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Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Scoping Report | May 2019 I Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Scoping Report | May 2019 i Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Document Information Details Title Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Scoping Report Filename BOW Scoping Report Rev1 Purpose Scoping Report and Preliminary Environmental Assessment to accompany Application and Request for SEARs nit Revision Date Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by 0 13 Mar 2019 Julian Kasby Andrew Wilson Andrew Wilson 1 18 Apr 2019 Julian Kasby Andrew Wilson Andrew Wilson 2 9 May 2019 Julian Kasby Andrew Wilson Andrew Wilson May 2019 ii Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Proponent 1 1.2.1 Wind Energy in NSW 1 1.2.2 Solar Energy in Australia 2 1.3 Document Purpose 4 2 PLANNING FRAMEWORK 5 2.1 State Legislation 5 2.1.1 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 5 2.1.2 State Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011 5 2.1.3 State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 5 2.1.4 Other State Environmental Planning Policies 5 2.1.5 Other Legislation 6 2.2 Local Planning Regulations 6 2.2.1 Muswellbrook Local Environmental Plan 6 2.2.2 Singleton Local Environmental Plan 6 2.2.3 Upper Hunter Local Environmental Plan 7 2.2.4 Other Relevant Policies 7 2.3 Federal Legislation 8 2.3.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) 8 2.3.2 Native Title Act 1993 9 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 10 3.1 Site Context 10 3.2 Project Overview 10 3.2.1 Wind Turbines 12 3.2.2 Electrical Connections 12 3.2.3 Other Associated Infrastructure 12 3.2.4 Minor Local Road Upgrades 12 3.2.5 Ancillary Activities 13 3.3 Options Considered 13 3.3.1 Overview 13 3.3.2 Site Selection and Feasibility 13 3.3.3 Scoping Report Preliminary Layout 15 3.3.4 Refinement and Revision 16 4 PROJECT JUSTIFICATION 18 4.1 Project Viability 18 4.1.1 New Generation Requirement 19 4.1.2 Lowest Cost of New Generation 21 4.2 Federal Commitments 22 4.3 State Commitments 23 4.4 Project Benefits 23 5 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 24 5.1 Consultation Objectives 24 5.2 Consultation Approach 26 5.2.1 Stakeholders 26 May 2019 iii Bowmans Creek Wind Farm 5.2.2 Face to face visits and introduction letters 26 5.2.3 Community Meetings, Newsletters and Information Sessions 26 5.2.4 Community Consultation Committee 27 5.3 Ongoing Engagement 27 5.4 Key Issues Raised 28 5.5 Government Agencies & Other Stakeholders 29 6 RISK ASSESSMENT 31 6.1 Introduction 31 6.2 Environmental and Social Risk Assessment 31 7 PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 34 7.1 Assessment of Key Issues 34 7.1.1 Visual Amenity 34 7.1.2 Noise Amenity 41 7.1.3 Biodiversity 46 7.1.4 Aboriginal Heritage 49 7.1.5 Historic Heritage 50 7.1.6 Traffic and Transport 51 7.2 Minor Issues 51 8 GLOSSARY AND ACRONYMS 54 9 REFERENCES 56 10 APPENDIX A – PRELIMINARY LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 58 May 2019 iv Bowmans Creek Wind Farm FIGURES LIST Figure 1: Wind farm locality and Local Government Areas ........................................................................................................ 3 Figure 2: Site context of the proposed Project ......................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 3: Site wind monitoring mast locations ......................................................................................................................... 14 Figure 4: Investigation Area ...................................................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 5: Scoping Report Preliminary Layout............................................................................................................................ 16 Figure 6: Preliminary Layout on aerial background .................................................................................................................. 17 Figure 7: Wind resource map illustrating the potential of the site for a wind energy project ................................................. 19 Figure 8: NEM electricity consumption, actual and forecast, Neutral scenario ....................................................................... 20 Figure 9: Scheduled retirement of NSW generation capacity .................................................................................................. 21 Figure 10: LCOE cost of building new generation by technology type ..................................................................................... 22 Figure 11: SSD Assessment and Determination Process and Engagement .............................................................................. 25 Figure 12: Preliminary Assessment Tool 1 indicating potential visual impacts for further detailed consideration ................. 34 Figure 13: Study Area for further detailed consideration in EIS ............................................................................................... 36 Figure 14: Residential dwellings Multiple Wind Turbine Tool .................................................................................................. 39 Figure 15: Noise Bulletin Average Distances for Different Noise Standards ............................................................................ 42 Figure 16: Predicted noise levels based on preliminary layout ................................................................................................ 45 Figure 17: Mapped Vegetation (OEH) ....................................................................................................................................... 47 Figure 18: Key waterbodies and waterways ............................................................................................................................. 52 May 2019 1 Bowmans Creek Wind Farm 1 Introduction 1.1 Background The Bowmans Creek Wind Farm will involve the construction, maintenance, operation and decommissioning of around 70 - 80 wind turbines, together with associated operation and maintenance buildings, civil works and electrical infrastructure required to connect it into the existing transmission network (Project). The Project is located about 10 km east of Muswellbrook and 185 km north of Sydney, in NSW. The Project is located across three council boundaries as indicated in Figure 1. Wind turbines will be primarily located in the Muswellbrook Shire and Singleton Councils, with a small number of turbines proposed in the Upper Hunter Shire Council. The Project land and surrounding area is used for farming and grazing operations. The region supports a number of active coal mines and two coal fired power stations. Historically, a number of mineral exploration licences have been granted over the proposed wind farm site, however, there are no current active exploration licences. The Project is located primarily on freehold land within and adjacent to agricultural areas. There are a number of small parcels of Crown land within the Project Boundary. A preliminary layout for the Project is provided in section 4. Refinement of the layout will be undertaken following further environmental assessment and community input. Generally, the wind turbines have been positioned along a series of ridges running north-south as described in Section 3. There are a number of rural communities in proximity to the proposed wind farm including: Hebden, Muscle Creek, McCully’s Gap, Rouchel Brook, Bowmans Creek and Goorangoola. 1.2 Proponent The Proponent for the project is Epuron Projects Pty Ltd (Epuron), an Australian renewable energy company established in North Sydney in 2003. Epuron is one of the most experienced wind energy development companies in NSW, as well as a significant developer of solar projects across Australia. Epuron is a leader in its field with 573 MW of wind turbines in operation or construction resulting from its development work, significantly more in NSW than any other developer. Epuron owns and operates more off-grid utility-scale solar power stations than any other Australian company. Further details can be found at our website at www.epuron.com.au 1.2.1 Wind Energy in NSW Epuron approved wind energy projects in NSW total 2,218 megawatts (MW) and include: Cullerin Range Wind Farm (15 turbines, 30 MW, operating); Gullen Range Wind Farm (73 turbines, 165 MW, operating); White Rock Wind Farm Stage 1 (70 turbines, 175 MW, operating); Silverton Wind Farm (58 turbines, 200 MW under operating); White Rock Wind Farm Stage 2 (49 turbines, 175 MW, approved); Coppabella Wind Farm (up to 75 turbines, 290 MW, approved); Rye Park Wind Farm (up to 92 wind turbines, 322 MW, approved); and Liverpool Range Wind Farm (up to 267 turbines, 960 MW, approved). May 2019 2 Bowmans Creek Wind Farm 1.2.2 Solar Energy in Australia Epuron solar energy projects in Australia total 296 MW and include: 7 MW of off-grid solar projects owned and operated by Epuron including: o TKLN Solar (NT); o Uterne Solar at Alice Springs (NT); and o Yulara Solar at Ayers Rock Resort (NT); Clermont Solar Farm (90 MW, operating, QLD); Nevertire Solar Farm (132 MW, under construction, NSW); Katherine Solar Farm (34 MW, under construction, NT); and Walgett Solar Farm (32.5 MW, approved, NSW). May 2019 3 Bowmans Creek Wind Farm Figure 1: Wind farm locality and Local Government Areas May 2019 4 Bowmans Creek Wind Farm 1.3 Document Purpose Epuron is seeking State Significant Development (SSD) Consent under Division 4.7 of Part 4 of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) for the Project, which will be supported by an Environmental
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