82 objections to wind farm planned for Kentucky

A town hall meeting held on March 14 by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) allowed feedback over the state-significant development.

Karen Zirkler was one of the people speaking for the Friends of Kentucky Action Group and said she is a seventh-generation farmer who has worked with Landcare for more than 25 years.

She and her husband, Craig, operate a regenerative grazing enterprise adjoining the proposed development area.

"I believe in renewable energy, but not like this," Ms Zirkler said.

"The potential impacts of the wind farm on our regenerative and Eco-tourism enterprise were not considered by NEOEN in their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) nor by the department of planning in their assessment of the proposal."

Stephen Johnston, drew on his extensive experience with the Rural Fire Service and spoke to the importance of helicopters being able to access fire outbreaks and said without air support, the risk of fire spread is increased significantly.

"[Recently] a helicopter pilot spotted smoke and bombed a lightning strike before anyone else could possibly get there, the pilot was the one who called it in," Mr Johnston said.

"The very next day there was a fire. I called fire control at Glen Innes and told them we have a triple-o call, we'll need to notify Kentucky.

"They said Kentucky is not available. I said get a helicopter there fast, tell the pilot he's a mile north of where he was yesterday.

"When they told me the helicopter was not available, I told them they may as well start a back burn off the New England Highway...That's how important helicopters are when It comes to fire control.

"My comment to NEOEN is if you take helicopters and fixed wing away from me, you come and help me fight the fires."

On evaluation, Nicole Brewer from the Department of Planning, Housing and infrastructure said through job creation, capital investment and a community benefits scheme or voluntary planning agreement with the councils, the project would stimulate economic investment in renewable energy and provide flow on benefits to the local community.

"The Department considers that the project achieves an appropriate balance between maximising the efficiency of the wind resource development and minimising the potential impacts on surrounding land users and the environment," she said.

The public display of the proposal had 100 submissions, 82 were objections, 14 in support and four comments.

Key community concerns included biodiversity, amenity impacts (including visual and noise), the applicant's consultation, socio-economic factors, bushfires, site suitability, decommissioning and rehabilitation and aviation.

"The department considers that the projects impacts can be readily managed through the recommended conditions of consent," Ms Brewer said.

"On balance, the department considers that project is in the public interest and is approvable subject to the recommended conditions of consent."

NEOEN representative Emily Walker noted considerations for choosing Kentucky as the site including the land being largely cleared, the area being a great wind resource and that Thunderbolt is connecting into existing transmission lines.

The connection is into the existing 330KV overhead line which crosses the project line from Tamworth to Armidale.

According to Ms Walker, this means that the project is well placed to provide electricity reasonably far in advance of most of the other projects that are proposed within the New England REZ making it well positioned to help the state and federal governments to achieve its targets to halve emissions by 2023.

The project is expected to generate approximately 650,000 MWh per year-enough to power 100,000 homes and avoid 500,000 tonnes of Co2 every year.