Media release – Environment Protection Authority (EPA), 8 July 2024
EPA considers proposal for St Patricks Plains Wind Farm
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has concluded its assessment of a proposal by St Patricks Plains Wind Farm Pty Ltd for a wind farm at St Patricks Plains in the Central Highlands municipality.
Up to 47 wind turbine generators (turbines) are proposed, generating up to 300 megawatts, in addition to the construction of a switchyard connecting the wind farm to existing TasNetworks transmission lines. A maximum of 34 Identiflight (IDF) units will also be installed across the site to minimise eagle collision risk.
The Chair of the EPA Board, Andrew Paul, said the Board concluded the proposed development can be managed in an environmentally sustainable and acceptable manner, with conditions. The Board requires these conditions to be included in any permit subsequently granted by the Central Highlands Council.
Public consultation was open for a 42-day period from 12 August 2023 and 160 representations were received by the Board in relation to the proposal. The environmental issues raised in the representations included impacts on eagles, other natural values, and noise impacts to nearby residential areas. Visual impacts were also raised.
“Various environmental issues were considered in the assessment, and a number of conditions have been imposed relating to management of eagle collision risk, avoiding and minimising impact on threatened natural values, operational noise management and avoiding impacts on groundwater and surface water,” Mr Paul said.
The proposal was considered by the Board in the context of the sustainable development objectives of the Resource Management and Planning System of Tasmania (RMPS), and in the context of the objectives of the Environmental Management and Pollution Control System (EMPCS) established by the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (EMPCA).
The functions of the Board are to administer and enforce the provisions of EMPCA, to further the RMPS and EMPCS objectives and, in particular, to use its best endeavours to protect the environment of Tasmania.
The Board undertook assessment of the proposal in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Principles defined in Section 74 of the Act.
The environmental assessment report, including the environmental conditions, has been issued to the proponent, and Central Highlands Council.
This decision and all assessment documents can be viewed on the EPA website at St Patricks Plains Wind Farm Pty Ltd, St Patricks Plains Wind Farm, Central Highlands Tasmania | EPA Tasmania.
Media release – No Turbine Action Group, 8 July 2024
LOCALS SEEK LEGAL ADVICE ON EPA APPROVAL OF 47 TURBINE TASMANIAN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS WIND FARM
David Ridley, Chair of a community group [1] opposed to construction of a 47-turbine wind farm at St Patricks Plains near Steppes historic site says legal advice is being sought on the EPA’s approval.
“It is not unexpected that the EPA has issued approval conditions for the wind farm because locals say the EPA stands for Every Project Approved. The wind farm covers 10,000ha and will have 231m high turbines (more than 3 times Wrest Point Casino) both sides of gateway roads through the unique Central Highlands and is home to 32 threatened flora and fauna species. The wind farm is within 12 km of World Heritage areas.”
“The EPA has not yet made available to the public the 160 submissions on the development – all but 19 of which had concerns regarding the proposal – so the community can see what the issues are and how the EPA addressed them.”
“The area also contains 40 Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles, which includes around 20 breeding pairs,10 eagle territories and 17 eagle nests. The approval relies on a collision avoidance system (IdentiFlight) and 1km nest buffers to protect eagles. A precautionary approach is required.
IdentiFlight does not avoid noise and direct line-of-sight impacts from 231m high turbines that tower over nests and cause eagles to desert their young. The 1km buffers were designed 30 years ago for ground-based forestry operations and not for wind farms with 231m turbines and where 40 eagles that call the area home. The number of collisions and deaths that occur when IdentiFlight is used is not reliably known.
Every death of a breeding eagle matters because it is nationally endangered and only 220 breeding pairs occur in Tasmania. “
“We are shocked that the developer, St Patricks Plains Wind Farm Pty Ltd – a $100 subsidiary company of Korea Zinc – and the EPA have not considered the proposed 58 turbine Bashan Wind Farm proposal which is only 10km away. The cumulative impact of St Patricks Plains, Cattle Hill Wind Farm and Bashan Wind Farm has not been properly assessed by the EPA.”
Expert advice to NTAG indicated noise impacts have been understated by up to 10dB and best practice setbacks from neighbours and villages to avoid nuisance noise has not occurred. In regard to the impact on the unique Tasmanian landscape, the proponent’s visual consultant said a number of turbines on ridges should be removed – but this was ignored.
“The EPA has given approval to industrialisation of the Central Highlands. Under the EPA decision Tasmanians can kiss goodbye the remote and unique Tasmanian sub-alpine landscape we love.”
“NTAG is seeking legal advice on the EPA approval because it attempts to fit the wrong project in the wrong location.”
“We are a research-based organisation that represents 270 members and supporters. We will have detailed look at the EPA decision, see what Central Highlands Council has to say, and consider our next step.
“We will be guided by expert acoustic, visual and ecological advice and information as well as legal advice. An appeal to TasCAT for an independent review of the decision is on the books. Our next steps also will be informed by any decision by Federal Environment Minister Plibersek because the impact on nationally threatened species will be significant.”
[1] NTAG is a community group with 270 members and supporters from all electorates of Tasmania. NTAG is opposed to the proposed St Patricks Plains Wind Farm on the Highlands Lakes Rd at the Steppes Homestead near Miena because it is in the wrong place. NTAG is a research-based community organisation committed to maintaining the uniqueness of the Central Highlands of Tasmania.
