Baldon Wind Farm

This is a peaceful town. The turbines will forever ruin our tranquility . They could make it impossible to sleep at night for those who live nearest the turbines. It may not be all the time but it will be some of the time. Sound will travel particularly at night. I worry about bisphenol A contaminating the air we breathe. It's a neurotoxin! This very dangerous chemical will enter the food chain. What measure will the company be putting in place to insure the resident are not exposed to this endocrine disruptor?

The companies working towards industrialisation of high value food producing farm land, need to put in their ESI how they are intend to connect the energy generated to the grid. The fact is that they canNOT because of the bidding structure these developments, they just cannot know. A moratorium is needed to pause this installations until this question can be answered. To continue full speed ahead is a disaster in the making. Frankly , the answer is not possible because of the nature of the beast.

Having grown up on a farm in the area. Im very aware of the food an fibre this area can produce. This is a ridiculous industrialization of pristine farmland is beyond ludicrous.

I object to the project as sey out in my attached submission.

Our region is a biodiversity hotspot, home to many already threatened species, and the proposed wind turbines pose a significant risk to their survival. Contrary to claims of being environmentally friendly, there is growing evidence that the full life cycle of wind turbines—manufacturing, construction, and disposal—has considerable environmental costs. These factors must be taken into account when assessing the true impact of renewable energy projects. I urge a reconsideration of these plans in favor of solutions that genuinely protect both our environment and biodiversity.

Objection documents attached.

I have a growing concern with the cumulative impact on a number of key ecological aspects the Wind projects will have on the Riverina Plains.
I find it difficult to understand why more detail is not in the EIS on how the energy developed with this project is to access the grid.
More detail needs to be provided with connecting transmission lines
The local road network is not adequate to support a project of this size.
The visual impacts are not to be underestimated due to the flat topography of this unique landscape.
Are the turbines to be taken down if they are to be decommissioned and who pays for this to occur
Why should the Australian tax payer and energy user pay the landowner an annual payment when it would have been cheaper to purchase the freehold title of the property where the proponent could have used the remaining property for biodiversity offsets and leased the balance back to agriculture.
At the end of the day the cost of supporting an annual payment to the landholder will be subjected to far greater scrutiny than has been applied to these projects at this point.

This submission, addresses the significant environmental impact concerns related to the proposed Baldon Wind Farm Development near Hay, New South Wales (NSW). The proposed project involves the construction and operation of 180 wind turbines with a total capacity of 1 gigawatt (GW), alongside an energy storage battery facility. While the project aims to enhance NSW's renewable energy capacity, it poses considerable risks to local flora and fauna, including habitat destruction, noise pollution, increased ground temperatures, vibrations, and other disturbances. This document provides a comprehensive analysis of these potential impacts, incorporates relevant case studies to illustrate similar situations, evaluates the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures, and advocates for more robust environmental safeguards.

No consideration is being given to the long term detrimental impact on the environment and communities.
Critically endangered birds and wildlife in the region are being sacrificed.
No recycling facilities in the area which means retired wind turbines will be left as dangerous rubbish.

This project is an environmental catastrophe, with no regard to critically endangered birds and animals here.
Clearing for roads and construction of the wind turbines is destroying the environment now and more damage will be done when old wind turbines are discarded as rubbish.

Our town is a sanctuary for wildlife. The turbines will destroy their habitats and disrupt live patterns and habitat. Endangered species like the Plains-wanderer are already struggling. This project could push them to extinction. They are a flightless bird that wander the plains. please consider this bird as it will be pushed to the point of no return

Imported materials, unsustainable jobs, land destroyed, animals killed for 20% of energy. There are better ways. And uphold Australian Standards. Stop importing rubbish that cannot be recycled.

As a young farm in the district, I consider myself a budding environmentalist. I am concerned with the destruction of land that these RE instllations will bring to the farming land in my area. I am concerned about the Bisphonal A from blade erosion. If the land is cover then this neurotoxin it will surely make its way into our food chain. Australia has the world best practices of standard in farming standards. bring this in to the country and to spend it all over food producing Ag land is a crime.

I’m concerned about the potential for turbine fires. Our emergency services are not equipped to handle that.

Food producing agricultural farm land absolutely should be just that , food producing land. Agriculture land must not be industrialised with renewable energy generation.

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.

This proposal is crazy, Insane even. Food producing Agricultural land should be left just as that. There will soon enough be a food shortage.I have read as soon as 2050. The way the government is smashing up the RE it could very likely be sooner that alter. Australia farmer are good at producing large quantics of food at a high standard. Leave Ag Land to farmer so we can do what we do best. Put RE where it is needs to be, in the cities on carpark and roof tops. I would rather have food in the dark then an empty plate with the lights on.

I object to this project because of the size of the footprint which does not include haulage roads, repair and maintenance of turbines and the negative impact on both flora and fauna. It is highly likely that threatened species such as the Little Eagle, Black Falcon and the spotted harrier will be adversely impacted as well as the white-fronted chat and black-breasted buzzard which were identified during the first year of surveys. The bat surveys also identified two threatened species, the forest bat and and the little pied bat. Past experience shows that turbine generators and blades need replacement at least every 5 years which requires taking the turbine down and transporting it to a repair location. Meaningful protection of Australia's unique biodiversity is critical not only because of the unique contribution to the environment but also because of the importance of diversity and knowledge that can be obtained

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

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.