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My husband and I have a number of concerns regarding the extension application submitted by AGL , to extend the approval lapse by two years. The community of Silverton has been dealing with Epuron and AGL for six years with regard to the Silverton Wind Farm project and many of us have grown tired of the uncertainty surrounding the project. We feel the wind farm will impact very negatively on our lifestyle, which is currently very quiet and peaceful in beautiful surroundings. We also feel the project will have a huge impact on tourism. As All the businesses in Silverton are heavily reliant on tourism, we cannot afford any disruption to business and our livelihoods. Most tourists we speak to are horrified that such a project would be built on such a pristine landscape, an opinion shared by ourselves. We are concerned about traffic management, there is only one road to Silverton and during the construction phase, we are very concerned that any disruption to traffic flow will cause disruption to business. The health issues surrounding wind farms is very high on our list of concerns and the list goes on. This whole project has been a problem from the start. It is my understanding that the 4 landholders who were to host the wind farm, became hosts because they were told by the previous Labor State Government that if they did not sign the contracts there land would be taken away from them. They may as well have had a gun held to their heads. They were put in an intolerable situation which has in turn left the rest of the community in a very unpleasant situation, with many people no longer speaking to each other. At the very least, with all the corruption hearings being held into the dealings of various Labor politicians, an inquiry should be held into how this project was actually approved in the first place. It is also my understanding that AGL were told by the Dept. of Planning that no more extensions would be given to this project. One would hope that this would be upheld, as we, the tax payers are the ones subsidising these wind projects. We both feel that this project should not be given an extension. We have been critisised by the companies for our worries and opinions, told "that"s life, get over it" and had our opinions and concerns trivialised . The project has had ample time to go ahead and I really don't think it is fair to ask this community to wait another two years for AGL to decide whether they are happy with the Federal Governments' actions on renewable energy targets.

I am against any extension to the Silverton Wind Farm Project. I live close to the proposed site and I am concerned with the visual impact of the turbines on the hills at Silverton. AGL say they will provide landscaping to screen those homes affected by the turbines, but what they don't understand, is that I don't want to have trees planted outside windows or have the hills blocked out. I live here because I like to look at the hills, I love the lifestyle here and this project will destroy that. I am very concerned about the possible health effects. AGL say they don't exist, but there is plenty of evidence available that states otherwise. We are expected to accept information which AGL presents at the Silverton Community Consultative Committee meetings, but they won't listen to any information we (community and committee members) produce and they refused our request to bring our own adviser to a meeting. I have serious concerns for the welfare of our town as far as tourism goes. Tourism is the only means of income to most people and I feel the wind farm will be very negative to us. People just aren't interested in wind farms anymore and the people I talk to are disgusted that one could be built here. Traffic on the Silverton Road is a worry. We only have one road and I'm sure their will be delays during the construction of the wind farm, which again will have a negative impact on tourism, not to mention those who need to get to Broken Hill for personal reasons. AGL talks about the bypass road which will solve the problem of them getting trucks through Broken Hill, but they don't mention anything about the issues on the Silverton Road after leaving Broken Hill. The whole project is of concern, the quarries they want to establish in the hills have to be destructive to the fragile environment and the amount of water that will be used in the construction of the wind farm is unacceptable.We have no guarantees of rain or inflows of water into our reservoirs, so any water used is so much less the community can use. The last time our creeks ran was February 2012. So no water in the reservoir since then. In another two years our dams could be dry again, does that mean no construction would happen if our water supplies were low, or would the project just keep going? There are so many questions and not nearly enough answers.

To Whom It May Concern

For the last 19 years my wife and myself have been running the Day Dream Mine doing surface and underground tours showing what life was life 130 years ago.
Concerns of extensions for wind farm are -
1. Traffic management during tourist season
2 Health concerns re location of wind farm turbines
After asking tourists at mine site re - location of turbines on hills near Silverton. 95 % say move them further out to stay noise pollution for locals
yours Kevin White
Kevin White

Members of the Silverton Village Committee Inc. would like the following items to be considered by the department in the extension of the Project Approval

1. Silverton village is a walk back in time and admired and appreciated by over 100 thousand tourists a year who come to our small community and for the lucky ones living here it is our paradise. Silverton will continue for many years if we maintain the current status of attractions and with the deep seated history that exists in Silverton. The current proposal to erect wind generation towers on the face of the Barrier Rangers is nothing short of creating Visual Pollution to a very special range that has been associated in its current form since Silverton was founded in 1881. This range creates a very calming and peaceful environment to live and work
Residents feel that with the 280 positions available for tower positioning the towers could be taken back from the face of the barrier ranges out of visual site of the Silverton Township and would also address the many concerns with potential noise and infrasound being emitted from this type of development.

2.The traffic management plan that is to be undertaken by AGL contact engineers through a consultation process with local residents and business owners and other persons and companies is a very important aspect of the build process of the SILVERTON WIND FARM.
Silverton business derive 90% of there income from the Tourism Trade that supports SILVERTON this has taken 40 plus years to get it to its present level with a lot of hard work and money spent on promoting the region. Any MAJOR restriction of traffic movement creating long delays that could take place for numerous reasons would impact greatly on Silverton.
Many coach operator include Silverton in there itinerary and we are presently working hard to increase this section of tourism to Silverton, but unfortunately they all work on very tight schedules and any major disruption to access SILVERTON could make them reconsider this destination and naturally impact on our Businesses in Silverton

The grey nomads are another big market for SILVERTON and their word of mouth travels far and wide in Australia, we work hard for repeat and referred visitors to our Area and if this is negative in any way impinges on their time spent accessing Silverton.

In conclusion we hope the above remarks are used to achieve an amicable working relation ship so that Silverton can continue to operate as a Tourism destination for many years to come

Yours sincerely

John Taplin
Secretary Silverton Village Committee Inc

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