MOD 1 - Revised Road Design

We are a local business, established 39 years ago, we frequently
transport our heavy equipment along Aarons pass road to service a
large amount of our rural clients in that area.
Navigating oversized trucks through this road at various times of the
day can be very dangerous as there is lot of local and general public
traffic using it at various times of the day.
In my years in this business I have personally experienced a number of
near misses on this road and I am amazed that nobody has been
seriously injured. With a view of improving the safety of not only our
team, but the general public as well, our organization is a strong
supporter for the upgrade for this road.

The project is approved, it is going ahead. The massive increase in
traffic is a serious safety concern and road works must be completed
as a matter of urgency before there is a fatality on Aarons Pass Road.

What a great investment into our future. Sustainable and free energy for
the future should not be withheld.

This project is a key infrastructure development securing future power
supply and also having the knock-on benefit of providing much needed
opportunities for local businesses and an injection into local
economies. It is sad to see a significant reduction in the scope of
the project, but there is nothing to stop future expansion if the
opportunity arises.

To Whom it may concern,

We have traveled Aarons Pass road many times over the past 12 months
through the Tender Process working closely to support the Local
contractors. This road is in dire need of an upgrade for the sake of
those who live on it & traverse it every day and much more so now that
the Crudine ridge wind farm is to be constructed. This is something
that i believe should be priority. many thanks,

The upgrade to the Aarons Pass Road is vital for the ongoing safety of
not only the workers who will be at the project, but the entire
community.
Over the past 14 years whilst living and working in the Windeyer and
Mudgee communities, I have had the burden of travelling Aarons Pass
Road. On these occasions I have had many near misses with other road
users and I strongly agree that the modification that CWP has
presented for approval will significantly increase the safety of
Aarons Pass Road and benefit the local communities for years to come.

As a small Business we are dependant on companies such as Zenviron to
keep running, the cash injection into our business has suffered due to
the suspension of the Crudine Ridge Wind Farm works, leaving us with
open bookings that now need to be filled.
This suspension has also impacted other business locally as not only
the Zenviron company, but other sub contract workers that will now be
unable to inject money into the Mudgee and surrounding areas as they
them selves have no income or need to find alternative income.

I support the project because I have witnessed first hand the
construction of the CWP Sapphire Wind Farm. The economical benefits to
our local township was extremely positive. The financial support they
provide to local community groups (sporting, educational, churches,
not for profit groups) is to a level local government groups can not
provide or sustain. They constructed with minimal impact to the local
people and the environment. The financial injection in the local
economies ensures country businesses thrive, which in turn delivers
jobs and improved infastructures.

To Whom it May Concern,

I am in support of this project as the benefits both short and long
term, considerably outweigh the negative impacts of the development.
Should this proposed modification be refused this would render the
entire project unfeasible due to an inability to comply with the
current conditions of consent. At present, there is no way the
infrastructure can be transported to site along Aarons Pass Road with
the restrictions imposed upon clearing in that location.

Clearing
The major relevant issue for this proposed modification is clearing of
potentially threatened vegetation along Aaron's Pass Road. However, it
is important to note that these vegetation communities are already
fragmented by the existence of the road itself. Some of these
communities may even be located upon land that has previously been
disturbed. Which is a great indication that regeneration may be
possible in the long term.

Additionally, whilst the amount of clearing required along the road
seems like a large area, it must be considered in the context of it
being a narrow, disturbed corridor along a long road. Not a large
untouched patch of remnant bushland. In this context, the modification
will actually be reducing the overall amount of clearing required for
the development by 30ha due to micro-siting considerations.

Local Traffic
With the project construction to date there has been local concern
about traffic on Aaron's Pass Road. However, this conflict has arisen
due to the inability to upgrade the road without contravening the
existing consent conditions. Should this modification be approved,
these conflicts would be resolved.

Financial Benefits

Local - This project has significant short/medium term benefits to the
local economy by employing local individuals and businesses, by
sourcing building product/services locally where possible and by
bringing specialist employees to live in the local area for the
duration of the project, thereby contributing to the local rental
economy as well as supporting local business in flow on capacity for
the relevant costs of living. Some employee's like my husband have
already moved their entire family here for this project and we are
contributing to the community like any other resident would.

State - The long-term environmental benefits of a project providing
energy based on a renewable source cannot be ignored. Australia has
significant international renewable energy targets and it will only be
able to come close to meeting these if alternatives to traditional
coal powered energy are constructed. We are so far behind other
countries in this aspect that to hamstring this development on the
grounds of some fragmented vegetation, would be reprehensible.

Thankyou for the opportunity to comment on this project.

Mrs Skye Mooney
Ba. Urban and Regional Planning

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I support this modification application (MOD 1) for Crudine Ridge
Windfarm.

The application is informed by the assessment processes of DPE and the
EPBC and now the project outline is reduced to match the scope of the
approvals. This modification also allows for additional vegetation
clearing and impact on biodiversity which appears to be well
considered and adequately mitigated and offset.

Crudine Ridge Wind Farm will not only provide a sustainable green energy
for the long standing future but also giving the Mid-Western region as
a whole an economic boost during the construction stage.
Many of the employees and contractors will be utilised from the local
region and the employees that follow the project from out of town will
be utilising Mudgee accommodation, local shopping.
For works to successfully and safely continue it would be a necessary
feat to ensure that Aarons Pass road is upgraded.
The road as is, even just as a public road is unsafe and dangerous in
certain sections. This road would benefit, as would the local
community from the upgrade.
Much of APR is 1.5 lanes wide and as it stands is exceptionally dusty.
The proposed upgrade would improve the quality of the road surface and
provide the much-needed room and increase the driver visibility, so
cars may pass each other at a safe distance. This road has many other
obstacles including wildlife, blind corners and many broken branches
from dead and old trees which on top of the narrow windy road makes
for a dangerous journey.
Vegetation clearance is necessary to increase the size of the road
works needed and for the transport of the turbines.
I fully support the wind farm and the proposed upgrades on APR. The
benifits of the project far out weigh the negitives.

Wind farms are an excellent source of energy. The positives of
sustainable energy are massive. Negative claims, such as they are an
eyesore, are both bizarre and pathetic.

I believe in progressing renewable technologies to ensure that we have a
sustainable and balanced power system into the future which will not
only ensure reliable supply but also have the lowest environmental
impact.

I support the construction of renewable wind energy projects in my local
area.

Not only do these projects take vital steps to reducing our nations
dependence on the use of coal for electricity generation, but they
also promote massive economic growth within the region and provide
jobs for local contractors and businesses.

The minimal footprints that wind turbines have on the landscape ensure
that the prosperity of land owners is not compromised through the
inability to continue farming and is a far more preferable solution
than to scar the landscape with open cut mining and to deprive our
region of valuable farming land.

The Crudine Ridge Wind Farm, is an opportunity for the region to push
forward and take the necessary steps to breaking the cycle of Coal
dependence that our nation has and following the lead of numerous
international counterparts and prosperous nations in the adoption of
renewable wind energy.

I believe this project to be vital ion a number of levels. Initially
because the road needs to be upgraded anyway. The proposed road
upgrade not only provides short term improvements to road safety
during the construction phase of the wine farms, but also offers
long-term improvement in access and road safety for locals living on
the road and all visitors travelling along the road. The second
component of my support for the submission is owing to the fact that
these added works across the road upgrade and wind farm itself bring
jobs, support local businesses and will continue to inject funds into
the local economy going forward.

I object to the Crudine Ridge Wind Farm Modification 1, primarily on the
grounds of it being completely hypocritical! How can this be classed
as a "green project" and helping to improve the environment when it
requires the utter annihilation of literally thousands of trees that
have been marked by CWP? How can CWP be remotely trusted when in their
first report they claimed they would only need to do minimal work on
Aarons Pass Rd and remove 54 trees in total? It now is ridiculously
clear that they had every intention of removing more (given they
removed more than that in the first day of works!) and were just
expecting to be fined. Had the works not been brought to the attention
of the Department, CWP would of carried on knowingly breaching consent
conditions.
CWP were relentless in their pressure to get the last host to sign,
they constantly withhold information until very late in the process
hoping to confuse & obstruct affected residents from making decisions,
they have openly lied to media outlets giving false impressions and
misleading the public, they have two breaches of consent on this
project alone as well as others on similar projects, they attended the
public meeting at the Pyramul hall recently with hosts and contractors
in tow intending to intimidate and threaten with their "pack"
mentality. THEY CAN NOT BE TRUSTED!!
Where are the corresponding reports in regards to visual & noise given
they have taken it upon themselves to increase blade length?? An
increase in blade length will surely have affect on noise & in
particular blade flicker? Is it not a requirement to address this
issue?
When is someone going to step up and hold these companies who are hell
bent on ripping communities apart accountable? When is Australia going
to wake up to the fact that wind power is in fact a farce!

I support the Crudine Ridge Wind Farm. It is a great project for the
local area. The project not only provides a alternate power supply to
the region, but brings a whole project full of employment which
benefits the entire community.

This is an objection to the Crudine Ridge Wind Farm Modification. The
company has authority from the Federal Department of Environment to
build only 37 wind turbines. It's alleged modification to reduce to 37
from 77 turbines is therefore no modification at all - just a deceit
to give the impression it is modifying by reducing.
This company's decision relating to the need for larger blades will
result in environmental vandalism - CWP Renewables needs to state
clearly just what environmental impact will result from their
attempting to transport these larger blades along Aarons Pass Road and
the exact number of trees and amount of other flora together with
fauna habitat that will be destroyed in addition to those they've
already vandalised.
CWP Renewables is striving to give a false impression that it is
reducing the number of wind turbines and consequent environmental
impact but CWP Renewables has legal authority, via the Federal
Department of Environment (April 2017), to build only 37 wind turbines
not the 77 from which it is allegedly reducing.

I object to this development on environmental and health grounds

I agree with the submission to realign the Aarons Pass. I have travelled
this road for over 30years, having owned a property in Windeyer, I
considered it a very dangerous road. The safety of people traveling
this road is important , it is only a matter of time before there is a
fatal accident on it. Visability is very limited, road is narrow.
There are many parts where it a single passage.
Please agree to the upgrade of Aarons Pass.