Forest Wind Newsletter #2

25 February 2020

Welcome to the second Forest Wind newsletter. You are receiving this newsletter because you have signed up via our website or at the community information sessions.

Feedback from the Community Information Sessions - 8 & 9 February

Earlier this month we held Forest Wind Community Information Sessions in:

Kia Ora - 8th February
Tinana (Maryborough) - 8th February
Poona - 9th February

Over 200 people attended the forums over where our team was on hand to answer the community’s questions about the proposed wind farm, view the proposed lay out and identify residences and their proximity to proposed turbine sites, as well as answer questions on ecology, forestry impacts, electricity markets and many more areas of interest.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend and meet with us, and to those who also completed a feedback form.

The overwhelming feedback on the proposal was positive and supportive. However, some people were unsure or needed more information, and some people do not think wind energy is a good idea.

People were keen:

to learn more about the job opportunities Forest Wind will bring to the region
on creating renewable energy in Wide Bay
and believe the location within plantation forestry with turbines at least 3km away from residents is a good location for the proposed wind farm.

People were also interested in understanding more or expressed their concerns about potential:

noise impacts and acoustic amenity
visual impacts
impact on property values
impact on wildlife, especially birds
construction phase impacts and proposed construction routes
fire hazards and risks
impacts on forestry operations and access through the forest, and
the life cycle of turbine blades/ components.

Consequently, we have updated our website with a job seeker category in the business supplier registration page. If you are interested in registering for employment on the project, visit the supplier registration page and click on job seeker on area of specialisation.

We have also added new information on our website on the Fact Sheet and Resources page that helps address community concerns and feedback, including:

an updated Forest Wind and Acoustic Amenity Fact Sheet
a link to independent research paper, “Assessment of the impact of wind farms on surrounding land values in Australia”, and,
a link to the “Systematic review of the human health effects of wind farms” conducted by the National Health and Medical Research Centre.

These resources are in addition to the information already available on the website under the Planning Documentation page, which includes:

Electromagnetic Interference Assessment
Shadow Flicker Assessment
Forest Wind Ecological Assessment Report
Ecological Assessment Appendix G_Bird and Bat Utilisation Survey
Ecological Assessment Appendix H_Bird and Bat Management Plan
Ecological Assessment Appendix I_Phase 1 Koala Survey Report
Traffic Impact Assessment and Traffic Management Plan
Stormwater and Erosion and Sediment Control Management Strategy
Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
Noise assessment
Preliminary Construction Management Plan
Aviation Impact Assessment

If you have any particular questions on these issues, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Staging and construction plans

As we expressed at the community information sessions, Forest Wind is likely to be built in stages. We are currently working on these staging plans for the Project, including identifying the best access and construction routes to minimise impacts on residents.

The main site entrance for the Project is most likely to be in the south-west of the Project area, and eastern access points to the site will be mainly for workers, ancillary vehicles.

As we progress in the design and staging plan, we will continue to keep the community informed and engage with residents directly on proposed construction routes, impact mitigation and management plans.

Unsure about wind farms? Are you interested in seeing a wind farm in operation?

Are you unsure about what a wind farm may sound like? Or what it might look like at over 3km or up close?

We appreciate that not all the community has had the opportunity to experience a wind farm up close or in operation.

We are calling for expressions of interest in participating in a site visit to the Coopers Gap Wind Farm, located approximately 50 kilometres south-west of Kingaroy and 65 km north of Dalby to view the 153 wind turbines in operation.

Depending on the interest, we will organise a bus to transport everyone to Coopers Gap Wind Farm.

The trip will take a whole day and we will try to speak to some locals.

We will get in touch to confirm arrangements for a potential trip in the next the month.

Don’t forget to add your business to the supplier register

We have had great continuing interest in Forest Wind from businesses and job seekers all across the Wide Bay region including businesses based in local towns like Poona, Boonooroo, Kia Ora, Cooloola Cover, Maryborough, Gympie, Tin Can Bay, Tiaro and Bauple.

So far, over 50 businesses have registered their interest and will be included on our supplier database. Businesses on the database will receive information about upcoming supplier engagement events so that businesses are aware of the opportunities and requirements in the procurement phase. We have added a job seeker category too so we can connect job seekers to local businesses.

You can register your business or employment interest on the supplier database here.

Development application status

Last December, Forest Wind Holdings submitted a code assessable development application to the State for a Material Change in Use permit in accordance with the State Code 23: Wind farm development.

When an application is properly made, the State is required to assess the application within a statutory time frame, as per the State Planning Regulations 2017.

Forest Wind Holdings’ properly made application was assessed over this period and the State advised on the 21st February 2020 that it was approved, subject to conditions.

All of the information provided in our application is included in the Planning Documentation page of our website.

We will continue to engage with the community, listen and respond to your feedback and concerns as we progress with staging plans and design.

First Nations People

The developers of Forest Wind respectfully acknowledge the Butchulla First Nation and Kabi Kabi First Nation People of the land on which Forest Wind is proposed. We are consulting with the Butchulla and Kabi Kabi First Nation representatives on land use and we look forward to future partnerships through which employment and training, business development and contracting opportunities, cultural heritage protection and environmental management may be pursued.

Are you a Kabi Kabi or Butchulla business interested in work opportunities on Forest Wind? Register your interest here.