Newsletter #4 - Step Up
Hi All ,
It’s been a busy week. As time nears for submission of the Scoping report (End of May) by EnergyCo to Minister Sharpe we are getting as much done as possible to change the route or to slow the process down.
For those that aren’t aware of the process, here is a summary.
EnergyCo have to make a recommendation to Penny Sharpe ( NSW Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Heritage) regarding their preferred route. This is called the “Scoping Report”.
Minister Sharpe sends it to the Department Of Planning, Housing & Infrastructure (Minister Paul Scully) (DPHI ) who will provide a scope for Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARS) which will guide the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project.
EnergyCo then prepares the EIS to assess the impacts and overall merits of the project. The EIS will be submitted to DPHI for public exhibition and assessment and commentary.
The end result is a lot of time and effort spent on the preferred route. Historically, there are generally very few significant changes made to the route after it goes to an EIS.
WE NEED TO CONVINCE ENERGYCO TO MAKE THE CHANGE NOW!
Valley Alliance committee have been meeting weekly, the following is an update of what has been achieved this week:
COMMUNITY MEETING : 2 Meetings coming up. Please don't miss either
Thursday May 9 . Woolomin War Memorial Hall. 5.30PM community update from VA and other community members. Come and ask your questions and find out how this will impact you. A free Sausage sizzle will be operating
Tuesday May 14 : EnergyCo meeting . Woolomin War Memorial Hall. 5.30PM. Meet EnergyCo management. Ask your questions directly. Dont let them take your lifestyle! Get involved now or we will have no-one but ourselves to blame for decades to come..
REPORTS : A report on our Koala population is underway. We don't want to see their habitat destroyed by 5 years of construction. We have one of the largest healthy populations left in NSW. We don’t want to lose them.
LEGAL : Valley Alliance Lawyer, Marylou Potts, has requested a delay of the scoping report submission to Minister Sharpe. We are waiting on the ministers office for answers
MEMBERSHIPS: KEEP SIGNING UP. WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER . ONLINE LINK
SOCIAL MEDIA : Community videos are being added weekly. We have interviewed people from around our community to see how they will be impacted. Please have a look
MEDIA update: Campbell Mcintosh & Tim White attended the “Voice for Walcha” meeting in Walcha on behalf of our community. Tim spoke about the impact of the transmission lines. The event was hosted by Australian Newspaper journalist Nick Cater and will air on ADHTV (LINK ). Transmission lines around the 42 minute mark
THANKS: A big thankyou to Brian Penrose at Penrose Meats for supplying the sausages for both BBQ’s . You're a great community man and you make a great snag.
What you can do to help:
ATTEND both community meetings - get involved before it’s too late.
WRITE: email Minister Penny Sharpe to object to the proposed route. It couldn’t be easier to show your objection. See below if you want the 2 minute option.
Good Luck & Thanks again for your help
Tim
YOUR LETTER
Address to:
The Honourable Ms Penny Sharpe, MLC
NSW Minister for Climate Change, Minister For Energy, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Heritage
Office@sharpe.minister.nsw.gov.au
CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK IT SHOULD OPEN IN YOUR EMAIL WITH THE CORRECT TEMPLATE INSERTED. PLEASE CHANGE & FORMAT WHERE NECESSARY TO ADD YOUR OWN VIEWS. Please ADD the email addresses at the bottom of this email in the cc line of you email
The Honourable Ms Penny Sharpe, MLC
NSW Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Heritage
Office@sharpe.minister.nsw.gov.au
Dear Minister
EnergyCo transmission lines—NEREZ TRANSMISSION PROJECT
Mulla Creek, Dungowan Valley, Woolomin, Duncans Creek & Garoo (NEREZ
I am writing to express my deep concern over the placement of new transmission lines from the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) through Chaffey Dam, Duncans Creek, Dungowan, Garoo, Loomberah, Mulla Creek and Woolomin. I <<live / farm / live and farm use the appropriate word/s >> in << Chaffey Dam/ Duncans Creek/ Dungowan/ Garoo/ Loomberah/ Mulla Creek/ Woolomin>> , and I am a voter in the Tamworth electorate.
<< Add Personal information about youSee examples below # 1…>>
I want you to understand the impact of the planned lines on the quality of my life, the amenity of my village for people who live here as well as the numerous tourists we have each year, and on the livelihoods of our local farmers.
<< Add a couple of sentences about how you think having transmission lines will personally impact on you . See examples below # 2>>
I want to draw your attention to the fact that there are viable alternatives:
The major alternative, is the Aberbaldie Travelling Stock Route (TSR) exiting Walcha, then directly following crown and state lands to the required end point. Numerous individual landholders and communities would be saved from this rapacious development were you to adopt this option.
Reconductoring the Oxley Highway
Undergrounding
As a matter of urgency, everyone in these communities is asking you, as the NSW Government Minister responsible for what is happening, to pause this Project immediately while proper consultation takes place. The Valley Alliance, which is representing the communities and affected landholders, needs the appropriate time frames to commission reports and consult with all the affected people. The community affected by the previous corridor had over 12 months for consultation, commissioning reports etc. Your Project Manager has given us 2 months. This is unacceptable.
Furthermore, you would be aware that the NSW Land and Environment court recently rejected a Mudgee solar project on the grounds of its impact on “scenic quality and landscape character” , among other things. The Judgment specifically drew attention to the lack of “direct engagement with those most affected by the development. Their sense of place has not been sufficiently factored into [the] assessment…” .
Do you want to be remembered for transmission lines that devastated rural communities when viable alternatives were potentially available but never pursued? Many foreign countries that are more advanced in the renewables transition have stopped using overhead transmission lines. Cost and time cannot be the major factors at the expense of lives (bushfire risk) and visual amenity for future generations.
Are you willing to pause and reflect on how you might best preserve the countryside, as loved by all Australians?
Yours faithfully
<< NAME >>
Copy & paste the following into the cc filed of your email
tamworth@parliament.nsw.gov.au,
bluemountains@parliament.nsw.gov.au,
robert.borsak@parliament.nsw.gov.au.
abigail.boyd@parliament.nsw.gov.au,
goulburn@parliament.nsw.gov.au,
mark.banasiak@parliament.nsw.gov.au,