Upper Lachlan Shire Council (ULSC) acting general manager Gary Woodman has defended the support of wind farms in the Shire following divisive discussions among Yass Valley councillors to oppose further turbines in their patch.
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The in-principle stance by the Yass Valley Council (YVC) was taken at their May meeting.
Yass Valley councillors voted 5-4 in favour of the motion, to oppose (in principle) wind turbines in their LGA. Within 24 hours, a rescission motion was submitted.
Objections raised included environmental and health effects, aesthetics, devaluing of land and property, division of communities, and decommissioning.
The Jupiter Wind Farm, which was rejected by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, was raised on the night.
Mr Woodman told the Gazette it would be inappropriate to comment on the decisions of other councils, with the decision determined by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
“While there are some sections of the community opposed to wind farms, the majority of residents have accepted the wind farms are a part of the Upper Lachlan Shire landscape,” he said.
Currently, there are 11 wind farms operating in the Shire.
The ULSC receives no funding from the wind farm turbines. Instead, money is redistributed via community grants and scholarships on a regular basis, said Mr Woodman.
Last year, $227,719 was redistributed to the community from the various wind turbine companies in the Shire.
Australian Wind Alliance’s (AWA) national coordinator Andrew Bray said the motion put forward at the Yass Valley Council meeting was “a stunt to railroad the council into an anti-wind stance”.
“This is no way for council to be making decisions that threaten the substantial jobs and investment,” he said on the night, questioning the lack of pro-wind-turbine speakers at the meeting.
But Crookwell grazier John Carter said conversations surrounding wind farm impacts, such as those conducted in the Yass Valley chambers, were long overdue in the Upper Lachlan Shire.
“The Wingecarribee just east of us has had the courage to put a maximum height for building or structures and has avoided turbines in their Shire, our Shire should’ve done the same,” he said.
“I hope that the Yass Valley Council can find a way of stopping the continued desiccation of the landscape.”
He said the ULSC was “ducking for cover”, highlighting the role of councils in state significant projects.
“The Crookwell council at the time was the consent authority for Crookwell 1 wind farm, they are responsible for its demolition,” he said, referencing discussions among councillors at the time.
