Castle Hill Wind Farm Resource Consent Applications and Assessment of Environmental Effects Summary
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Resource Consent Castle Hill Applications and Assessment Wind Farm of Environmental Effects August 2011 SUMMARY Castle Hill Wind Farm Resource Consent Applications and Assessment of Environmental Effects Summary Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................1 2 RESOURCE CONSENT REQUIREMENTS.................................................................................2 3 ABOUT GENESIS ENERGY AND THE ELECTRICITY INDUSTRY..........................................4 3.1 ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AND DEMAND IN NEW ZEALAND ............................................................4 4 THE CASTLE HILL WIND FARM PROJECT...............................................................................5 4.1 SITE SELECTION AND PROJECT DESIGN...................................................................................5 4.2 PROJECT COMPONENTS ..........................................................................................................6 4.2.1 Turbines .............................................................................................................................6 4.2.2 Electrical Balance of Plant................................................................................................9 4.2.3 Internal Roads .................................................................................................................10 4.2.4 External Roads ................................................................................................................11 4.2.5 Earthworks and Excess Fill.............................................................................................13 4.2.6 Temporary Construction Infrastructure.........................................................................13 4.2.7 Permanent Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Facilities.........................................14 4.3 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMME......................................................................15 4.3.1 Construction Activities ...................................................................................................15 4.3.2 Construction programme ...............................................................................................16 5 CONSULTATION.........................................................................................................................17 6 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS...................................................................18 6.1 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ...................................................................................19 6.1.1 Socio-Economic Effects .................................................................................................19 6.1.2 Effects on Recreation and Tourism Activities ..............................................................20 6.1.3 Landscape and Visual Effects........................................................................................20 6.1.4 Noise Effects...................................................................................................................21 6.1.5 Traffic Effects ..................................................................................................................21 6.1.6 Potential Effects on Water Resources .........................................................................22 6.1.7 Ecological Effects............................................................................................................23 6.1.8 Shadow Flicker and Blade Glint Effects........................................................................24 6.1.9 Cultural Effects................................................................................................................24 6.1.10 Effects on Archaeology and Heritage.......................................................................24 6.1.11 Effects on Radio-communication and Telecommunication Services .....................25 6.1.12 Aviation Effects...........................................................................................................25 6.1.13 Electric and Magnetic Fields Effects.........................................................................26 7 MONITORING, MITIGATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT.............................27 8 CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................32 APPENDIX 1: FIGURES.......................................................................................................................33 Castle Hill Wind Farm Resource Consent Applications and Assessment of Environmental Effects Summary Tables Table 1: Summary of resource consents required from MWRC Table 2: Summary of resource consents required from GWRC Table 3: Summary of resource consents required from TDC Table 4: Summary of resource consents required from MDC Table 5: Turbine Layouts Table 6: Internal Road Parameters Table 7: Potential Environmental Effects and Environment Mitigation, Monitoring and Management Table 8: Typical Operations and Maintenance Activities, Effects and Management Figures Figure 1: CHWF Location Figure 2: CHWF Layout Overview Figure 3a to 3d: CHWF Component Overview Figure 4: Typical Wind Turbine Design Figure 5: Relationship between numbers of medium and large turbines in the mixed turbine configuration Figure 6: External Roads Castle Hill Wind Farm Resource Consent Applications and Assessment of Environmental Effects Summary 1 Introduction Genesis Power Limited (trading as “GGenesis Energy”) is proposing to establish and operate the Castle Hill Wind Farm (“CCHWF”) on rural land in northern Wairarapa. The CHWF involves up to 286 wind turbines with a potential nominal capacity of up to 860MW of renewable electricity generation. The electricity produced is potentially equivalent to that consumed each year by up to 370,0001 average New Zealand households. Approval for the project is required under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and the relevant councils’ Regional and District Plans. Resource consent applications and an Assessment of Environmental Effects (“AAEE”) have been submitted to: x Greater Wellington Regional Council (“GGWRC”) x Manawatu – Wanganui Regional Council (“MMWRC”) x Masterton District Council (“MMDC”) x Tararua District Council (“TTDC”) This document has been prepared to provide a summary of the Castle Hill Wind Farm project, the resource consent applications and the AEE. The CHWF site covers some 30,000ha and is located approximately 20 km northeast of Masterton, 20km east of Eketahuna and Pahiatua and 15km west of the Wairarapa Coast north of Castlepoint (FFigure 1, Appendix 1). The closest settlements are Tiraumea, Alfredton, Bideford, Tinui, Pongaroa, Makuri and Mauriceville. The CHWF site is characterised by undulating hills of predominantly pastoral grass, with grazing by sheep and cattle. Stands of native vegetation are located throughout the site, particularly in gullies, with several small forestry blocks scattered across the site. The topography is varied, with elevation ranging from 200m to 500m above sea level. There are six small rural settlements in or around the CHWF including Tinui, Pongaroa, Alfredton, Makuri, Tiraumea and Bideford. These six settlements had a combined population in 2006 of around 500 people in 110 households2. Masterton (population 18,000), Pahiatua (population 2,600) and Eketahuna (population 460) are the larger townships located within 30kms of the CHWF site. Full details of the environmental setting of the CHWF is provided in Volume 1, Section 3 of the AEE. 1 Calculated on 3,000 GWh divided by the average annual residential consumer consumption of 8,100 kWh in 2010 (Concept Consulting, 2011). 2 Statistics NZ 2006 Census. 1 Castle Hill Wind Farm Resource Consent Applications and Assessment of Environmental Effects Summary 2 Resource Consent Requirements Genesis Energy is seeking all necessary resource consents required from the MWRC, GWRC, TDC and MDC, for the construction, operation, maintenance, replacement and refurbishment of the CHWF and associated infrastructure. Tables 1 to 4 summarise the resource consents sought from each council. Table 1: Summary of resource consents required from MWRC Consent Type Activity Activity Status Land disturbance, earthworks and Land use Discretionary vegetation clearance Upgrade of existing External roads and Land use Discretionary construction of new roads Land use Work in streambeds (structures) Discretionary Damming and diversion of surface water Water permit Discretionary and groundwater Water permit Water take and use Discretionary Discharge Disposal of excess fill to land Discretionary permit Discharge Discharge contaminants to air Discretionary permit Discharge Discharge stormwater to land and water Discretionary permit Discharge Discharge stormwater and wash water to Discretionary permit land Table 2: Summary of resource consents required from GWRC Consent Type Activity Activity Status Land disturbance, earthworks and Restricted Land use vegetation clearance discretionary Upgrade of existing External roads and Restricted Land use construction of new roads discretionary Land use Work in streambeds (structures) Discretionary Land use Work in streambeds (reclamation) Discretionary Damming and diversion of surface water Water permit Discretionary and groundwater Water permit Water take and use Discretionary Discharge Disposal of excess