MOD 1 - Revised Road Design

I am writing in support of CWP Renewables application to upgrade Aarons
Pass Road as a part of their Crudine Ridge Windfarm project. As an
active member of the Kandos/Rylstone community and director of one of
its major cultural events, I recognise the significant economic value
that this project represents for our business community. Having
watched our economic fortunes decline over the last six years since
the closing of the Kandos Cement Works and since then the closing of
the local coal mines, the Crudine Ridge project promises a much needed
injection of investment and economic activity in our struggling local
economy. Their efforts to upgrade Aarons Pass road will be of benefit
to the local community and being made at no public expense it is a win
win. I enthusiastically support this application and urge the
Department of Planning & Environment to expedite the required
approvals and permissions.

Yours

Alex Wisser
Director
Cementa Inc.

I believe that this Aaron's Pass road should be upgraded at the earliest
possible convenience. For many years now I have been trying to draw
the attention of council to the fact that this road is now inadequate
for the size of heavy transport vehicles which operators are using to
shift the volume of goods and services that we now require in our
industry as farmers. For many years heavy transport operators that we
use have been complaining to me about not only the road surface on
Aaron's Pass road but the overhanging tree canopy has been causing the
tearing of tarps on loads of wool, causing deaths of sheep travelling
in 4 deck stock floats and the necessity of weaving to the wrong side
of the road to avoid damage to mirrors and exhaust stacks. Many of the
trees along this road are dangerous because of overhanging limbs which
are termite infested and liable to drop on passing traffic. Many of
the dead trees are termite infected and their root system has rotted
causing them to fall and sometimes cetely block the road. I have had
to open the road using a chainsaw on many ocassions. This is clearly a
dangerous situation that needs to be addressed before someone is
injured or killed.

I object to the Crudine Ridge wind farm Modification 1, primarily because
CWP Renewables is asking for approval to clear over 50 times more
vegetation along Aarons Pass Rd (6.47 hectares) than they have cleared
already (.12 hectares). Examination of before and after Google Earth
images of the .12 hectares already cleared is indicative of the
devastating clearing ahead. This massive additional clearing is
physically undefined, to be done in unknown locations along APR and
overseen by a departmental Compliance function that has allowed the
current mess to get so far.
Assuming the Department of Planning & Environment (DPE) remains the
determining body, and that the determination favours the developer and
something subsequently goes wrong, Mr Mike Young (Executive Director,
Resource Assessments and Compliance - DPE Media release 11/12/2018)
will be able to don his compliance hat and support or otherwise the
decision he made under his assessment hat (assuming Mr Young still has
assessment responsibilities for this Modification).

However, I hope this application goes to the IPC for determination as
it will give us the opportunity to understand the arguments the
Department will be putting forward in support of their Assessment and
the time to find out much of what we don't know.

It must be clear to DPE that those of us across the Tablelands who
haven't been bought, now share a common bond to fight these industrial
encroachments, with their massive impacts that DPE mostly ignores,
into peaceful rural communities.

There would appear, understandably, to be a gulf between CWP
Renewables and the Department due to the stopping of construction
because a clear breach of consent and the stopping of APR clearing for
reasons unknown (the developer and many in the DPE from Marcus Ray
down believe and state that clearance approvals for APR have not been
breached). If so, why stop? Others believe that the conditions of
consent for APR clearing have been unmistakably and visibly breached.
The way forward is not to give in to their demands of further clearing
of APR so they can get their longer turbine blades to the site
commensurate with an immediate resumption of construction.
Whatever the DPE Assessors do in this Assessment, CWP will judge the
Department for what it has done to date.
Double down. Reject the modification to the "improved" Aarons Pass Rd
and at least be respected by wind farm communities for strength and
integrity.

I fully support the project.
Upgrade to Aaron's Pass is of upmost importance to the safety of local
residence that live along the road. The road is long overdue of major
upgrade.
The project will bring great economical boost to both Mudgee and
Bathurst regions, long after construction is complete.

I fully support the project.
Upgrade to Aaron's Pass is of upmost importance to the safety of local
residence. The road is long overdue of major upgrade.
The project will bring great economical boost to both Mudgee and
Bathurst regions, long after construction is complete.

I fully support the project.
Upgrade to Aaron's Pass is of upmost importance to the safety of local
residence. The road is long overdue of major upgrade.
The project will bring great economical boost to both Mudgee and
Bathurst regions, long after construction is complete.

I support the project because it will provide a vast array of benefits to
the local community. It will provide a large positive impact on the
community by engaging, supporting and benefiting local businesses with
an increase demand in the trades, professional, accommodation,
hospitality, services and retail sectors.
It is critical to ensure that the facility has the capacity to allow
safe passage for the numerous staff involved in the project, and the
numerous vehicles that will require access to the site. This will
require Aarons Pass Road to be upgraded as quickly as possible and
regularly maintained to enable local landholders, general community
and staff accessing and using the roadway to their homes, farms and to
the site safely without any risk to motorists.

I object to this windfarm knocking down all those trees. they are very
old and its not green to bulldoze them. I believe in protecting the
Envrionment and this is NOT protecting it .
if you let this Wind Farm destroy all those trees how can it call it
self a green Energy

I support this project as it has allowed my family and myself to relocate
to the lovely town of Mudgee. We have started to make many friends in
the area who have made us feel welcome.
The town will not only see an economic benefit but a social one also
as many other families like mine have moved to the area.

CRWF wants to use much more powerful turbines and much longer blades than
were part of the EIS presented for the original approval of the
project. It has not formally requested approval for those increases in
this modification or any other. It wants approval to be granted
without a formal request. The modification should be rejected until
the wind farm has provided a formal modification request for increased
turbine size and blade length, so a proper assessment can be done on
that change.

CRWF wants to use much more powerful turbines and much longer blades than
were part of the EIS presented for the original approval of the
project. It has not formally requested approval for those increases in
this modification or any other. It wants approval to be granted
without a formal request. The modification should be rejected until
the wind farm has provided a formal modification request for increased
turbine size and blade length, so a proper assessment can be done on
that change.

Wellington Valley Wiradjuri Aboriginal Corporation, does not object to
the Mod 1 Application for this project as it has an overall reduced
footprint and this will further reduce disturbance, and
therefore impacts upon the environment, flora and fauna along with
cultural heritage. This also means there will not be a requirement to
update the approved Aboriginal Heritage Management Plan.

I want to object to this modification and the significant damage that you
will do to the environment if CWP Renewables is allowed to completely
destroy what I think is the most wonderful area. these trees are old
and fully grown.
We have had a looked at the critically endangered species there, the
Pomaderris Repertait is only found in 2 other places in NSW, it
obviously struggles to survive why would you destroy its area.
This doesn't make sense to me. Im 16 and I can see that this project
is so wrong for the people who live there but also for this amazing
Australian Bush.
Mum told me a saying that has me wanting to stop you from destroying
this area.
BAD Things Happen when GOOD people say nothing. so I wanted to say I
object incredible strongly to the selfish destruction of a beautiful
area

I support the Project because I live on Aarons Pass Road which is in
desperate need of upgrading. In the time that I have lived in this
area I have had many near misses along the road as well as having to
move fallen old trees off the road. The clearing and upgrading will
ensure the safety of all residents and the increased amount of
visitors who travel the road.

I think that the wind farm is an excellent form of clean energy and is
the way of the future and am completely in support of this project.

I support the Project because I live on Aarons Pass Road and it needs
upgrading. I travel Aarons pass regularly and have had quite a large
number of near misses. I

I am currently employed on the wind farm and support that they have
employed so many local people for the construction. Any delay is only
hurting the local community.

I object to the proposed modification of Crudine Ridge Wind Farm (MOD 1)
for the following reasons:
-The project will cause major additional environmental harm to the
local area.
-The significant reduction in the proposed number of WTG's and the
reduction of "31 ha or native vegetation clearing" is misleading; a
reduction in WTG's by 52% (77 to 37) only attributes to a 30%
reduction (105ha to 74ha) in area of vegetation cleared as presented
in the EA by CWP.
-After the Department of the Environment restricted the development in
April 2017 to only 37 WTGs, there should never have been a need to
reduce the number down from 77.
-Any proposed increase in turbine height and blade length not only
affects bird and bats populations but reduces the ability of
firefighting/firebombing efforts in the case of a fire emergency. Not
only will the local properties experience a reduced impact from
firebombing efforts in the case of a fire, but the wind farm itself
(including substations) may share the same consequences.
-There has been a poor track record with this site regarding
disclosure of environmental assessments using turbine specifications
currently proposed at that time.
-Approving this modification only facilitates more `minor
modifications' of a similar nature etc. for this or other proposed
sites.
This proposed modification (MOD 1) needs to be rejected.

I support the Project because I have family who live on Aarons Pass Road.
I actually travel the road at no more than 40 kilometres an hour
because of the lack of vision around corners and the skinny width of
the road. I believe the upgrade will make the road safer for the
locals and wider community.

I support the Project because I regularly visit my family on Aarons Pass
Road and don't like using this road due to the safety issues. It needs
upgrading to make it safer. The wind farm is doing the community a big
favour by upgrading this when Council won't.

I support the Project because we go on Aarons Pass Road to get to Mudgee
and the road isn't very safe. It needs upgrading.

I support the Project because it is good for the people who live at
Pyramul to be able to travel on Aarons Pass Road safely and to let the
wind farm bring in the turbines.