The Plains Wind Farm

I would like to express my support for The Plains Wind Farm as it focuses on climate sustainability. This projects ability to help mitigate climate change (green power for over 1 million homes) is phenomenal and provides an enormous benefit to a wide range of stakeholders. This well-designed project is in an extremely suitable which can be evidenced through the numerous and intensive impact reports on flora and fauna. This project will provide the community with secure financial, job and tourism growth.
Engie is a leader in the energy market and is extremely credible. I believe this is imperative to ensure the project is followed through and the community thrives with their presence in the community. Engie places a strong focus on the local community which is fabulous. This is evidenced through:
- Employment of locals in their shop front where they have been extremely welcoming and transparent on the project.
- $1000 energy bill relief of Hay locals.
- Sponsorships awards to 13 organisations within the community
- Pro-active, considered, and transparent approach to engagement with local community and landowners over the past 2 years
- ENGIE's considerable efforts to engage with and support the local business community, most notably with regular forums that they have both hosted and participated in the 2023 Rainbow on the Plains 2023 weekend, Rust and Dust and Hay Show

I strongly support this well-designed project which has been formulated by one of the most credible energy providers in the market.

I would like to express my support for The Plains Wind Farm as it has brilliant social, economic and climate sustainability outcomes for the local community and surrounds. This project and its ability to help mitigate climate change (green power for over 1 million homes) is phenomenal with a wide range of stakeholders benefiting significantly from this project. Additionally, it is evident that the project has been designed exceptionally well due the numerous investigations into the impacts on land, fauna, flora and communities. Being a landowner in the area, the factors stated above are imperative for a thriving area which I’m confident Engie can deliver on.

Engie has been extremely respectful from a landowner and community perspective. This can be demonstrated through their extremely pro-active, considered, and transparent approach to engagement with local community and landowners over the past 2 years. The local presence of the shopfront and employment of local staff enabling local community easy access to information about the project which again shows their credibility and transparency. ENGIE's considerable efforts to engage with and support the local business community, most notably with regular forums that they have both hosted and participated in the 2023 Rainbow on the Plains 2023 weekend, Rust and Dust and Hay Show. Additionally, they have provided sponsorships awards to 13 organisations within the community and their $1000 annual energy bill relief for locals in Hay shows their commitment to the area and the people within it.

I believe it is imperative to have a credible company like Engie which designs and follows through on these projects. I strongly support this well-designed project which has been formulated by one of the most credible energy providers in the market.

Negative impact on our planet. Materials used for the project end up in landfill after short lifespan. Negative community impact is too high.

We object to this project due to it being I’ll thought out & it’s ‘rushed’ nature. The negative community heath & impact is too high.

Please see below Letter of Support

I am in full support of The Plains project. I believe this project is really good for Hay because of the huge positive impact it will have on our local economy which will essentially drought proof our town. Locals have already gained employment through the presence of Engie in town and Engie have generously supported our local community with grants and funding sources. We recognise their considerable efforts to engage with and support the local business community, most notably with regular forums that they have both hosted and participated in the 2023 Rainbow on the Plains, 2023 weekend Rust and Dust and Hay Show. The plains project will provide career, training and job opportunities within the renewable energy sector and these will be available to local residence include our youth. The Plain project benefits our children’s longevity to live and work in Hay as it increases the economic landscape, skilled workers and professionals we have in our town. We have welcomed Engie’s pro-active, considered and transparent approach to engagement with local community over the past 2 years.
We are very supportive of The Plains project and its potential to support the renewable transition in New South Wales. We recognise Engie’s past positive contributions to Hay and fully trust the company’s capacity to deliver the project in a responsible and beneficial way.

I am in full support of The Plains project. I believe this project is really good for Hay because of the huge positive impact it will have on our local economy which will essentially drought proof our town. Locals have already gained employment through the presence of Engie in town and Engie have generously supported our local community with grants and funding sources. We recognise their considerable efforts to engage with and support the local business community, most notably with regular forums that they have both hosted and participated in the 2023 Rainbow on the Plains, 2023 weekend Rust and Dust and Hay Show. The plains project will provide career, training and job opportunities within the renewable energy sector and these will be available to local residence include our youth. The Plain project benefits our children’s longevity to live and work in Hay as it increases the economic landscape, skilled workers and professionals we have in our town. We have welcomed Engie’s pro-active, considered and transparent approach to engagement with local community over the past 2 years.
We are very supportive of The Plains project and its potential to support the renewable transition in New South Wales. We recognise Engie’s past positive contributions to Hay and fully trust the company’s capacity to deliver the project in a responsible and beneficial way.

Industrial scale wind farms are a visual abomination on the landscape. Landowners did not sign up to living within ‘modern day power stations’.
Cumulative impact on wedge tail eagles, bats and other birds is devastating and unacceptable.
This push towards industrial scale unreliable reckless renewables is destroying rural community harmony, ecosystems, tourism and the local and Australian economy. Without reliable power we will all suffer.
Please ensure the suggested power generation takes into account wind turbines only generate power 19% to 30% of the time. Any suggestion of power and Co2 savings based on turbines operating at 100% capacity is a deceptive lie.
There must be a publicly available decommissioning plan and contracts associated with decommissioning must be made publicly capable. Neighbours should not have to put up with a suggestion that this matter will be resolved between leaseholders and renewable corporations in private contracts that provide them with zero certainty that there will be bond money available in 20+yrs time for decommission or the leasehold landowner will have to foot an unaffordable decommissioning bill. With each turbines costing approx $700,000 at todays prices to decommission, with leaseholders only receiving 25-40k per turbine per year, this won’t even cover decommissioning cost! Please address this issues raised by the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner regarding decommissioning of turbines as outlined on the AEIC government website with regard to decommissioning.
270m high turbines are obscene. The NSW visual Impact guidelines was formulated on studies of turbines that were about 1/3rd of the size of those proposed, this size turbine must have a minimum upfront setback to non-associated houses of 6km.
Stop this madness. We must go nuclear now and save our bush land & ridgeline ecosystems & agriculture land & farmers lifestyles from this sprawling enormous land footprint junk.
There must be a condition of consent that the turbine blades used will be BPA free. Over time turbines blades disintegrate and BPA Microparticles will get into Australias food and water supplies. This is an unacceptable health hazard.

I absolutely object to this wind farm.
These renewable projects are ruining the wildlife habitat of the Planes Wanderer, Painted Snipe and many other native animals.
There are no agreements for the decommissioning of the wind farm and the toxic waste that will be left. What is the recycling plan for it ??
Hence my objection.

Refer to Attached Letter

The Plains wind project must be stopped, it will remove valuable agricultural land from the system which is unacceptable. It will kill too many birds and bats which is also unacceptable.

I support the project. Renewable energy projects are critical to the state and Australia. Delays in the planning process risk energy secruity and Australias GHG targets and increase reliance on other more polluting forms of energy production. There are far to many delays to wind and solar projects and these must not end up with the IPC or in the courts because of a few NIMBYs if we are serious about the transition.

I object to rural Australia being littered with 'renewable' energy projects in particular The Plains Wind farm is not as green as they are making out. The transport of turbines to site alone proves it's not a green energy project (Preferred route of 1130km with 26 oversize vehicle deliveries per week for two years)
I object to the clearing of trees and vegetation and the destruction of habitat for native wildlife.
I object to the impact this will have on the surrounding district and the financial loss and ongoing noise, visual impacts on non host landholders in the nearby vicinity and the strain it will place on housing in the area.
How does the company plan to access the large amounts of materials required during construction? ( water, cement & other material required for the foundations of the turbines)
If this project proceeds the iconic Hay plains will be ruined

I oppose the industrial wind project "The Plains" for the following reasons:

* It is too close to the townships of Hay and Booroorban and many of the turbines will be visible from the town environs.
*There are multiple non-associated dwellings situated nearby to planned turbines which will have an unacceptable negative impact on those residents enjoyment of their homes.
* It is too close to the Cobb Highway with mutliple turbines visible negatively impacting the visual enjoyment of the Hay Plains in that area. The large size of the turbines will be distracting to drivers making the area a black spot for traffic accidents.
*The project has had insufficent community engagement. Given the location near to Hay with (at 2021 figures) a population of 2882, the proponent has only engaged with 30 people. This is just over 1% of the population. The social impact assessment is therefore less use than the paper it is written on. Given the huge impact the project will have to the district, EXTENSIVE community engagement needs to be undertaken and the views of the public taken into account in the design of the project.
* It is too close to the rest area, 16 Mile Gums on the Cobb Hwy. This is considered by the community as a viewing spot to admire the Plains visual aspect. This is planned to be in the centre of the wind project.
*Aviation hazard lighting is essential, but such lighting will have a negative visual impact on the area and the proponent quotes such lighting will be seen up to 20km away so that includes the townships of Hay and Booroorban.
*The cumulative impact from this and other proposed wind projects in the district will be of huge negative impact to residents.
*The suggested mitigation of vegetative screening is unrealistic. The plains are PLAINS and it is difficult to grow TREES there. Plantings are unlikely to thrive and it is unreasonable to expect the negatively affected landowners to be responsible for the establishment, watering and care for any such vegetation.
*The minimum safe altitude for aircraft within 10 nautical miles AND 25 nautical miles has been exceeded and the proponent's suggested mitigation is unreasonable. If there is low cloud and aircraft are trying to land at Hay airport, this will negatively affect VFR aircraft.
*The Aviation Impact Assessment uses UNAPPROVED turbulence data, ignoring the accepted standards and imposing their own smaller turbulence area.
* Night lighting of any approved turbines is essential for aviation safety.
*Turbine EE15 is admitted by the proponent to be of higher risk to aviation safety and needs to be removed from the proposed project.

I reserve the right to add to my objection at a later point in time.

Annette Piper
11 May 2024

I am just trying to make a test submission