Crookwell 3 Wind Farm

The proposed development should be rejected on the ground that it will bring no discernible benefit and will create adverse social consequences.

Justification for the wind farm is that it "...would make a small but important contribution to reducing the dangerous impacts of anthropogenic climate change, such as droughts, floods, extreme weather events and sea level rise." This assertion is misleading. It is extremely unlikely that the proposal will make any detectable difference to the course of global climate. Economically, the proposal will rely almost entirely on imported technology, thereby adding to Australia's current account deficit for its purchase and maintenance through life. It will do nothing to improve nationwide per capita disposable income. It appears to be an exercise in subsidising foreign manufacturers of renewable energy technology. Socially, the wind farm will spoil the rural landscape aesthetic, thereby increasing the risk of subtle but adverse psychological effects on the local population and visitors.

Crookwell 3 wind farm as amended in relation to property R8 "Narangi"
Comments on aspects of the amended proposal C3WF.2016-AddendumEnvironmental Impact Statement,Appendices 1,2and 5.
VISUAL Appendix1.
Table 6,page 25,refers to property R8 Narangi as being HIGH visual category under the original proposal C3WF.LVIA.2012 and remains HIGH under the amended proposal. Figure 5 page 36,cumulative ZTP Diagram,shows Narangi surrounded on 3 sides by C2 andC3-up to 56 turbines.
Figure 9a,montage 2,page45, places the camera where the tree in the foreground minimises the impact of the skyline. Had the camera shot been taken from the dining room or living room windows or on the deck area the panorama changes markedly. Eye height at the deck is at an elevation of 850 metres and the base of the masts at approx.810metres which means we look directly into the spinning blades which have a swept area 56% larger than the original proposal(bearing in mind the original proposal was deemed a High visual rating and now the blades are greater in size) .The 2 reduced turbines were deemed not to have made any difference to the high rating.
While the photomontage may have been compiled in accordance with standard practice it is incomprehensible that when the tree line in front of the turbines is about 15 metres high that a 150 metre turbine only appears to be 3 times as high as the trees. You cannot hide a 40 storey high structure in a rural setting but the photomontage does a good job of making it disappear. In reality the turbines will be massive ,mechanical monsters dominating the rural landscape.
In Clause 10,page 59-Conclusion the last paragraph states "the majority of people at residential dwellings surrounding the amended C3WF would experience NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE in visual effect between C3WF LVIA 2022 and the amended turbine arrangement. In other words NARANGI homestead was then and still is now in a HIGH visual category regardless of the 2 less turbines.

Noise Impact Assessment-Attachment 2
Clause 3.1,page11,of the SA EPA Wind farm Guidelines details a maximum of 35dba of predicted equivalent noise level. It also states that turbine tonal or annoying characteristics should be penalised up to 5 dba if deemed by an authorised officer
We would argue that given the known facts of the monotonous sound of the blades cutting the air and the resultant pressures then it would be reasonable to assume the huge blades to be utilised will compound the annoying characteristics.
Table 4,page 12. lists a level of 30 dba as causing SLEEP DISTURBANCE in an internal bedroom and 35 dba as a MODERATE ANNOYANCE day and night. As a resident it is NOT ACCEPTABLE to be moderately annoyed during the working day on the farm and then having sleep disturbed at night when the environmental impact of the wind farm generates 38 dba at a wind speed of 7 m/s at 10 m height up to 51 dba at 10 m/s at 10 m height (table 6).If the 5 dba penalty is taken into consideration the resultant effect of noise pollution is excessive
.It is open country between the turbines and the farm lands and residence.It would be impossible to sound proof the residence and untenable to wear ear plugs all day while outside in the fields.
The proponent has recently won a contract to supply power to Canberra for the next 20 years. The stated objective of the Canberra Government is for a 100%renewable energy target by 2020 which means these turbines may operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week. What effect will that have on the health,wellbeing and sanity of the non host properties?

Appendix 5 Electromagnetic Interference
Figures 2 and 3,pages 13 and 14 show that Narangi tv reception will be further degraded from both Goulburn and Canberra broadcast towers and will probably result in total loss of signal. The signal from Crookwell tower is not available at Narangi.

General Comments
FIRE RISK
Regardless of assurances that the turbines are safe and the fire management procedures are secure I would draw your attention to the YOU TUBE videos relating to actual disasters involving turbines ,both here and overseas,(YOU TUBE wind farms fail/fire/explosions/disasters)which show that the turbines do fail catastrophically. The proximity of the 132000 volt high tension power lines restricts the ability of aircraft to fight a fire and should the power lines go out of service it would affect a large portion of south west NSW. Should a brush fire occur then the time taken to traverse 1700 metres to the farm house would be negligible and the property would be long gone before the bush fire brigade arrived.

MICROSITING
As was seen during the fiasco of Gullen Range Wind Farm the proponent can place the turbines to suit himself, regardless of the locations approved. No doubt it will happen again with C2 and C3 with the proponent impervious to the directions or requests from the Authorities or residents and with no recourse to challenge or seek protection should the locations impinge on the lives of non host residents. Interestingly the Non Host visual agreement states 1600 metres separation whereas the amended documents detail 1700 metres ,so the turbines are on the move already.

LOSE/LOSE for non host properties.
From our research on wind farms ,we are not convinced that wind farms do not cause detrimental health and wellbeing effects living so close to a wind farm particularly as Narangi is wedged between C2 andC3.
"Narangi" is unsaleable having the wind farm as a neighbour. My son wants to move his family to another farm ,away from the turbines,but cannot do so unless the farm is sold. There are no buyers and Union Fenosa have stated they will not purchase the property unless forced to do so under approval conditions..A condition of the Non Host Agreement is that should the property be sold or leased out then the agreement is cancelled. So as it stands there is no buyer,Union Fenosa wont buy and we lose the only binding condition of monies from Union Fenosa should we lease the property. We are stuck with a farm we don't want to live in but can`t do anything with.
The only protection non host residents have to protect their amenity is for the Approval to be conditioned as it was done in Schedule G Additional Procedures Land Acquisition and Criteria parts G1 to G6 of the original C3 approval.
Nothing has improved from the original arrangement.The visual pollution remains high,the noise impact ranges from moderately annoying to sleep disturbing,the fire risk is high and tv reception is degraded
We ask that the same conditions of approval for the amended proposal that were applicable to NARANGI (R8) be imposed on the amended proposal(Compulsary purchase etc.)but also reduce the time frame to a total of less than 12 months to prevent another long drawn out saga

RE: Crookwell 2 Wind Farm - MOD 2 AND Crookwell 3 Wind Farm
I work in the industry as an electrician. I see the benefits outweigh the negatives. My family depend on my income I get from my work.

RE: Crookwell 2 Wind Farm - MOD 2 AND Crookwell 3 Wind Farm

local employment
clean energy
local growth

I totally support the Wind Farm plans. We have to move to renewable energy, and thus plan helps us to do so.

I am a NSW citizen who believes strongly that NSW and Australia need to accelerate efforts to transition from carbon-based fuels to renewable energy sources like wind in order to mitigate the ruinous effects of climate change. Therefore I'm a strong supporter of sound proposals to create wind farms in NSW. I believe this Crookwell 2 amendment and new Crookwell 3 proposal are prudent and meritorious proposals worthy of support. The amendment will improve and reduce the impact of the Crookwell 2 proposal, and the Crookwell 3 proposal will enhance the viability and benefits of the proposed farm for the proponents and the local community. I am of the opinion that objections to wind farms are very often based on ill informed opinion rather than facts and a "not in my backyard" attitude which unfairly retards the wind industry in NSW. I strongly supports these proposals and encourage the relevant planning and development authorities to allow them to proceed.

I wholheartly support this submission.Wind and other renewable energy sources are and should be the most long-term cost effective solution to our current energy problems providing clean energy and a source of potential employment for our young people.

I support the Crookwell 2 Wind Farm - MOD 2 AND Crookwell 3 Wind Farm proposals.

As a business owner and employer of more than 20 staff I can not emphasize enough as to the economic benefits to the community brought about by the building of a wind farm. Best Western Goulburn has been a suppler of accommodation to all the wind farms that have been built in the Goulburn district.
We have owned this business for 30 years and can say that no other investment in our region has had the economic flow on effect of building a wind farm.
With this in mind we fully support the building of Crookwell 2 and Crookwell 3 Wind Farm

I support the installation of as many windmills as possible. It is the support for the future. Farmers need the additional income, everybody needs the energy. Why is it that the Department allows
so much overdevelopment elsewhere but is reluctant with windmills ?
Please have a change of heart and facilitate wind farms wherever
the wind conditions support them.
Sincerely
Angela Lindstad

With the election of Donald Trump now, more than ever Australia needs to lead by example.
The Paris Agreement has been ratified we MUST transition to clean energy rapidly and sensibly.
Wind is clean visual impacts are minimal compared to huge scars on the landscape left by coal mining.
The owners have reduced the proposed number of turbines from 75 to 56 to minimise impact on flora and fauna and negotiated generous Community Enhancement Funds with the local council that will provide about $140,000 to the community every year!
This is obviously a project that is beneficial to the community in decreased pollution and associated detrimental health impacts AND
It will aid Australia's Paris commitment
Judith Leslie

Submission regarding Crookwell 2 Wind Farm - MOD 2 AND Crookwell 3 Wind Farm

Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission.

I have researched this proposal and I support the wind farms in this location. My elderly parents have also visited a wind farm constructed by the same Spanish company and they are now firm supporters as well.

Our family's reasons for supporting this are three-fold. Firstly, we want to encourage job creation and employment in the region. As farmers find income-generating more difficult than ever before, this is an important on-going source of income, without the hazards of mining. I would like the area's farming heritage to be retained, which can be done alongside wind farming.

As a consumer of electricity in the ACT, I'm proud of our government's bipartisan support of 100% renewable energy by 2020. This is an opportunity to make a positive contribution to preventing further climate change.

My connection to the region goes back eight generations. I have great respect for country and want to see it in good shape for the next generations. Wind farms offer us this opportunity and I strongly support the proposal for these two wind farms at Crookwell.

I support this modification application. Wind Turbine Generator technology is rapidly evolving with regular improvements to efficiency, thereby resulting in lower cost and greater production, including during periods of lower wind speeds. It is crucial for the NSW economy and global climate that wind farm projects are able to utilise the latest technological improvements. In practice, this means approving the use of larger blade diameter wind turbine generators. It naturally follows that fewer wind turbine generators can be used to achieve the same outcome.

As a resident of regional NSW, I also support this project due to the regional investment and employment it will create.

I, along with my family private company, have been the landholder for 27 wind turbines within the Capital Windfarm complex which commenced operating in 2009. The arrangement has been most satisfactory, providing roads and firebreaks as well as useful financial income to assist with reaforestation and erosion control etc. There have been virtually no adverse effects at all. Bird kill is not apparent and noise is not at all as bad as put forward by opponents, and is in any case indistinguishable from wind noise in the trees. Our livestock are not at all adversely affected, indeed on hot days will prefer to take shade from wind towers in preference to nearby trees.

Rapid expansion of renewable energy is essential for us to combat the alarming increase in emissions and onset of climate change. This project is an important step in that direction. Unless we mover very quickly on cimlate change we will reach tipping points of massive destruction of ecosystems and viable land use.

I support the proposed modification to the development application relating to Crookwell Wind Farm 3. I am delighted to hear that the windfarm has been awarded a contract to supply renewable energy to the ACT Government's Renewable Energy Target.
I support this application in general terms as the need to transition from fossil fuels to renewables is urgent - if we are to have any hope of minimising harmful disruption to our climate.
And what a brilliant way to drought-proof farms and thus the whole regional economy! Go for it!

Australia is one of the G20 nations to ratify the Paris agreement. With this ratification opportunities are opening up in rural NSW in the progressive shift to clean energy. This is an ideal chance for the Southern Tablelands to be part of this transitional change.I feel that this opportunity for the wind farm should not be missed as investment dollars of any type are hard to come by. If the project goes ahead, not only the community, but also the environment will benefit from its development.

I support wind energy. It is an efficient, clean, safe and sustainable form of energy generation. It provides economic benefits to local landholders and regional communities. It reduces greenhouse emissions that would have been caused by coal fired power stations. Wind energy generates more jobs than fossil fuel industries through its requirements for development, construction, operations and maintenance and decommissioning. This project will bring multiple benefits to the Crookwell community and should be supported.

I object to this modification. The change would inevitably increase the noise pollution for locals in a rural setting.

I am a farmer from Rye Park and a strong supporter of wind farms for Australia's future for renewable energy. The Crookwell wind farm will join others across the Southern Tablelands region to secure the region as a very important part of NSW's clean energy industry.
As a farmer , we are directly affected by our unpredictable climate, and having alternate streams of income not related to rainfall is essential to make our business resilient.
The construction of the wind farm will allow graziers to continue to use their land alongside the new enterprise of harnessing the renewable resource of 'wind'.
The Crookwell windfarm project has an operator who is committed to the long term prosperity of the community by injecting funds towards community enhancement projects the order of $140,000 every year.
It also has landholders who are supporting the construction of turbines on their properties.
This project will employ locals from the community, improve the future for local schools and most importantly mitigate the effects of climate change by producing clean energy.
I can see no other potential developments that would allow this sort of economic benefit to the area, whilst allowing current agricultural operations to continue.
It's a "yes" from me!