Modification 3 Report SILVERTON WIND FARM JULY 2016 www.nghenvironmental.com.au e [email protected] Sydney Region Canberra ‐ NSW SE & ACT Wagga Wagga ‐ Riverina and Western NSW 18/21 mary st 17/27 yallourn st (po box 62) suite 1, 39 fitzmaurice st (po box 5464) surry hills nsw 2010 (t 02 8202 8333) fyshwick act 2609 (t 02 6280 5053) wagga wagga nsw 2650 (t 02 6971 9696) Newcastle ‐ Hunter and North Coast Bega ‐ ACT and South East NSW Bathurst ‐ Central West and Orana 7/11 union st suite 1, 216 carp st (po box 470) 35 morrisset st (po box 434) newcastle west nsw 2302 (t 02 4929 2301) bega nsw 2550 (t 02 6492 8333) bathurst nsw 2795 (t 02 6331 4541) Document Verification Project Title: Modification 3 Report Silverton wind farm Project Number: 6773 Project File Name: SLVWF Modification Report Final v1 Revision Date Prepared by (name) Reviewed by (name) Approved by (name) Draft V1 8/07/16 Brooke Marshall Brooke Marshall Nick Graham‐Higgs Jane Mills Jane Blomfield Natascha Arens Bianca Heinze Final V1 20/07/16 Brooke Marshall Brooke Marshall Brooke Marshall Jane Mills Jane Blomfield 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) and NGH Environmental (Heritage) Pty Ltd (ACN: 603 938 549. ABN: 62 603 938 549) are part of the NGH Environmental Group of Companies. www.nghenvironmental.com.au e [email protected] Sydney Region Canberra ‐ NSW SE & ACT Wagga Wagga ‐ Riverina and Western NSW 18/21 mary st 17/27 yallourn st (po box 62) suite 1, 39 fitzmaurice st (po box 5464) surry hills nsw 2010 (t 02 8202 8333) fyshwick act 2609 (t 02 6280 5053) wagga wagga nsw 2650 (t 02 6971 9696) Newcastle ‐ Hunter and North Coast Bega ‐ ACT and South East NSW Bathurst ‐ Central West and Orana 7/11 union st suite 1, 216 carp st (po box 470) 35 morrisset st (po box 434) newcastle west nsw 2302 (t 02 4929 2301) bega nsw 2550 (t 02 6492 8333) bathurst nsw 2795 (t 02 6331 4541) Modification 3 Report Silverton wind farm CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................1 1.1.1 Stage 1 Project Approval ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 Stage 2 Concept Plan Approval .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1.3 Modification 3 ........................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 THE APPROVED PROJECT .....................................................................................................................2 1.3 PREVIOUS MODIFICATIONS .................................................................................................................2 1.3.1 Modification 1 ........................................................................................................................................ 2 1.3.2 Modification 2 ........................................................................................................................................ 2 1.4 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION .............................................................................................................2 1.5 PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE OF THIS REPORT .......................................................................................3 1.5.1 Modification 3 ........................................................................................................................................ 3 1.5.2 Scope determined by internal consistency review ................................................................................ 3 1.5.3 Matters raised by Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) ..................................................... 4 1.6 SUMMARY OF PROJECT AND IMPACTS (APPROVED PROJECT) ............................................................5 1.6.1 Project description ................................................................................................................................. 5 1.6.2 Key issues (Approved Project) ............................................................................................................... 6 1.6.3 Additional issues .................................................................................................................................... 7 1.6.4 Management strategies for impacts ...................................................................................................... 7 1.7 PROJECT BENEFITS AND JUSTIFICATION (APPROVED AND MODIFIED PROJECT) ................................8 1.7.1 Renewable energy generation ............................................................................................................... 8 1.7.2 Economic and community benefits ....................................................................................................... 9 2 DESCRIPTION OF MODIFICATION 3 ............................................................................................ 10 2.1 FEWER, LARGER TURBINES ................................................................................................................11 2.1.1 Turbine parameters ............................................................................................................................. 11 2.1.2 Decrease in number turbines (282 reduced to a maximum of 172, Stage 1) ...................................... 11 2.1.3 Requirement for further assessment .................................................................................................. 13 2.2 SOURCING CONSTRUCTION WATER FROM PIPELINE ........................................................................13 2.2.1 Requirement for further assessment .................................................................................................. 14 2.3 STAGING .............................................................................................................................................14 2.3.1 Requirement for further assessment .................................................................................................. 15 2.4 CONSERVATION STATUS OF SPECIFIC ENTITIES SINCE THE APPROVAL .............................................16 6773 Final v1 i Modification 3 Report Silverton wind farm 2.4.1 Porcupine Grass ‐ Red Mallee ‐ Gum Coolabah Hummock Grassland / Low Sparse Woodland .......... 16 2.4.2 Barrier Range Dragon .......................................................................................................................... 17 2.4.3 Requirement for further assessment .................................................................................................. 17 3 CHANGES TO THE NATURE AND LEVEL OF IMPACT .................................................................... 19 3.1 VISUAL ................................................................................................................................................19 3.1.1 Potential impact types ......................................................................................................................... 19 3.1.2 Level of impact for the Approved versus Modified Project ................................................................. 20 3.1.3 Mitigation strategies ............................................................................................................................ 25 3.2 NOISE..................................................................................................................................................27 3.2.1 Background noise monitoring .............................................................................................................. 27 3.2.2 Worst case scenario turbine model ..................................................................................................... 28 3.2.3 Level of impact for the Approved versus Modified Project ................................................................. 29 3.2.4 Mitigation strategies ............................................................................................................................ 30 3.3 BIRD AND BAT COLLISION RISK ..........................................................................................................31 3.3.1 Potential Impact types ......................................................................................................................... 31 3.3.2 Level of impact for the Approved versus Modified Project ................................................................. 32 3.3.3 Mitigation strategies ............................................................................................................................ 33 3.4 BIODIVERSITY (VEGETATION CLEARING IMPACTS) ............................................................................34 3.4.1 Approved layout .................................................................................................................................. 34 3.4.2 Revised Modification 3 Layout ............................................................................................................ 35