26/07/2021

Version Number: 03

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS We value your honest feedback and opinions to ensure our project appropriately addresses local values and concerns. Feedback provided is being used to inform assessments and refine the Project design. This Frequently Asked Questions document will be used to respond to questions received about the project. This document will be updated over time to capture new questions.

You can click on the following links to go to the question of direct interest to you:

BACKGROUND ...... 4 What is the Project? ...... 4 Why is the Project being developed? ...... 4 Who is ? ...... 4 Who is EPS? ...... 5 What is the history of wind farms in the region and on the site? ...... 5 STATUS, TIMELINE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ...... 6 What is the Project status? ...... 6 How far along is the Project in being approved and what is the Project timeline? ...... 6 Is the Project permanent? ...... 7 How will the community be engaged and provide input on the proposal? ...... 7 Can the Project be modified over time without input by the community? ...... 9 LOCATION ...... 9 Where is the Project located?...... 9 Why is the Project proposed to be located where it is? ...... 10 Why isn’t the project closer to the points of delivery? ...... 10 How close to small villages can the turbines reasonably be located? ...... 10 Why isn’t the project ocean based, as public pressure has forced their location in Europe?. 11 Where will the batteries be located? ...... 12 Will the project generate greenhouse gas? ...... 12

RANGOON ENERGY PARK CONTACT EMAIL Rangoon Energy Park Pty Ltd PO Box 1639 [email protected] ABN: 94 628 009 889 VIC 3001 https://meridianenergy.com.au/rangoonwindfarm/ 0483 193 310 TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE RANGOON ...... 12 How do wind farms work? ...... 12 Where will the wind turbines be built and what will they be manufactured from? ...... 12 What are the types of wind turbines under consideration? ...... 13 What is the proposed turbine height? ...... 13 What are the heights of the turbines used in other projects in the New England area? ...... 14 Why is the Project sometimes referred to as an ‘Energy Park’? ...... 14 What types of battery units will be considered? ...... 14 What size will constitute an adequate battery bank? ...... 14 When will the options be decided?...... 14 BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT ...... 14 How many jobs will be created, and will you source them locally? ...... 14 How else will the community benefit from the Project? ...... 15 What is the subsidy for each turbine? ...... 15 Is there a benefit to supply or backup for the village? ...... 16 Will the project have an impact on local Council rates? ...... 16 What drives the project in terms of commercial viability? ...... 16 SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS...... 17 How will pest animals be managed during the life of the Project? ...... 17 Will the project facilitate the spread of weeds? ...... 17 How will the risk of bushfires be managed? ...... 17 How will the Rangoon Wind Farm affect my property value? ...... 18 Which roads will be utilised for Project traffic during the construction phase? ...... 18 What are electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and will they interrupt mobile, Internet, WiFi or television signals? ...... 19 Do EMFs cause or contribute to health impacts? ...... 19 Do wind farms make noise? What is the long-term effect of noise and sub-audible noise in the workplace and families’ living space, learning space and backyard/ playground? .... 20 Is there potential for bird and bat strike? ...... 22 Will the turbines have lights on them? ...... 22

Page 2 Will the turbines cause shadow flicker? ...... 23 What will the wind farm look like and will I be able to see it from my house, or from the villages of Ben Lomond and Glencoe? ...... 23 How will blasting for the site preparation impact on the bedrock, volcanic flumes, the water table, aquifers, spring water and bores? ...... 24 What is the expected source of water for the concrete batching plants? Will it impact local aquifers? ...... 24 Will the project impact on dung beetle populations?...... 24 How will koalas’ habitat and quoll habitats as well as that of other mammals, frogs, bats, insects (pollinators and dung beetles) be protected? ...... 24 Can education offered within a wind farm zone deliver the same educational outcomes for all students? ...... 26 Are aerial agriculture operators being considered? ...... 26 What will be the impact of the project on agricultural land?...... 27 Will trees be impacted as a result of the project? ...... 27 Will the land be re-zoned or re-classified? ...... 28 END OF LIFE / DECOMMISSIONING OF THE PROJECT ...... 28 What are the end-of-life arrangements for the wind turbines and how are they disposed of? ...... 28 Who will pay for decommissioning? ...... 28

Page 3 BACKGROUND

What is the Project? Rangoon Wind Farm is a utility scale wind and battery storage plant with a proposed installed capacity of up to 130MW.

The Project includes the following key components:

 Up to 24 wind turbines, each with three blades mounted on a tubular steel tower are proposed for the project. Assessment and design works are underway to determine the number, size and location of wind turbines and battery energy storage system;  Two substations and transmission connections – linking the project to the existing TransGrid 132kV Armidale to Glen Innes transmission line and the 66kV Glen Innes to Guyra distribution line;  Battery Energy Storage System – up to 100MW/400MWh to be located at one or either of the two project substations; and  Associated infrastructure including equipment storage facilities, access tracks, permanent monitoring masts, laydown areas and construction compounds.

The wind plus battery storage project will feed into the National Electricity Market (NEM), generating enough renewable energy to power ~58,000 residential homes per year.

Why is the Project being developed? Meridian Energy Australia (Meridian) is growing its customer base through its energy retailer Australia. Due to this continued growth and Meridian’s commitment to supply its customers with firmed renewable energy, Meridian has a requirement to continue investing in its generation portfolio in NSW. Firmed renewables (such as wind generation and batteries combined) are now considered one of the most cost-competitive forms of new generation.

The Project will contribute positively to Australia’s environment. The generating capacity of the Project is equivalent to:

 Reducing ~369,000 tonnes of GHG emissions each year;  Powering ~58,000 homes each year;  Taking ~180,000 cars off the road;

Who is Meridian Energy Australia? Meridian Energy Australia (MEA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Meridian Energy Limited (Meridian), Australasia’s largest 100% renewable energy generator and the largest electricity generator in . MEA owns and operates two wind farms and three hydro-electric

Page 4 power stations in Australia and sells electricity and gas to customers in , , NSW and Queensland through its retail company Powershop Australia

In June 2021 Meridian announced a strategic review of its Meridian Energy Australia (MEA) business. It is expected the review will take a number of months and will consider all options including partial or full sale of MEA or retention of MEA.

MEA remain committed to the project, and will continue to engage with the community through the development of the project.

For further information, please see the following link to a related media release: https://www.meridianenergy.co.nz/news-and-events/ownership-review-of-meridian-energy- australia

Who is EPS? Meridian has appointed EPS as Development Service Provider for the project. EPS is an Australian-owned and based renewable energy company providing relevant expertise for the creation and development of solar and wind projects in Australia.

What is the history of wind farms in the region and on the site? Due to the wind resource of the region, host landholder support and location of previous wind farm proposals, the Project has evolved from two previously proposed wind farms, Ben Lomond Wind Farm and Box Hills Wind Farm.

Ben Lomond wind farm was proposed to be over approximately 9,990 hectares with a total of 98 generators across 13 privately owned rural landholdings within the Glen Innes Severn and Guyra Shire local government areas. Following the issuing of SEARs, an EIS was prepared but not lodged with the former Department of Planning (now DPIE). The RWF North area overlaps the old Ben Lomond wind farm with approximately 4 – 5 associated landholdings in common.

Box Hill wind farm covered approximately 1000 hectares with a total of up to 12 wind turbine generators across privately owned rural landholdings within the Guyra Shire local government area. Box Hill wind farm was granted development consent (Development Approval No. 29- 2004/2005) on 9 February 2005 by the then Guyra Shire Council and has achieved physical commencement. The RWF South area and the Box Hill wind farm are the same site located on the same landholding.

The two previously proposed wind farms conducted various assessments including a wind resource assessment in each area that identified several elevated areas that had the potential for the installation of wind turbines. Turbine layouts were prepared for the previous wind farms which included a larger number of turbines than what is proposed under this

Page 5 application. The reduction in the number of turbines is the result of an improvement in the efficiency and scale of wind turbine technology. As such, the number of turbines and their geographical location has significantly reduced from the two earlier proposals.

STATUS, TIMELINE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

What is the Project status? The project is currently in the development stage with specialists having prepared the Scoping Report.

At this stage, MEA are undertaking a review of the project layout including the location, number and tip height of the turbines based on feedback received during consultation. Following the layout revision, further drafting to address the layout amendments will be undertaken for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) reports in preparation for submission to the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

How far along is the Project in being approved and what is the Project timeline? The Project is in its early stages. It meets the criteria as State Significant Development (SSD) and will follow the SSD planning pathway.

The Scoping Report was lodged late June 2020 and has been followed by the release of the Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) in August 2020.

The SEAR’s outline the matters to be assessed in the project EIS report and can be found at https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/37936

The EIS assessments must follow the NSW Government guidelines. The Wind Energy Guideline provides the overarching planning framework for assessing SSD wind energy projects and is supported by additional Assessment Bulletins which the Department of Planning and Environment issues periodically to provide technical guidance on key issues, such as noise and visual assessment.

The Project is now preparing its EIS and considering layout changes in response to stakeholder feedback. The EIS was intended to be lodged with the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) in March 2021, but the timeline has been revised and it is now anticipated to be lodged with the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) late 2021.

Page 6 The community will have the opportunity to review the assessment documentation after lodgement of the EIS and provide their views on the project during the public exhibition period for the proposal. MEA will formally respond to submissions as part of the assessment process.

More about the process can be found on the DPIE website: https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/assessment/state-significant- development/ssd-process

If approved, it will take a number of years to complete pre-construction and construction works, before the wind farm is operational.

The turbines have a life span of approximately 25 – 30 years and will either be decommissioned or retro-fitted at the end of their design life.

Is the Project permanent? The Project is expected to operate for about 25 – 30 years with further consideration to extending the life of the Project to be given at that time. Decommissioning and restitution of the land will occur during the decommissioning phase.

Rehabilitation upon decommissioning will leave the land in a similar condition to pre- development. Upon decommissioning, most infrastructure is removed, and the land is remediated and available for the same activities it was prior to development, including agricultural activities.

How will the community be engaged and provide input on the proposal?

Page 7 Meridian and EPS are committed to a genuine community and stakeholder engagement process. As part of this process, we are seeking a collaborative approach with the local community, key stakeholders, and the relevant Councils. At this stage, we have released information brochures, newsletters, and feedback forms (also available on the project website). We have been in direct contact, via face-to-face meetings, email, mail and telephone, with neighbouring landowners, government agencies and local councils seeking their feedback and views on all aspects of the proposal.

During the development phase, the engagement process was modified to consider the COVID- 19 pandemic and to comply with the New South Government Department of Health’s Order issued under the Public Health Act 2010 which has previously limited gatherings and social contact. Accordingly, non-direct contact was proposed in the early phases of engagement, with interested stakeholders encouraged to contact EPS and Meridian and register their interest in finding out more at: www.meridianenergy.com.au/rangoonwindfarm/

Since July 2020, EPS have met directly with neighbouring landowners and held community information sessions. Ten community information sessions have been held – six in Ben Lomond Village, and four in Glencoe Village.

EPS presented at a locally organised Community Meeting in Ben Lomond on 24 October 2020 to provide a response to specific questions collated by some members of the Ben Lomond and Glencoe communities. Another Community Meeting was held on 17 March 2021 to present all the specialist information that had been gathered (e.g. visual, noise assessments).

Seven small group community meetings and two Council meetings were held over 27-29 April 2021. Additionally individual enquires and questions have been addressed as well as letters and complaints to the Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner.

In addition, a Community Consultation Committee (CCC) has been established, with an independent chairperson, representatives from Glen Innes Severn Local Council, Armidale Regional Council and members of the community. The first meeting of the was held on 16th March 2021. The CCC is a formal forum for project questions and answers to be addressed. Minutes of the meetings can be found at the RWF Website: https://meridianenergy.com.au/wp- content/uploads/2021/04/CCC_Meeting_Minutes_26_March_2021.pdf

Subject to COVID-19 restrictions, the RWF will be holding consultation events (including information drop-in sessions) on dates within the following weeks:

 6 - 10 September 2021  11 - 15 October 2021  22 - 26 November 2021

Page 8 Can the Project be modified over time without input by the community? Under Section 4.55 or Section 4.56 of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act), an applicant may seek approval for modifications to a State significant development (SSD) development consent at any time. These modifications may be necessary to improve the design of the project or to vary the conditions of consent.

The process for seeking modifications will vary depending on the scale and nature of the proposed modifications, and any statutory requirements.

To be entitled to modify a project, the development as modified must be substantially the same as the development for which consent was originally granted. The application for modification must be publicly exhibited for 14-28 days and each person who made a submission to the original development application must be notified.

LOCATION

Where is the Project located?

The project is located within both Glen Innes Severn Council and Armidale Regional Council local government areas. The project is located across two sections - Rangoon Wind Farm (RWF) North and South, near the villages of Ben Lomond and Glencoe, NSW. The site is

Page 9 positioned along the New England Highway approximately 55km north of Armidale, and 25km south of Glen Innes.

A preliminary turbine layout has been developed and can be viewed here: https://meridianenergy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200703-RWF-Draft-Layout- Plans-for-Public-Release.pdf. It is subject to refinement based on the outcomes of consultation, design investigations and environmental assessments.

Why is the Project proposed to be located where it is? The Project location has been selected based on several criteria including:  Access to reliable wind resource  Access to the electrical transmission network for both RWF North and RWF South;  Local topography, vegetation and geotechnical (ground) conditions;  Land assessment, such as land used for agricultural land, to reduce the likelihood of the project development encountering significant areas of native vegetation, Aboriginal cultural heritage items or other environmental constraints;  Suitable infrastructure surrounding the project area e.g. road access for construction and operation of a wind development; and  Located within the NSW State Government identified Renewable Energy Zone (see https://energy.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/New%20Egland%20REZ%20indicative%20l ocation.png).

MEA believe that this project will provide a strong net benefit to the community and the region in terms of clean reliable energy and long term economic and ongoing employment benefits.

Why isn’t the project closer to the points of delivery? All wind projects need to be located at the wind resource, which generally differs from areas of high electricity demand.

The electricity generated is transferred throughout the National Electricity Transmission Network to supply electricity to all locations on the network. The National Electricity Transmission Network was established to deliver electricity from regionally located generators (historically coal fired generators) to supply demand across the entire network.

Similar to why coal generators are located near coal resources, wind farms need to be located at the wind resource.

How close to small villages can the turbines reasonably be located? Each State has a different approach to assessing setback distances from a wind turbine to a residence (Victoria has a 1km setback distance, Queensland has a 1.5km setback distance and WA is recommending a 1.5km setback distance, see https://www.nwfc.gov.au/observations- and-recommendations/governance-compliance).

Page 10 In NSW, the development of wind farms is subject to Government procedures and policies. The Wind Energy Framework requires a merits-based assessment of each project against set criteria and performance standards as opposed to a strict setback distance.

The reasonable proximity of a turbine to a village is determined based on the combined outcomes of assessments (noise, visual etc.) against the Framework, supporting guidelines and assessment methodologies.

The closest dwelling in the village of Glencoe is approximately 5.4km from the closest turbine in RWF North. The closest dwelling in the village of Ben Lomond is approximately 2.2km from the closest turbine in RWF North. The closest dwelling in the village of Ben Lomond is approximately 3.1km from the closest turbine in RWF South. These distances are currently under review by MEA as part of the revised project layout.

Examples of estimates of distance between a wind turbine and village for other wind farms in NSW as indicated in the table below.

Project Approximate Distance from Nearest Turbine Investigation Area Rangoon Wind Farm  2.2 km Ben Lomond (village)  5.4 km Glencoe (village) Collector Wind Farm  3.4 km from Collector (village) Rye Park Wind Farm  2.9 km from Rye Park (village)  2.7 km from Taralga (village) Liverpool Range Wind Farm  4.3 km from Cassilis (village)  2.8 km from Grabben Gullen (village) Flyers Creek Wind Farm  3.8 km from Carcoar (village) Crudine Ridge Wind Farm  4.8 km from Pyramul (village) Coppabella Wind Farm  4.3 km from Bookham (village)  4.3 km from Carcoar (village)

Why isn’t the project ocean based, as public pressure has forced their location in Europe? Just like Europe, Australia is likely to have a significant quantity of both land and sea based renewable assets at some point in the future.

The cost of building and operating offshore wind is currently greater than for onshore wind in Australia because of the land available in suitable wind resources.

Eventually, offshore projects will reach a point in Australia where they are commercially competitive to generate electricity and operate in the National Electricity Transmission Network.

Page 11 Where will the batteries be located? The battery units are proposed to be located near the 132kV substation within the RWF North site.

Will the project generate greenhouse gas? The manufacture, construction, maintenance and decommissioning of wind turbines produce around 11 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour of electricity generated (see the systematic review of publication by Heath G. and Dolan S., National Renewable Energy Laboratory: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1530-9290.2012.00464.x). That is compared with about 980 g CO2/kWh for coal and 465 g CO2/kWh for natural gas.

TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE RANGOON WIND FARM

How do wind farms work? The Australian Renewable Energy Agency offers the following description:

 Wind turbines use the energy of the wind to spin an electric generator, which produces electricity.  Wind turbines are commonly located on hilltops or near the ocean. In some countries, wind turbines have also been built in the ocean, either floating on the surface or using giant pylons extending to the sea floor.  Wind turbines come in various shapes, although the windmill is the most common. Some international companies are also exploring ‘airborne wind’, which works like a giant kite.  As the wind does not continuously blow, researchers have developed ways to use energy from wind that also help to maintain a reliable supply of electricity, such as pairing wind farms with solar farms and/or energy storage such as batteries.

For more information: https://arena.gov.au/renewable-energy/wind/

Where will the wind turbines be built and what will they be manufactured from? Most wind turbines components (blades and nacelles) are likely to be imported as there are very limited Australian made components yet in production. Where possible, other materials may be sourced locally.

Modern wind turbines rapidly recover all the energy spent in manufacturing, installing, maintaining, and finally decommissioning them. Under normal wind conditions it takes on average between two months to a year for a turbine to recover all of the energy involved in the turbines manufacture.

A study, ‘Life cycle assessment of a wind turbine’ (Nalukowe et al,2006) examined the energy efficiency of a typical wind turbine. The aim of this study was to assess the environmental

Page 12 effects during the whole life cycle of the wind turbine (from raw material extraction to waste management). Therefore, the study examined the details of all the phases in order to establish all the environmental effects associated with the wind turbine throughout its whole lifetime.

The manufacturing phase was identified as the crucial phase in the life cycle of the wind turbine because it yields the biggest environmental impacts. The type of used to manufacture the turbine can greatly influence the environmental impacts of the manufacturing process. The greener the energy used to manufacture a turbine, the less the environmental impacts.

The study calculated the efficiency of the whole system by dividing the total energy output over the lifetime of the wind turbine (based on 20 years, although the RWF project using the latest turbine technology has a life of 25-30 years) by the total energy input over the lifetime of wind turbine (which is what is being consumed during the manufacturing process and 20- year lifespan).

The following data was used:

 the total energy input over the lifetime = 7,795 MWh  the total energy output over the lifetime = 157,800 MWh

η = 157,800 / 7,795 = 20.24 where η is the efficiency. It means that the amount of energy generated is 20.24 times greater than energy consumed over the wind turbines lifetime. The study concluded that wind energy is efficient and energy-profitable.

What are the types of wind turbines under consideration? Meridian is currently considering several options for 3 bladed turbines produced by different leading manufacturers. The final selected turbine will be the one that can achieve the highest efficiency while conforming to the permitted envelope of the wind farm which will dictate:  Maximum hub height  Maximum blade length  Tip height above ground  Maximum noise levels.

What is the proposed turbine height? The final turbine model has not been selected and a number of different turbine models are being considered. The Project is currently proposing to seek approval for a maximum tip height of 250m, but this is under re-evaluation following community response to the proposed height.

Page 13 What are the heights of the turbines used in other projects in the New England area? The 75 turbines are 200m in height to blade tip. The Sapphire Wind Farm is located in both Shire Council and Glen Innes Severn Council areas.

The is located in the New England Tablelands approximately 20 km west of Glen Innes and 40 km east of Inverell. Stage one saw the construction of 70 turbines measuring 150m to blade tip. Stage 2 plans 48 turbines measuring 200m to blade tip.

Why is the Project sometimes referred to as an ‘Energy Park’? The Project is called Rangoon Wind Farm. The registered business name for the Rangoon North site is Rangoon Energy Park Pty Ltd because it includes both a wind farm and a battery energy storage facility.

What types of battery units will be considered? At this stage, a battery type and manufacturer has not been selected. Similarly to the wind turbines, the battery will need to comply with the permitted envelope.

What size will constitute an adequate battery bank? This is a difficult question at such an early stage in development as there are several variables that will ultimately dictate the size of the optimal battery. However, Meridian is currently modelling up to a 100MW battery with storage duration of up to 4 hours.

It is possible the battery will be built in stages with the initial stage being smaller than 100MW/4MWhrs – potentially as little as 30MW with 2 hours of storage.

When will the options be decided? The preferred layout option for the EIS submission will be decided after all of the project layout revision work is complete and further discussions with neighbours and the CCC has occurred.

Additionally, further consideration of the layout may occur in response to submissions that may be received from stakeholders during the EIS public exhibition.

BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT

How many jobs will be created, and will you source them locally? During construction, this Project will create employment opportunities for an estimated 120 local full time equivalent jobs.

Page 14 During its 25 – 30-year operational lifetime, the project will generate up to an estimated 10 local full-time equivalent jobs.

There will be opportunities for local engagement and employment for a variety of services and equipment required to construct and operate the Project, including site preparation services, construction material supplies, structure assembly, electrical services, installation and general labour services. Up to 447 full time equivalent indirect jobs will be created nationally, across the project supply chain.

Employing local services is mutually beneficial as it provides opportunities for locals to be involved in the Project in a remunerated capacity and it is substantially more cost-effective for the Project development, as it negates the need for additional costs associated with a non- local labour force.

How else will the community benefit from the Project? The Project will provide a direct benefit to the community in the form of a Community Enhancement Fund as well as a Neighbourhood Benefit Sharing Program.

The Community Enhancement Fund is intended for the local communities in the Glen Innes and Armidale local government areas around the Project to assist with funding environmental, social and economic development opportunities for the community. It could, for instance, be applied to certain research projects of importance to the community. More details about the Community Enhancement Fund, including the allocation rules and management of the fund, will be developed with the Department of Planning Environment and Infrastructure, Glen Innes Severn Council, Armidale Regional Council and the Community Consultation Committee.

The Neighbourhood Benefit Sharing Program is for landowners located within 2km of a wind turbine. Further information on this program will be released prior to lodgement of the EIS.

What is the subsidy for each turbine? The Commonwealth Government’s Renewable Energy Target comprises two schemes:  Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme  Large-scale Renewable Energy Scheme

The large-scale scheme incentivises investment in renewable energy generation, such as wind farms, by legislating demand for large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) (one LGC per MWh of renewable energy) which can then be sold to eligible entities (i.e. electricity retailers). The threshold for the Commonwealth Government’s Renewable Energy Target for the Large-scale Renewable Energy Scheme is anticipated to be fulfilled before the energisation of the Rangoon Wind Farm.

Page 15 There are no other current or known subsidies for the proposed turbines.

Is there a benefit to supply or backup for the village? The reliability of the nearby electricity grid will likely be improved due to the construction and operation of the wind farm and battery project. Residents can also become Powershop customers, knowing the energy produced from the Rangoon Wind Farm will help to supply Powershop’s NSW customers.

Will the project have an impact on local Council rates? The Project is not seeking to re-zone the land for the purposes of the development, as the development is permissible within the RU1 Primary Production.

Council rates are determined in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1993. This legislation provides the process to calculate rates and limits the income councils can receive from rates. Each property falls into one of four categories for rating purposes depending on the land use of the property. These categories are:

 residential  business  farmland  mining

Council rates are calculated on land value. Land value is the value of your land only. It does not include the value of your home or other structures and improvements (e.g. windfarms).

Information on land rates can be found: https://www.valuergeneral.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/222003/Fact_Sheet_La nd_Value_System.pdf

What drives the project in terms of commercial viability? The commercial aspects of the project are driven by Powershop’s requirement to supply its NSW customers with renewable energy. Powershop is Meridian’s electricity retailer and has been accredited under the Commonwealth Government’s Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard as a carbon neutral business since 2014.

This accreditation means Powershop’s carbon neutrality for both electricity and gas has been officially recognised by the Australian Government – the first time an energy company has been fully accredited under this program.

Page 16 As Powershop’s customer base continues to grow, additional carbon neutral energy is required to meet the demand and this is the driver behind the development of Rangoon Wind Farm.

SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

How will pest animals be managed during the life of the Project? Land management issues such as pest animals will be managed in accordance with Federal, State and Local Government laws and applicable land management practices specifically prepared and outlined within environmental management plans for the construction and operation of the Project.

Will the project facilitate the spread of weeds? During the EIS phase, a Weed Management Protocol is in place for all parties accessing the Rangoon Wind Farm investigation area.

Weed control during construction and the ongoing operation of the Rangoon Wind Farm is a key issue that will be actively managed during the Project.

The movement of construction traffic on the Rangoon Wind Farm project site and associated soil disturbance within the project area may increase weed disbursal risk. To mitigate this risk, a detailed Weed Management Plan will be prepared and will form part of the Construction Environmental Management Plan for the project. The Weed Management Plan will include vehicle washdown and site access planning/restriction.

Methods which will be considered to control the spread of weeds include (but are not limited to) utilising wash down facilities and ongoing active weed control for all construction areas during the construction and operation of the wind farm. Persons performing work relating to the development and ongoing operation of the wind farm, including utility maintenance, roading or earthmoving nature, on-site consultations or assessments, deliveries or other visits in areas will undertake appropriate inductions and weed hygiene measures.

How will the risk of bushfires be managed? The Project is partly located on bushfire prone land. A Bushfire Risk Assessment has been undertaken and concludes:

 the potential for fire of wind turbines is inherently low (see South Australian Country Fire Service 2016 Guideline for Windfarms);  the road access network is considered satisfactory for firefighting access;  the project will not impede aerial firefighting efforts.

As recommended by the risk assessment report, the Project will establish a 30m Asset Protection Zone (APZ), which is a perimeter with low combustible material, around Turbine -

Page 17 MELW4, and a 20m APZ around all other wind turbines, Substation South - 66kV, Substation North - 132kV and BESS, to place the RWF assets away from flame length exposure. Those APZ will be maintained as an Inner Protection Area (IPA) for the life of the development. Access roads will also be routinely maintained in a low fuel state.

With the preparation of a Bushfire Emergency Management and Operations Plan for the Project prior to construction, the proposed bushfire protection measures should satisfactorily mitigate the bushfire risks identified.

How will the Rangoon Wind Farm affect my property value? The issue of property value is an extremely complex one with fluctuations in price being subject to a vast number of factors – some of which are measurable such as the productive capacity of the land and many of which are subjective, such as the amount of access to services, the condition of houses or improvements, views, amenity of the local area and the availability of infrastructure servicing such as electricity.

The NSW Government has considered the question of impacts on property values as a result of wind farm development. The independently prepared report for the NSW Government (Urbis, 2016) is located: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/communities/wind-farm-value-impacts- report.pdf

The Report concludes:  “Based on the outcome of these research techniques, it is [Urbis’] expert opinion that windfarms may not significantly impact rural properties used for agricultural purposes.  There is limited available sales data to make a conclusive finding relating to value impacts on residential or lifestyle properties located close to wind farm turbines, noting that wind farms in NSW have been constructed in predominantly rural areas.”

Additional research has been completed on property values and can be found at Appendix 2 of the RWF responses to the first CCC actions: https://meridianenergy.com.au/wp- content/uploads/2021/05/20210505_11482_CCC-Responses_V03.pdf

Which roads will be utilised for Project traffic during the construction phase? A Traffic and Transport Assessment was undertaken, addressing the project traffic and transport impacts, including assessment of the Project’s traffic generated during the construction, operational and decommissioning phases.

The Project is located adjacent to a major highway. Site entry will be from the highway and along additional linking local roads into the site. The impact on local road networks will be ameliorated through construction traffic planning and road upgrades where necessary.

Page 18 Typically, for this type of development a Traffic Impact Assessment and Traffic Management Plan to manage the construction and operations traffic must be prepared in consultation with the relevant government departments prior to the commencement of construction works. School bus routes and other transport activities important to the local community will be considered in detail as part of this plan, specifically addressing where possible avoidance of specific times and routes, and children safety management.

Road dilapidation surveys will be completed prior to construction, and post construction and any remediation works will be completed by Meridian in consultation with the local Councils and Roads and Maritime Services (RMS).

While the intention is to avoid vegetation clearing as part of the site access, the Project is likely to require some vegetation trimming and/or removal to facilitate access to the site. The Traffic Impact Assessment will involve a detailed review of site access options and will determine the requirements for vegetation removal based on modelling of road geometry, project component size and transport machinery.

An informational video on site access for turbine components can be viewed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6MP-fci_qo&feature=emb_logo

What are electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and will they interrupt mobile, Internet, WiFi or television signals? Electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) are a naturally occurring phenomena, as well as being produced by human activity. For example, electrical equipment ranging from high voltage transmission lines (powerlines) to household items such as a television, mobile phone, computer, hair dryer – even a kettle, all produce EMFs with fields increasing with voltage and current respectively.

For example, the strength of the EMF from high voltage transmission lines is highest directly under the centreline and begins decreasing in strength as you move away from the transmission line and dropping to background levels within 50 - 100 metres from the centreline. The Project will connect to the existing transmission and distribution networks on the project site.

Where necessary, the Project design will adhere to the clearance distances for safety purposes and incorporate suitable buffers to limit exposures in accordance with a number of technical and legislative requirements.

A Communications Assessment has been undertaken to assess impacts of the project on communications/reception, indicating there should be no impact on cellular mobile, AM or FM domestic radio reception. There may be TV reception interference to some residents, but this is difficult to predict and an amelioration process will be put in place to resolve any issues that may arise.

Do EMFs cause or contribute to health impacts?

Page 19 We understand that some people are genuinely concerned about possible health effects from electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and are committed to addressing these concerns responsibly.

Australia has adopted the safety regulations recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The public health and safety standards recommended by the WHO are based on a very large body of peer-reviewed science. From in excess of 25,000 articles published, the WHO, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and other international safety bodies advise that the weight of evidence shows that there are no substantiated or established health effects from exposure to EMF’s.

The Project has a legal, environmental and ethical obligation to deliver a renewable energy project that operates safely and responsibly, without posing risk to any members of the general public. At all times, the operation of the wind farm will be undertaken safely and responsibly with EMF’s below WHO and Australian standards.

With respect to health concerns, over 17 international health reports produced including Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) have found there to be no health impacts from wind turbines.

Do wind farms make noise? What is the long-term effect of noise and sub-audible noise in the workplace and families’ living space, learning space and backyard/ playground? A detailed noise impact assessment was completed as part of the EIS phase, demonstrating the Rangoon wind farm is expected to be compliant with the NSW Government Wind Energy Framework, specifically, the Wind Energy: Noise Assessment Bulletin. The villages of Ben Lomond and Glencoe recorded highest predicted noise levels below 30dB, which is graphically illustrated in Figure 1 below as equivalent to the sound of a whisper.

Page 20 Figure 1 - Common sounds and their decibel ratings (Commodious.co.uk)

Once constructed, the Rangoon wind farm will need to demonstrate compliance with the noise impact assessment by undertaking a detailed monitoring and compliance testing regime.

The Victorian Department of Health (2014) provides the following:

“Wind turbines generate mechanical and aerodynamic sounds. Mechanical sounds come from the internal machinery and may also be generated from a faulty component. Mechanical sound from turbines has decreased significantly over time as turbine design has improved.

Aerodynamic sound is generated by the rotation of turbine blades through the air, and is the main source of sound from wind farms”

The National Wind Farm Commissioner’s Annual report 2019 states, on the matter of health:

“Much has been and continues to be written and researched on the topic of wind farms and health effects. Debate continues around the world as to whether a wind farm causes physiological harm to residents living within its vicinity.

A number of complaints about wind farms received by the Office include references to health impacts as a result of wind farm operations. Numerous invitations have been extended to complainants to provide evidence of their medical conditions. Complaints regarding health

Page 21 concerns received by the Office have, in the main, provided only anecdotal evidence regarding stated health issues and perceived causality. It has therefore been difficult to form an opinion on whether or not the stated health conditions reported by complainants are valid and, if valid, whether or not the health conditions are possibly a result of the wind farm’s operations or from some other known cause.

In November 2019, the South Australia Supreme Court handed down its decision in relation to the proposed Palmer Wind Farm. The Court concluded that claims that the turbines would cause sickness and health issues for residents were unsubstantiated. Of note, the objectors did not provide sufficient evidence of causality from any expert medical witness. The Court’s finding has been consistent with the Commissioner’s observations and recommendations based on actual complaint experience.”

The South Australia Environment Protection Authority report on infrasound (see https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/files/477912_infrasound.pdf, with research conducted on houses located 1.5 km from a turbine) concluded that the contribution of wind turbines to background infrasound levels in the environment is insignificant.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) published a statement, in 2015, based on a systematic review of evidence on the human health effects of wind farms, including infrasound, and concluded there is no consistent evidence that wind farms cause adverse health effects in humans (see https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/environmental- health/wind-farms).

Is there potential for bird and bat strike? Birds and bats can be impacted from blade strikes, low air pressure zones at the blade tips (barotrauma), and alteration to movement patterns resulting from the wind turbines.

White Rock Wind Farm and Sapphire Wind Farm are located to the north west of the project. These wind farms are constructed and operating. Based on publicly available information, no significant mortality of bird and bat species is known.

As part of the EIS phase (July 2020 to March 2021) targeted bird and bat surveys have been completed for the assessment of the impacts of wind turbine strikes on relevant protected animals. A Bird and Bat Adaptive Management Plan will be prepared for the Project prior to the commissioning of any wind turbine.

Will the turbines have lights on them? Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has set guidelines in relation of obstacle marking and lighting of wind farms for the purposes of aviation safety (See Guideline D – National Airports Safeguarding Framework: Managing the Risk to Aviation Safety of Wind Turbine Installations (Wind Farms)/Wind Monitoring Towers).

Page 22 During the EIS phase, an Aeronautical Risk Assessment was completed by an aviation specialist and submitted to CASA to enable an assessment of any potential risk to aviation safety. It did not recommend lighting, but this decision is up to CASA. CASA may determine that the proposal is:

(a) hazardous, but that the risks to aircraft safety would be reduced by the provision of approved lighting and/or marking; or

(b) not a hazard to aircraft safety.

The 109-metre monitoring mast located within the Project site does not have any aviation lighting but is marked using marker balls on the guy wires and the top third of the mast painted so as to be easily identifiable to pilots in the area. The project wind monitoring masts will also be located on CASA’s NOTAM maps.

The importance of dark sky to the community of Ben Lomond is understood.

Will the turbines cause shadow flicker? Shadow flicker is a term used to describe the change in light intensity observed when a wind turbine blade casts an intermittent shadow upon a receptor.

As part of the EIS phase, the theoretical shadow flicker was modelled by considering potential receptors (homes) in relation to wind turbines and sun position to understand the worst-case potential for shadow flicker. The results of the assessment show shadow flicker should not impact any dwelling not associated with the wind farm and this assessment will be presented in the EIS.

What will the wind farm look like and will I be able to see it from my house, or from the villages of Ben Lomond and Glencoe? A detailed Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment has been conducted from 203 viewpoints within 8 km of the project, in accordance with the methodology/assessment framework for the assessment of visual impacts associated with wind energy projects as prescribed in the NSW Wind Energy: Visual Assessment Bulletin (DPE, 2016). It addresses various locations within the region where the Project may be visible. Where visual impacts are expected, appropriate mitigation measures will be the subject of further discussions with the relevant landowners and with the Community regarding the villages.

The electric connections between turbines and substations will use buried cables rather than above ground transmission lines.

Examples of wind farms can be seen in the New England Region between Glen Innes and Inverell.

Page 23 How will blasting for the site preparation impact on the bedrock, volcanic flumes, the water table, aquifers, spring water and bores? Controlled blasting may, in isolated cases, be required for hard rock foundation excavation. For any controlled blasting, project requirements will be regulated through the development consent, an Environmental Protection Licence and conditions requiring monitoring and reporting. The scale and size of any potential blasting will be in accordance with engineered designs and would be of a magnitude for the site-specific purpose. A detailed blast management plan will be prepared prior to any blasting work.

What is the expected source of water for the concrete batching plants? Will it impact local aquifers? The Project’s water demand during construction is estimated at ~30ML. An appropriate water access licence will be sought prior to the commencement of construction.

Will the project impact on dung beetle populations? As part of the EIS phase (July 2020 to March 2021) a Biodiversity Assessment has been completed. The Biodiversity Assessment considered the relevant flora and fauna of the Project area and surrounding locality in relation to the proposal.

It is understood that the University of New England is a national centre for dung beetle research (Source: https://www.une.edu.au/connect/news/2018/03/discerning-dung- beetles-valuable-and-vital-to-agriculture). Researchers at University of New England have modelled the effects of climate change on dung beetles and have noted that “available evidence suggests that climate change will have a substantial impact on dung beetles”. (Source: https://www.une.edu.au/about-une/faculty-of-science-agriculture-business-and- law/school-of-science-and-technology/research/mathematical-analysis-and- modeling/research-grants/our-research-projects/climate-change-dung-beetles).

As the Project will assist in contributing to lowering greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the impact of climate change, it is considered that it should contribute to a positive impact on dung beetles.

How will koalas’ habitat and quoll habitats as well as that of other mammals, frogs, bats, insects (pollinators and dung beetles) be protected? Initially, a wind resource and topographic analysis was undertaken to understand the wind resource and site conditions. Further detailed analysis followed using aerial photography and GIS data (including EPBC Protected Matters Report, identification of mapped vegetation and biodiversity values, communications pathways, heritage records, residential receiver locations, planning controls etc.) to enable production of a preliminary wind turbine layout.

Page 24 The analysis revealed the site was extensively cleared with a significant history of continuous agriculture. The location of access tracks, cable routes and other project infrastructure were designed in accordance with the Design Guiding Principles (see definitions below) to avoid clearing remnant vegetation where possible and locate infrastructure in exotic pastures.

Following from the process above, the preliminary project layout was then ground-truthed to ensure impact avoidance was maximised and alignments were revised to reflect ‘real world’ observations. Additional drone high definition videos of the site were captured and used by the design team to understand actual ground conditions, existing vegetation and to further refine the layout to avoid impacts where possible.

Upon completion of the preliminary project layout, the Project ecological consultants, completed a site investigation. The on-ground ecology assessment resulted in identification of additional site-specific ecological areas to avoid and recommendations for further project layout amendments to ameliorate vegetation impacts and potential indirect habitat impacts, particularly for koalas.

The further project layout amendments to avoid and minimise impacts included relocating turbines 4, 7 and 8 from vegetated areas into more cleared spaces to avoid impacts, with particular reference to potential koala habitat. Turbine 7 was specifically relocated to avoid koala habitat due to the identification of koala scats nearby the original location. Internal access tracks, cable routes, site access points, construction pads and other ancillary infrastructure were also able to be further sensitively sited to minimise vegetation clearance and maximise use of previously disturbed areas.

The Project design process and philosophy was specifically tailored to avoid or reduce impacts associated with the proposal. The design philosophy was applied through the integration of the following Design Guiding Principles in the preparation of the Project layout.

Design Guiding Principles

The design guiding principles were established to avoid, minimise, mitigate and ameliorate potential impacts associated with the Project. The principles have been used throughout the design process outlined above and will continue to guide the maturation of the layout through to construction and operation of the Project.

The Design Guiding Principles are as follows:  Aim to avoid or minimise impact to any remnant native vegetation areas, particularly treed areas and old paddock trees (and if it becomes apparent in the future, any derived or other native grassland);  Utilise existing tracks, disturbed areas and exotic pastures for Project infrastructure, wherever possible;

Page 25  Ensure, when considering likely impacts, that important aspects such as likely cut and fill requirements and other transport and construction impacts (such as lengths and turning circles needed for blade transport) are considered;  Minimise crossing of riparian areas and aim to have any necessary crossings designed so they are perpendicular to creek alignment, and choose as a priority existing cleared sections of creek lines for crossing points;  Avoid, where possible, impacts to hollow-bearing trees;  Ensure that any recorded threatened flora and fauna locations are avoided as a priority;  Ensure that impacts to any Travelling Stock Routes (TSRs) are minimised, with prioritisation of avoidance of areas with native vegetation if impacts to TSRs are unavoidable;  Ensure that micro-siting for wind turbines and any other infrastructure prioritises avoidance of native vegetation;  Ensure that habitat connectivity is maintained for threatened biodiversity, in whatever form is necessary in specific circumstances;  Ensure that restoration and rehabilitation occur on areas exposed during construction that are not necessary for the operation of the project.

Can education offered within a wind farm zone deliver the same educational outcomes for all students? Behavioural spectrums such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) consists of a range or continuum of disorders which vary from the severe or classical autism to the higher functioning forms of autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Noise is ubiquitous and pervades most aspects of society and can be an environmental stimulus of concern for individuals experiencing disability.

The predicted noise levels from the proposed Rangoon Wind Farm are below the NSW Noise Assessment Bulletin base criterion of 35 dB LAeq at all assessed non-associated receiver locations. The predicted noise levels from the proposed Rangoon Wind Farm for the village of Ben Lomond and Ben Lomond Public School are below 30dB.

The Visual Impact Assessment prepared for the EIS provided more detail on the number and portion of turbines that may be visible from the school.

Are aerial agriculture operators being considered? Project aviation specialists have undertaken preliminary consultation with local aerial contractors as well as the Aerial Application Association of Australia (AAAA).

As part of the EIS assessment, an Aviation Risk Assessment was completed which takes into account aerial agriculture and includes further consultation and liaison with local aerial

Page 26 agriculture operators, to understand any potential impacts on operations. Those impacts will be discussed with the relevant landowners.

What will be the impact of the project on agricultural land?

Approximately 60% of the native vegetation of the New England Tablelands bioregion has been cleared of its native canopy vegetation (WSP 2020). The properties selected for involvement in the Project are generally used for cattle and sheep grazing and other agricultural purposes. Ridgelines where turbines are proposed are mostly cleared of vegetation. Opportunities for micrositing will form part of the Project assessment and assist in ameliorating direct land impacts.

The Indicative Biophysical Strategic Agricultural Land (BSAL) maps identify key NSW soil and water resources capable of sustaining high levels of agricultural productivity. 2.8 million hectares of BSAL have been mapped across the state of NSW. Of this, approximately 1,054ha of mapped BSAL is located within the Project Area and 74ha within the development footprint. The use of the BSAL area will have limited impacts as the current agricultural use of the land can continue concurrently with operation of RWF.

The Project Area can be restored to existing agricultural land capability or similar use after decommissioning.

Will trees be impacted as a result of the project?

MEA has taken a proactive approach to minimise impact on trees, including desktop review, aerial photo review, ground-truthing and refining the entire design on the ground via vehicle and foot. The project follows design guiding principles (e.g. ensuring that existing tracks and disturbed areas are used for the project where possible) and mostly occupies open agricultural lands with some paddock trees and scattered trees near the project areas.

A Biodiversity Development Assessment Report was prepared in accordance with the NSW Biodiversity Assessment Method 2017 (BAM) established under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act). The purpose of the BDAR was to identify and assess the potential impacts of the Project in relation to biodiversity. The maximum tree impact of the Rangoon Wind Farm is considered to be relatively low for the scale of the project. The BDAR concluded no serious and irreversible Impacts will be caused by the Project on threatened species or communities.

Residual impacts that are not able to be managed through mitigation will be offset through either:

 The purchase and retirement of existing biodiversity credits currently available on the biodiversity credit register;

Page 27  The establishment of a biodiversity stewardship site(s) on lands with like for like biodiversity values to those impacted by the project;  Making a payment into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund.

Will the land be re-zoned or re-classified? The State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 (Infrastructure SEPP) Division 4 states that development for the purpose of electricity generating works may be carried out on any land in the prescribed rural, industrial or special use zones. The Project is on land zoned RU1 – Primary Production and is therefore permitted with consent. As such, no rezoning is required.

END OF LIFE / DECOMMISSIONING OF THE PROJECT

What are the end-of-life arrangements for the wind turbines and how are they disposed of? Overall, a wind turbine can be about 85% recyclable by weight, which includes all the main components within the turbine.

Components that are generally more challenging to recycle relate to composite materials (i.e. produced from thermoset polymers, glass fibre and carbon fibre) used to produce wind turbine blades, as well as covers for the nacelle and hub. For a wind turbine blade, these materials are highly engineered and functionally designed for a long lifetime and operation in harsh environments for 20 to 25 years. As such, by design, these composite material structures are more challenging to recycle at end-of-life and represent around 75% of the non-recyclable materials in a wind turbine.

Many leading turbine suppliers have established ambitious goals for a circular economy strategy and specific targets to develop a zero-waste wind turbine. Options that suppliers are investigating include using turbine blades for cement co-processing or roading surface materials, as construction elements, coastal reinforcement, for furniture, etc. (e.g. see https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/recycled-composites-from-wind-turbine-blades- used-for-cement-co-processing).

Who will pay for decommissioning? The owner of the wind farm (not the landowner or community) is responsible for decommissioning costs.

Upon decommissioning, most infrastructure is removed, and the land is remediated and available for the same activities it was prior to development, including agricultural activities, as per a Decommissioning and Rehabilitation Plan which will be prepared in accordance with

Page 28 the project approval requirements. Individual landowners will be involved in any discussion regarding the removal or hand-over of infrastructure on their property.

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