Scoping Report MAXWELL SOLAR FARM
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Scoping Report MAXWELL SOLAR FARM JANUARY 2019 www.nghenvironmental.com.au e [email protected] Sydney Region Canberra - NSW SE & ACT Brisbane 18/21 mary st 8/27 yallourn st (po box 62) 8 trawalla st surry hills nsw 2010 (t 02 8202 8333) fyshwick act 2609 (t 02 6280 5053) the gap qld 4061 (t 07 3511 0238) Newcastle - Hunter and North Coast Wagga Wagga - Riverina and Western NSW Bega - ACT and South East NSW unit 2, 54 hudson st suite 1, 39 fitzmaurice st (po box 5464) 89-91 auckland st (po box 470) hamilton nsw 2303 (t 02 4929 2301) wagga wagga nsw 2650 (t 02 6971 9696) bega nsw 2550 (t 02 6492 8333) Document Verification Project Title: Maxwell Solar Farm Project Number: 17-420 Project File Name: 17-420 Maxwell Scoping Report Final 2.1 Revision Date Prepared by (name) Reviewed by (name) Approved by (name) Draft 1.0 5/12/18 Lauren Byrne Fiona McKay Nick Graham-Higgs Draft 2.0 13/12/18 Lauren Byrne Fiona McKay Fiona McKay Final 1.0 17/12/18 Lauren Byrne Fiona McKay Fiona McKay Final 2.0 23/01/19 Fiona McKay Nick Graham-Higgs Fiona McKay Final 2.1 30/01/19 Fiona McKay Minor changes regarding Fiona McKay consultation NGH Environmental prints all documents on environmentally sustainable paper including paper made from bagasse (a by- product of sugar production) or recycled paper. NGH Environmental Pty Ltd (ACN: 124 444 622. ABN: 31 124 444 622) www.nghenvironmental.com.au e [email protected] Sydney Region Canberra - NSW SE & ACT Brisbane 18/21 mary st 8/27 yallourn st (po box 62) 8 trawalla st surry hills nsw 2010 (t 02 8202 8333) fyshwick act 2609 (t 02 6280 5053) the gap qld 4061 (t 07 3511 0238) Newcastle - Hunter and North Coast Wagga Wagga - Riverina and Western NSW Bega - ACT and South East NSW unit 2, 54 hudson st suite 1, 39 fitzmaurice st (po box 5464) 89-91 auckland st (po box 470) hamilton nsw 2303 (t 02 4929 2301) wagga wagga nsw 2650 (t 02 6971 9696) bega nsw 2550 (t 02 6492 8333) Scoping Report Maxwell Solar Farm CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.1 PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT ............................................................................................................5 1.2 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................5 1.3 THE PROPOSAL .....................................................................................................................................7 1.3.1 Site description .................................................................................................................................... 10 1.3.2 Proposal description ............................................................................................................................ 12 2 ALTERNATIVES AND JUSTIFICATION ........................................................................................ 13 2.1 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED ............................................................................................................. 13 2.2 STRATEGIC JUSTIFICATION ................................................................................................................ 13 2.2.1 Climate change .................................................................................................................................... 13 2.2.2 Electricity supply .................................................................................................................................. 14 2.2.3 Socio-economic benefits...................................................................................................................... 14 3 CONSULTATION ...................................................................................................................... 15 4 PLANNING CONTEXT .............................................................................................................. 16 4.1 NSW LEGISLATION ............................................................................................................................. 16 4.1.1 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979............................................................................. 16 4.1.2 State Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011 .................................. 16 4.1.3 State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 ................................................................ 17 4.1.4 Roads Act 1993 .................................................................................................................................... 17 4.1.5 Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 ..................................................................................................... 17 4.1.6 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 .................................................................................................. 17 4.1.7 Heritage Act 1977 ................................................................................................................................ 18 4.1.8 Crown Lands Act 1989 ......................................................................................................................... 18 4.2 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ....................................................................................................................... 18 4.2.1 Muswellbrook Local Environmental Plan 2009 ................................................................................... 18 4.3 COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATION ...................................................................................................... 19 4.3.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ...................................................... 19 5 PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ........................................................................ 21 5.1 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................ 21 5.2 ASSESSMENT OF KEY ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS ........................................................................... 21 5.2.1 Biodiversity .......................................................................................................................................... 21 5.2.2 Visual amenity ..................................................................................................................................... 23 17-420 Final 2.1 i Scoping Report Maxwell Solar Farm 5.2.3 Aboriginal heritage .............................................................................................................................. 24 5.2.4 Land use and resources ....................................................................................................................... 26 5.2.5 Noise .................................................................................................................................................... 27 5.3 OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS ................................................................................................. 27 6 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 33 7 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................... 34 APPENDIX A SITE PHOTOGRAPHS ................................................................................................ 35 APPENDIX B FATAL FLAWS ANALYSIS ........................................................................................... 38 APPENDIX C DATABASE SEARCHES .............................................................................................. 39 APPENDIX D HUNTER ECO ECOLOGICAL REPORT .......................................................................... 40 APPENDIX E AHIMS REGISTERED SITES STATUS ............................................................................ 41 17-420 Final 2.1 ii Scoping Report Maxwell Solar Farm ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics ACHA Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment ACHCRP Aboriginal Community Consultation Requirements for Proponents AEMO Australian Energy Market Operator AHD Australian Height Datum AHIMS Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System ARAS Archaeological Risk Assessment Services Pty Ltd BC Act Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) CCC Community Consultative Committee CCP Community Consultation Plan CL Coal Lease CoA Conditions of Approval DECCW Department of Environment Climate Change and Water DP&E Department of Planning and Environment (NSW) DPI Department of Primary Industries DRG Division of Resources and Geoscience EEC Endangered Ecological Community (listed under NSW BC Act) EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPBC Act Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwth) EP&A Act Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) GW Gigawatt ha hectares Heritage Act Heritage Act 1977 (NSW) ISEPP State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 (NSW) km kilometres kV kilovolt LEP Local Environment Plan LGA Local Government Area LLS Local Land Services m metres MAC Mt Arthur Coal MNES Matters of National Environmental Significance under the EPBC Act MOP Mining Operations Plan MW megawatts NEM National Energy Market NPW Act National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW) NSW New South Wales 17-420 Final 2.1 iii Scoping