Central-West Orana REZ Transmission

Please find attached a submission from Environmentally Concerned Citizens of Orange (ECCO) on the subject of the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone Transmission.
I lodge this submission on behalf of ECCO as its secretary..
The submission opposes the project.

As a farm hand and shearer within the CWO district, I object to this project. My objection is based on the following reasons:

- My work will take me to properties that are either housing EnergyCo's high-voltage transmission towers and power lines or take me to properties that are neighbouring this infrastructure. I feel that in working at these locations, I will be exposed to high levels of EMF / magnetic fields as I will be required to work amongst these powerlines. I should not have to re-evaluate my career path as a result of associated health risks due to EnergyCo’s project
- If farmer landowners at the various properties I work at become hosts and therefore absentee farmers, this will directly impact my employment opportunities as my requirements at these properties will become redundant. The ripple effect is that I will face problems providing for my family.
- As a man who works with livestock, I have concerns for the health of sheep should they be grazing amongst the high-voltage transmission towers and powerlines. If in my shearing practices it becomes evident that sheep are suffering as a result of receiving EMF radiation due to the projects infrastructure, this will have a significant impact on the agriculture industry for Australia. I believe proof will be through evidence of tumours and a general lack of well-being with the sheep.
- My family home is within this region and we do not want to be looking at the ugliness of EnergyCo’s high-voltage transmission towers and power lines. We do not want to be looking at wind turbines or solar farms either. EnergyCo should not be in a position to destroy our landscapes.
- The high-voltage transmission towers and powerlines will increase the risk of bushfires within our region. Rural NSW is simply not set-up to deal with major fire disasters.

I live near Merotherie and I am expressing my objection to the Central-West Orana Rez Transmission line for many reasons.
My neighbour has been offered $10 million dollars by RES to buy his whole property which they will then put wind turbines on. We will be 2km away and be in view of approximately 54 286 metre turbines and we have no say in this at all. He will move away a rich man while we are condemned to live in a property that may be inhabitable but also which we won’t be able to sell as no one else will want it. We have been offered a pittance from the company but would also have to sign away all our rights and never be able to complain about any aspect of the wind farm or make public comment or complain in any way. We will also have to operate with an energy company as a direct neighbour. You are allowing overseas companies to blackmail Australian citizens. We are left not knowing what to do, as the projects haven’t been approved yet, but if we don’t sign does that mean we aren’t entitled to any compensation? It is a very small amount to have our entire futures ruined and our lifestyle changed forever, regardless of what happens. This is also happening to people who have no choice but to have a transmission line through their properties. How ironic that people who have built completely self sufficient off grid houses now will have to look at huge ugly transmission lines which transfer power they will never use and will not benefit our local community.
The location of the transmission line and Merotherie Energy Hub mean there will be a very high concentration of renewable energy projects in the area. This will be to the detriment of primary producers and residents in the area for many reasons.
• Noise – from construction and also from the wind turbines, also from increased traffic. We are also hearing significant noise from construction of the Stubbo solar farm with constant earthworks and ongoing hammering of posts day in and day out, this is approximately 4kms from our property.
• Road congestion – even if the road from Merotherie to the Golden Highway is the chosen route and is upgraded there will still be significant traffic going the other way towards Gulgong. There is already a lot of traffic related to the renewable projects and they drive down the middle of the narrow road as it has no lines marked so they can’t seem to understand you still have to drive on the left. This is dangerous for residents and local workers and farmers.
• If the road is upgraded all the way to the highway this will create a major thoroughfare to the coast making a quiet country road a busy travel route, further destroying the lifestyle of residents.
• Visual pollution – this will affect this beautiful farming area and change the landscape forever. This will affect people who choose to live in a rural setting and purchased property for this reason. It will also affect tourism in both Gulgong and Dunedoo and ruin the historical significance of the area. Having seen the monstrosity that is the solar farm at Wellington it will reduce tourism as no one will want to look at the ugly projects.
• Affect on native animals and plants – there are many rare wildflowers in the area which will be dug up for road widening and construction of the transmission line and the projects. Animals and birds will be affected. We have many wedgetailed eagles as well as other endangered species of birds and animals and these will be affected by the turbines and solar projects.
• Radio interference – my Husband is an Amateur radio operator and the line and projects will have an impact as noted in the EIS
• Affect on local infrastructure – needing accommodation, food, and medical services for the many workers on all of the projects. We are already significantly lacking in medical services and these will be further stretched by a FIFO workforce, as will accommodation both rental and short term.
• Bushfires – the increased traffic and workers who don’t understand rural areas will mean increased bushfire risks and the huge wind turbines will mean aircraft can’t get in to fight fires and protect residents homes and livestock
• Aviation – currently we are in a training flight zone for the air force – this will have to be relocated as the turbines will mean aircraft can’t fly in the area at low altitudes.
• Farming – farmers will be affected by the transmission line and won’t be able to get heavy machinery around their farms due to the lines.
There are many more objections which I have raised in several forums. There needs to be a greater spread of projects and not only impact certain areas. The REZ itself is a big area but the projects will of course be concentrated near the transmission line. This needs to be spread out over the whole state not just with some unlucky areas being sacrificed because the pin was dropped here.

CWO REZist Inc. objects to this project. Please see attached.

Objection attached

Do not destroy our prime farm land, environmental aspects & heritage of peaceful wide open spaces with these oil based mechanical monsters. You are destroying both land & ocean as well. Stop Paying $ thousands for each overseas made installation. People can’t live near them, stop paying overseas companies with sneaky contracts. They kill wildlife on land & sea, destroy landscapes, burn & become acres of scrap metal. Dismiss the bureaucrats who are doing these in - Australian deals. I don’t want net- zero!

In the EIS, Figure 10-2 stops just north of the Wollar Switching Station. Can a new figure be added in the series to show TECs in and around Wollar Switching Station, for completeness?

I object to the planned route of the transmission lines through my property.
I am the owner of property at 1595 Cope Road, Cope NSW and the dwelling on my property is identified as Sensitive Receiver 367 in the EIS.
I have the following concerns:
1. The lines are too close to my dwelling.

I believe the distance to my dwelling is substantially less than shown on the plans, and I estimate the lines will be approximately 300m for the dwelling. I am concerned about the noise, electromagnetic radiation, and visual impacts.

The EIS identifies I will experience moderately intrusive noise during construction, and there will inevitably be an increased level of background noise from the lines during operation.

My biggest concern is the visual impact from the dwelling which will be there forever and will significantly de-value my property from an aesthetic point of view.

I am also greatly concerned regarding EMF and the lack of current studies regarding the impacts on health, I understand inconclusive studies have been conducted in the past however, other products like asbestos where once considered safe and have now proven to be extremely hazardous, I do not want myself or future generations of my family to be treated as a test case for the impacts of high levels of EMF in the future given my current concern regarding there impacts.

2. I have concerns regarding the environmental assessments in relation to my land.
The proponent has repeatedly informed me they have chosen the route to minimise impact to ‘high environmental’ land. I dispute that the land they refer to is high environmental as it is zoned the same by the Department of Lands and contains identical flora and fauna species to areas that do not seem to be of concern for required clearing to construct the transmission lines.

3. Impact on the ability to fight fires.
These lines will interfere with the ability of the RFS to effectively fight fires on both my land and adjoining properties in the district. In addition, the location of the lines over a dam that is regularly used as a refill point by RFS water bombing helicopters will mean helicopters will be unable to access this supply meaning they will have to travel further afield to find a suitable water source in the event of catastrophic bushfires known to occur within the area.


4. The proposed route will significantly interfere with current and planned commercial activities on my land.
I have a pre-existing contractual agreement with a renewables developer that is now threatened by the location of the power lines. The Proponent was aware of this development and chose to ignore it. It seems counterproductive that new renewable developments are being pushed aside for the purpose of building the lines.
I am also currently developing a walnut farm on my land which will now need to be significantly reduced in size to accommodate the lines.
In addition, the lines will interfere with my ability to continue quarrying granite from sites south of the existing powerlines.

5. The uncertainty concerning the design of the project.
I believe the project is under-designed and still very much subject to change. It seems to me that the Proponent is acquiring land too early in the process and as more information comes to light the route is likely to change wasting taxpayer money.
When I purchased that land approximately 50 years ago there were no high-tension power lines on the property. Now there are 2 lines. This project plans for 2 more. With acknowledgement of required expansion of the REZ in the future there are no guarantees I won’t be asked to host even more lines in the future. Currently I have been assured this will not be required as the planned 3 gigawatts and expanded 6 gigawatts can be transmitted on the currently proposed lines, however the currently proposed 3 gigawatts will exceed the safe carrying capacity of 4 x 500 KVA circuits, and expansion to 6 gigawatts will be extremely unsafe on the proposed infrastructure. Any future expansion of the current infrastructure greatly impacts my right to peaceful enjoyment of my own land, and I find the ability for the government to interfere with my land unsettling, particularly in terms of planning for the future of my family.
Most of my concerns could be remedied by moving the lines north (this would still see the lines run through my land). I do not believe the Proponent has adequately considered this option.
- If the lines moved north, the renewables development, walnut farm and quarry would not be impacted.
- The threatened species allegedly identified could be avoided.
- The impacts on the dwelling would be lessened.
- The dam would still be available for fire fighting.
We therefore ask that the route be moved north.

Attached please find my submission.

I have grown up in the Central West Orana region and it is disappointing to see that EnergyCo are planning to turn our landscape from rural to industrial. I do not believe that this process should be allowed to take place. I would like to see alternative development sites explored and the Central-West Orana region left to its current landscapes.
I work in a rural supplies store within the impacted region and i fear that should these renewable projects go ahead, my job security will be threatened. These fears are based off the possibility of absentee farmers, and the general populations moving elsewhere because they do not want to live within a modern-day power station. Should this be the case - absentee farmers and communities moving elsewhere - there will also be major negative impacts on our local economy as a result.
In addition to the above, the visual impacts of EnergyCo's power line infrastructure and subsequent renewable infrastructure would be that of an unsightly vision. We will also have to suffer with the noise impacts from renewable energy such as turbines and the humming from high-voltage power lines.
It is for these above reasons, I OBJECT to the project.

I object to the project because I do not want to live the rest of my life surrounded by renewable energy infrastructure. It is of my belief that this infrastructure will have ill-health impacts on the community. I am concerned about the EMF and magnetic fields radiation and what negative impacts these will have on nearby residents and livestock (and native wildlife). I do not think it is fair that rural NSW should have to risk our health and lifestyles in order to 'power' the rest of our state. I am of the belief that there are more suitable locations and these should be explored before this project is approved. Also, I do not believe that rural NSW should be turned into that of an industrial zone, as outlined in chapter 20 of the EIS Main Report.
In addition, I work in a rural supply store within the CWO REZ region and it is my strong belief that should this project go ahead - and subsequent renewable infrastructure projects as a result - this will have a significant detrimental impact on local economy. I am concerned about landowners who have signed up to be hosts becoming absentee farmers and as such, leaving our areas. The ripple effect this will have on our business alone would be significant enough to the point of closure. We rely heavily on our farming community clientele.
I do not believe that EnergyCo have conducted sufficient investigations into local economies. We have not been approached for any consultation regarding this project. I do not believe that this project should be approved as community consultation has been biased, and I believe that there are more suitable locations available to house their infrastructure/projects.

As a qualified engineer, i OBJECT to this project. I hold significant concerns for the health of both humans and animals that are nearby to the project (and subsequent infrastructure additions to the project). These concerns pertain to the EMF / magnetic fields surrounding said projects. Of note, the EU recommends that children whom are under the age of 15 should not be exposed to more than 40mG due to the associated increases in childhood leukemia. It is also stated that the Superior Health Council of Belgium on Advice no. 8081 mandated 100m setbacks from 380kkv lines.
AECOM study expects 63mG at edges of easements and 414mG underneath the lines.
My concerns pertain to the health of farmers who work under and around such infrastructure on a daily basis. How will energyco guarantee their health and safety? How will EnergyCo guarantee the health and safety of nearby residents in homes? How will EnergyCo guarantee health and safety of nearby livestock and wildlife grazing under and around said infrastructure?

I feel that there are too many unanswered questions by Energy Co (and developers pertaining to related infrastructure projects) and as a result, i am of the opinion that this project should be rejected and alternatives explored.

Wind farms are using valuable agricultural land, they are not renewable because the components have a limited lifespan and they pose a danger to birds and wildlife as well as turning rural land into industrial landscape.

I have resided in the area for years, the infrastructure, including local roads, are not suitable for the development on this scale. The local councils are not able keep up with basic maintenance as it is. Apart from the main Highways, which to be honest at times are also questionable, the local roads are not wide enough, most are unmarked and require upgrading and resealing. If there is any increase in traffic it will become dangerous for the residents and cause even more damage to our already awful roads. If you would like an example take a drive down Lahey's Creek Road, continue on to Spring Ridge Road and through to the Golden Highway.
The other concern I have is this amount of development in a quiet rural area. We live here, and many people visit our region because of the country lifestyle we all love.
Will this amount of development affect our property values? I believe it will.
How do the local residents benefit from the infrastructure? Will we benefit from lower power bills as we seem to be 'taking a hit' for the rest of the state? No. Everyone wants to be able to say they support the environment but no one wants to look at Solar Panels, Wind Turbines and have their local area impacted by high voltage power lines.
I would also like it to be made transparent to the local communities how our local councils are benefiting from this development. By way of monetary benefits or other ways it should be known and advertised.

The project is one part of the NSW Electricity Strategy developed by the Liberal Government a number of years ago. I attach a document that I sent to the NSW Energy minister explaining that the project was based on flawed assumptions.
Since then, a number of facts have been exposed confirming that the Project is based on flawed assumptions.
The key factor also confirmed is that Renewable Energy projects have failed around the world and electricity in Germany and the UK is unaffordable. Australia taxpayers are now subsidising billions of dollars to support Renewables, Intermittent, energy and then subidisiding households that cannot afford electricity.
The destruction of good agricultural land is absolutely incredible, dividing our farmers with huge offers for there land for a project that is not viable will end in disaster.
Please read my attached document and give me a chance to discuss. I have family in the area with large acres of Wheat Sheep land that tell me that this will all in disaster. Your communication with the Community is not happening and both the Community and Farmers are extremely frustrated.
I hope I hear back to discuss my concerns
Regards

Michael French

I am against these high voltage transmission lines that will be destroying flora and fauna to be built. There will be many lives destroyed also which will prompt increased suicides in these regional communities when the transmission lines are imposed onto farmers and their farms.
How stupid are the planners. We already have sufficient power lines that can be used if only the Government would forget about these wind and solar monstrosities and go to the next step and use nuclear energy instead.
Not to mention the cost to the communities, farmers, nature, taxpayers and future generations.

I STRONGLY OBJECT TO THIS PROJECT.
My family have recently purchased property within the Central West Orana, and during this process, we were never informed that our land was now part of a renewable energy zone. We purchased 50 acres to enjoy this lifestyle out of town, and the idea that renewable infrastructure will encroach on us is something that I believe should have been disclosed. I do not wish to look at industrial infrastructure from my windows, nor my yards surrounding my house. I have spoken with community members and they are of the same mind.
I am also a small business owner within the CWO region and I believe that these developments by EnergyCo and subsequent developers will absolutely destroy local economies.
I do not believe that sufficient community consultation was engaged to justify the benefits of this project. EnergyCo state that they only interviewed 44 people out a population of over 150,000. To me, this is an absolute joke and unsatisfactory. It is for these reasons that I STRONGLY OBJECT to the project and as such, this project should not be approved.

I have deep concerns about regarding the proposed installation of high voltage transmission lines, wind turbines, fields of solar panels, or any other 'renewable' energy infrastructure. The environmental costs of these atrocities is devasting to our natural landscapes, to our threatened (and soon to be threatened) species including bird and bat life, to the health and prosperity of the people of this land, to the cultural heritage which will be devasted by these installations. There are also numerous unknown dangers including continuous low frequency noise, vibrations, electromagnetic radiation, and other issues which cannot be mitigated against. Our country is not to be used as an industrial zone to produce wealth for the elite few whilst destroying humanity and all it means to be human.

I wish to object to this project in the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.
I am a small business owner within the CWO and I believe that the construction and operations of these projects will have severe negative impacts on small rural businesses like mine. EnergyCo have not fully researched the negative financial implications these constructions will have on us and our businesses. We have not been consulted at all in this process. This therefore has not been a fair procedure and I do not believe this project should be approved until significant and thorough research has been conducted. All small businesses within the CWO should have been consulted and our concerns put forward to ensure unbiased feedback.
I do not want to see renewable infrastructure destroying our landscape. Many people move to the regions of rural NSW to escape the cities, and it is for these reasons we love our lifestyle. Rural Australia seem to have no say in this. I do not want to see our beautiful idyllic lifestyle destroyed. I do not wany my way of life destroyed because of this infrastructure. I do not want to see my children's lives destroyed because of this infrastructure. We do not want to live within a modern-day power station. There are too many negative health implications that this infrastructure will cause and I do not believe that enough research has been done, nor do i believe that the communities have been well-informed about such negative health issues.
These projects will put significant mental strain on the communities and we are not equipped with sufficient services to help manage these serious issues.

This has to stop as we all know that renewable energy does not work. You ( government) are killing off protected species e.g Koalas that have been recently found in Coolah Tops our sugar gliders, all the wonderful bird life that is here in Coolah especially the majestic Wedge tail Eagles that have nested here in Coolah Tops for years. This is not about going green at all. Not only that killing off beautiful rich landscapes and of course the farming land. The corruption is just plain genocide to all living things. STOP THE WIND AND SOLAR FACTORIES.