greed, you will be left with a grave yard of pollution.

This project puts biodiversity of the environment at great risk.
In particular the following are at risk of being destroyed if this wind farm project goes ahead
• Ten native vegetation communities – dominated by moderate condition grasslands
• Two threatened flora species - Chariot Wheels Maireana cheelii and Mossgiel Daisy Brachyscome
papillosa
• Two threatened fauna species in the Development footprint - Southern Bell Frog Litoria raniformis
and Plains-wanderer Pedionomus torquatus
• Nine threatened bird species during the first year of bird utilisation surveys - White-fronted Chat
Epthianura albifrons Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides, Black Falcon Falco subniger, Spotted
Harrier Circus approximans, and Black-breasted Buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon.
• Two threatened species of microbat during the first year of bat utilisation surveys - Forest Bat
Vespadelus baverstocki and Little Pied Bat Chalinolobus picatus.
Thank you,
Viva-Lyn Lenehan

Submission on behalf of Edward River Council, Deniliquin NSW 2710

Counterproductive to the stated aim.

Submission in opposing the Baldon Wind Farm Development

1. I believe the Baldon Wind Farm relies on the Medieval technology of Wind Turbines, powered by a weather fuel the Wind. They are totally inefficient, unreliable and totally uneconomic and should never be considered as being suitable to provide baseload electricity 24/7 to a modern society.

This is because Wind turbines can only produce electricity, when the wind speed is between 12kms/hr and 90kms/hr. As a result Wind turbines are reported to produce electricity on average for only 30% of their rated capacity or on average for eight hours per day, this leads to random periods of hours, WITHOUT ANY ELECTRICITY BEING PRODUCED, (occasionally in some calm periods, wind turbines produce NO electricity for days at a time. These random calm or gale force periods of zero electricity production, has to be provided to the consumer by a second, standby, backup electricity generator either coal or gas, which makes the cost to the consumer, unnecessarily high.

2. The Baldon Wind Farm will be part of the spreading of thousands of Wind Turbines across rural Australia will end up creating the great danger, of having horrendous bushfires on an Annual basis.

Rural Australia is known as one of the most bushfire prone areas on Earth. Scattering tens of thousands of wind turbines (individually known to catch fire occasionally and the older they get the more likely it is to happen) on 250m high towers across the Countryside. This must increase the risk of a fire starting from a Wind Turbine100,000 times. The risk will encompass all rural landholders, country towns and rural cities. Everybody will be in danger and on tenterhooks, every Total Fire Ban Day. The danger of a fire reaching serious proportions, is greatly increased as the Wind Turbines, physical height, (250m), blade diameter and created wind turbulence, stops any arial water bombers operating within 5km to 10km of any Wind Farm. This would mean any fire started by malfunctioning wind turbine, would reach major proportions before any attempt could be made to control it. The loss of life, loss of livestock, wildlife and property has potential to be huge. The presence of the wind turbines will greatly endanger all residents, livestock, wildlife and the property of Rural Australia See wind turbines when they burn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVHzfUWul2Y

Any official that approves of the building of the Baldon Wind Farm, should be held to responsible for any damage and fires caused by the Baldon Wind Farm.


Kind regards,
John Moore
2 Dallwitz Court
Wangaratta Vic 3677 Australia

Seriously, this project is a disaster. Wind farms last less that 25 years, destroy the environment, kill birds and supply intermittent energy. Recent Wind droughts have been horrendous. At 6.30 am and 6.30 pm a lot of nights Solar supplied zero and Wind was less than 10% . There is absolutely no way storage will be available to meet the fluctuations in Wind and Solar supply. The costs will ensure electricity will be unaffordable.
I attach a document detailing my concerns on Wind Farms and Solar Energy for your review

For the scale of this proposal, to the density of the rural landscape, I do not think the potential possible impact of infrasound has been adequately assessed. This includes sleep deprivation, and other physiological impacts as reported in some individuals globally. This new scale of wind turbines being proposed greatly increased the risk of significant and legally consequential re human health impacts.

I understand the NHMRC policy on infrasound. NHMRC also did not recognise ME/CFS for decades including not see "long covid" coming with the covid pandemic. (same disease process).
Failure of the NHMRC recognition of infrasound and human health impacts will not in my view legally protect the NSW government from liability.

Wind generation of bulk power is grossly inefficient and unreliable requiring greater resource use for the same power output. The need for extensive transmission lines and batteries makes the project even more counterproductive to the stated aim of reducing emissions.

I Object to Baldon Wind Electricity Generating Works & BESS on the following grounds:
* It is destructive to native flora and fauna;
* Construction will leave a legacy of land destruction that is unlikely to be rectified by the builder;
* It is an abomination on the natural landscape;
* It is part of a system that costs billions, does not work reliably and attempts to solve a problem that does not exist, in other words useless and irresponsible use of public funds;
* All such infrastructures should be built at developer’s expense, NOT on public funds.
We are told wind and solar are the cheapest, well prove it, remove all subsidises - do not build this system on public funds;
* The TOTAL cost has not been verified by independent experts.
* There is NO verified scientific basis for reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere so this project is a total waste of public money, along with all other such projects.  There is in fact reliable verifiable scientific proof that CO2 is beneficial to plant life and by extension to human life on earth.

Rural communities and the environment is being destroyed by the construction of these massive wind farms.
They are ugly and when they are worn out our region will become a rubbish dump.
Endangered flora and fauna are being wiped out.

The wind farm will leave the local region looking like a large scale rubbish tip when the wind turbines are no longer useful after their short lifespan.
They are an environmental disaster in their construction and a blight on our beautiful landscape.

This wind farm will ruin the environment and kill and displace native flora and fauna.

Objection to Baldon Wind Electricity Generating Works + BESS (SSD-40138508).

I am writing to formally object to the Baldon Wind Electricity Generating Works proposal, primarily due to serious cumulative environmental, agricultural, community, and health concerns associated with the development.

Cumulative Environmental Impacts:
The proposed development of 180 turbines across a site area of 46,266 hectares represents a substantial industrial footprint. The cumulative environmental impacts of such a large-scale project on local ecosystems, wildlife, and natural resources are of significant concern. The scale of this operation, combined with the ongoing development of other wind projects in the region, risks overwhelming the local environment's capacity to cope with industrial disturbance. This includes potential disruption to avian populations and habitats, increased noise pollution (potentially sterilising several kilometres surrounding turbines if native species), lightning pollution and significant alterations to local land use patterns.

Potential Pollution from Turbine Blade Materials:
A critical issue that has not been adequately addressed is the potential for pollution from the turbine blade materials, specifically the shedding of BPA (bisphenol A) nanoparticles. BPA is commonly used in the epoxy resin of turbine blades due to its strength and durability. However, the shedding of these particles over time poses a risk of contaminating rivers, dams, agricultural lands, and rainwater tanks. BPA is a known endocrine disruptor with potentially harmful effects on human health, including reproductive and developmental issues. The presence of BPA in the environment could lead to long-term contamination of water sources and soil, impacting agricultural produce and posing risks to human health through the food chain and direct exposure. - the next PFAS disaster.

Health and Safety Concerns:
The potential health impacts associated with BPA contamination cannot be overstated. Long-term exposure to BPA, even at low levels, has been linked to a range of health issues, including hormone disruption, developmental problems, and an increased risk of certain cancers. The proposed wind farm's operational processes, particularly the deterioration and shedding of turbine blades, could exacerbate these risks. It is essential to consider these health implications for local communities and implement stringent measures to prevent BPA pollution.

Request for Condition of Consent:
In light of these concerns, I request that if this proposal is approved (against the will of the community), such approval be contingent upon the following condition: All turbine blades must be manufactured using BPA-free materials. This precaution would mitigate the risk of environmental contamination and safeguard public health, ensuring that the project aligns with contemporary standards for environmental and human safety.

Decommissioning:
There must be an upfront, government-managed decommissioning fund established with money paid at the outset of the project. This responsibility should not fall to the host landowners, nor should it be left to private contracts to ensure the decommissioning of turbines. Transparency and assurance of decommissioning must be provided to surrounding landowners and the community in any conditions of consent.

There have been no long term studies on the impact of low frequency noise & EMF emitted from turbine on native fauna. For example, Koalas communicate via low frequency mating calls to cover large distances of harsh Australian environments & turbines are known to emit low frequency noise. Will this impact Koalas ability to communicate & breed? Will noise & lighting emitted from turbines sterilise areas of their habitat, forcing them to escape the noise and how many kilometres? Also bats navigate at night via echo location, how will noise emitted from turbines impact their habitats. This question does not apply to just Koalas & bats but to other threatened & endangered species out to 10-20km from proposed turbines. This concern must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

In conclusion, the approval of renewable energy developments, particularly those proposed by predominantly profit-driven foreign-owned multinationals, must not come at the expense of environmental integrity and public health.

Thank you for considering my objection.