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Submission #3346 - Port Latta Wind Farm Title of Proposal - Port Latta Wind Farm Section 1 - Summary of your proposed action Provide a summary of your proposed action, including any consultations undertaken. 1.1 Project Industry Type Energy Generation and Supply (renewable) 1.2 Provide a detailed description of the proposed action, including all proposed activities. The proposed Port Latta Wind Farm is to be located approximately half-way between Smithton and Rocky Cape in north-west Tasmania, on privately owned agricultural land primarily used for beef cattle production. The site was chosen due to its suitable wind speeds, grid connection feasibility, land zoning, low environmental risk and the sparsity of dwellings. The site also has the following advantages: • Ease of site access • Supportive landowners • Proximity to a large potential customer load on the network (Grange Resources magnetite pelletisation plant) The wind turbines and other associated infrastructure will occupy approximately 6 hectares of the land. The surrounding area is highly industrialised and includes a landfill operated by the local Circular Head Council, Grange Resources' magnetite pelletisation plant, a bulk gas supply terminal and several electricity transmission lines. A iron ore slurry pipeline (which supples the Grange Resources facility) runs through the centre of the site. Much of the surrounding area is dedicated to commercial forestry and agriculture. The Port Latta Wind Farm will consist of: • Seven wind turbines each of approximately 3.6 MW capacity • Seven gravelled hardstand areas at the base of each wind turbine • A temporary construction compound area which will be re-purposed to a silage storage area after wind farm construction • A power collection system consisting of approximately 2.7 km of 22kV buried cable and 2.4 km of overhead insulated aerial bundled conductor (ABC) cable running between the wind turbines • Approximately 7.7 km of gravelled road, much of which will be constructed by augmenting existing roads and laneways Aerial bundled cable (ABC) is fully insulated three-core cable (approximately 80 mm in Submission #3346 - Port Latta Wind Farm diameter) which will be suspended on wooden or concrete poles of the same height as the distribution lines running along most suburban streets. The reasons for using this type of conductor at certain locations on the site are: • The land owner where turbines 4 to 7 are to be installed is planning to construct farm dams that may flood an underground cable pathway or damage them during the construction of the dams • The conductor pathway crosses multiple creeks and overhead lines avoid removing creekside vegetation and disturbance of the creek bed • The conductor pathway crosses over the ore slurry pipeline • ABC is easily seen by avifauna, reducing collision risk • The insulated ABC conductors mean that avifauna cannot be electrocuted The wind farm does not require its own substation and will be connected to the National Electricity Network at the nearby Port Latta Substation by a buried cable which is approximately 1 km long. The centre of the site has the following easting and northing: 5474136 S 361835 E Construction of the Port Latta Wind Farm is expected to take five to six months, with civil works (roads, foundations, hardstands, cable runs) expected to take three to four months. The Project’s operational design life is approximately 25 years. At the end of its life, if the wind turbines cannot be re-powered to extend their life, all above ground assets will be removed from the site. 1.3 What is the extent and location of your proposed action? Use the polygon tool on the map below to mark the location of your proposed action. Area Point Latitude Longitude Port Latta Wind Farm 1 -40.857871760691 145.37441357932 site Port Latta Wind Farm 2 -40.857871760691 145.37389859519 site Port Latta Wind Farm 3 -40.858131427088 145.37407025657 site Port Latta Wind Farm 4 -40.860728035068 145.37407025657 site Port Latta Wind Farm 5 -40.865791127856 145.36771878562 site Port Latta Wind Farm 6 -40.867089294428 145.36583051047 Submission #3346 - Port Latta Wind Farm Area Point Latitude Longitude site Port Latta Wind Farm 7 -40.88201638088 145.37321194968 site Port Latta Wind Farm 8 -40.88266530829 145.37183865867 site Port Latta Wind Farm 9 -40.888505368664 145.36531552634 site Port Latta Wind Farm 10 -40.889284004441 145.36102399192 site Port Latta Wind Farm 11 -40.894215151589 145.35604581199 site Port Latta Wind Farm 12 -40.897199614741 145.34763440452 site Port Latta Wind Farm 13 -40.899405435751 145.34557446799 site Port Latta Wind Farm 14 -40.90031369361 145.34299954734 site Port Latta Wind Farm 15 -40.874488357953 145.3462611135 site Port Latta Wind Farm 16 -40.870983641456 145.34454449973 site Port Latta Wind Farm 17 -40.868127809364 145.35123929343 site Port Latta Wind Farm 18 -40.863324541258 145.35329922996 site Port Latta Wind Farm 19 -40.862805248164 145.36308392844 site Port Latta Wind Farm 20 -40.861117517486 145.36291226707 site Port Latta Wind Farm 21 -40.858391092466 145.3701220449 site Port Latta Wind Farm 22 -40.857871760691 145.37441357932 site 1.5 Provide a brief physical description of the property on which the proposed action will take place and the location of the proposed action (e.g. proximity to major towns, or for off-shore actions, shortest distance to mainland). The proposed wind farm site is agricultural land owned by two landowners (Mr John Dart and Mr Wayne Wells and Mrs Rosemarie Wells). The wind farm site has been extensively cleared over the last three decades and is predominantly used to graze beef cattle. There are patches of Submission #3346 - Port Latta Wind Farm remnant vegetation on the fringe of the site and along waterways within the site but these will not be impacted by the wind farm or its associated infrastructure. Both landowners continue to clear the remaining patches of remnant native vegetation on their properties and convert these areas to agricultural pasture. It is anticipated that these properties will continue to operate as cattle grazing farms throughout the life of the wind farm. The centre of the site is approximately 2.5 kilometres to the south of Grange Resources’ magnetite pelletisation plant and port facility at Port Latta. The small settlements of Cowrie Point (15 dwellings), Crayfish Creek (50 dwellings) and Edgcumbe Beach (30 dwellings) are the nearest population centers. The wind farm site is in close proximity to the Port Latta substation (owned and operated by TasNetworks). The Smithton-Burnie 110 kV transmission line runs across the northern portion of the wind farm site. The Port Latta Landfill, operated by the Circular Head Council, is located immediately to the north. The surrounding land use is a mixture of farming and commercial forestry. 1.6 What is the size of the proposed action area development footprint (or work area) including disturbance footprint and avoidance footprint (if relevant)? Approximately 6 ha 1.7 Is the proposed action a street address or lot? Lot 1.7.2 Describe the lot number and title.46320/1 (Owned by Wayne and Rosemarie Wells) and title 111545/2 (owned by John Dart) 1.8 Primary Jurisdiction. Tasmania 1.9 Has the person proposing to take the action received any Australian Government grant funding to undertake this project? No 1.10 Is the proposed action subject to local government planning approval? Yes 1.10.1 Is there a local government area and council contact for the proposal? Yes 1.10.1.0 Council contact officer details Submission #3346 - Port Latta Wind Farm 1.10.1.1 Name of relevant council contact officer. Benji Krom 1.10.1.2 E-mail [email protected] 1.10.1.3 Telephone Number (03) 6452 4846 1.11 Provide an estimated start and estimated end date for the proposed action. Start date 02/2019 End date 02/2044 1.12 Provide details of the context, planning framework and State and/or Local government requirements. The proposed activity is located within the Rural Resource Zone of the Circular Head Interim Planning Scheme 2013 and the erection and operation of a wind farm is categorised as ‘Utilities’. Wind energy facilities with a maximum generating capacity of 30 MW or more are classified as a ‘Level 2’ activity under the Tasmanian Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (EMPCA). Port Latta Wind Farm will have a generation capacity of 25 MW. However, this project is being assessed by the Environment Protection Authority as a Level 2 project under EMPCA. “Project Specific Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan Guidelines for Nekon Pty Ltd, Port Latta Wind Farm, Port Latta, northwest Tasmania” were issued by the EPA to Nekon Pty Ltd in May 2018. The Tasmanian Environment Protection Authority has 'called the project in' for assessment because the Authority is concerned that the Circular Head Council does not have the expertise to assess and regulate the ecological aspects of the project and believes that there may be significant public interest in the development. The Circular Head Council and the Tasmanian Environment Protection Authority are the Regulators responsible for the assessment and approval of the project. 1.13 Describe any public consultation that has been, is being or will be undertaken, including with Indigenous stakeholders. Submission #3346 - Port Latta Wind Farm A Stakeholder Management Plan (SMP) is currently being implemented for the Project. The Stakeholder Management Plan addresses how the Circular Head Community will be informed and engage with the Project and also addresses how other special interest stakeholders will engage with the Project. The synopsis of the Stakeholder Managment Plan is: - Project Website - maintain the Port Latta Wind Farm website with dedicated URL. The website includes Project design information, progress information and information on the approvals process.
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