Baldon Wind Farm

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Counterproductive to the stated aim.

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

Murray River Council - comment on Baldon Windfarm EIS

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

EIS:
- Page 50 – Traffic- concern on damage to Maude Road is used for “construction heavy traffic”. This will need further consultation with Hay Shire Council.
- Page 61 – Decommissioning – removal of any structures to be minimum 1.0m below ground surface level
- Page 143 – Biosecurity- Mitigation Measures – requirement for construction equipment to be washed and cleaned before transporting to and from site.
- Page 184 – Council requests a condition that CASA and Air Services approval be obtained for aviation mitigation measures and that lighting be installed on the WTG’s and WMT.
- Page 208 – Social Impact – Council requests consultation in the development of the ‘Local Housing and Accommodation Strategy’ and a “Workforce Development Strategy’.
- Page 220 – any road upgrade will require concurrence and approval from Council for regional and local roads.
- Page 220 – Council requires a full dilapidation survey of roads prior to commencement of any construction activities, including any early works.
- Page 220 – Port of Newcastle route – Council concurrence will be required, especially when travelling through Hay township and navigating roundabout on the Sturt and Cobb Highways, and the intersection of Cobb and Midwestern Highways.
- Page 239 – any construction activity that crosses a creek/waterway will/should require NSW Fisheries consultation and Fisheries Permit issued. Overland flow – due to the flat terrain even small changes to the ground level (e.g. access tracks) can impact overland flow of water.
- Page 340 - Council requires the Waste Management Plan to be fully consulted and agreed, with a Waste Management Agreement requested as a condition of consent approval. Opportunity exists to develop a circular economy approach to the development with Council.
Appendix F5 – Traffic Assessment
- Page 25 (of route study) – would appear to be a desktop study that hasn’t visited site and observed the landform of the roundabout. This will require further detailing and concurrence with TfNSW and Council.
- General – Any widening of council roads requires consent from Council and an approved design to the satisfaction of the Council engineer. Tree removal at intersection of Cobb and Sturt Highways – this would not be preferred by Council.
Appendix F9 – Aviation Assessment
- General – Any adjustments to PANS-OPS and LSALT is the responsibility of the developer and at its costs. All to be undertaken in consultation and agreement with Council as the aerodrome operator. Developer is responsible to notify CASA and Airservices Australia.
- Page 20 – no consultation with local Hay aerodrome users. Consultation should be required if local users of the Hay aerodrome.
- Page 20 – Council wishes to provide comment/feedback on any aviation impacts for the Hay Aerodrome.
- Page 35 – Council believes that WTG’s and WMT’s lighting should be a requirement.

Wind turbines are unsightly on our beautiful landscape, they will kill the wedgetail eagles
Old technology - Europe is going nuclear
Turbines use a lot of raw materials from our mined minerals to produce
The blades of the windmills contain bisphenol A (BPA) which is a toxic substance, harmful to humans & animals that will possibly contaminate the soil
The turbines will cause waste disposal problems when they are old and used.

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