Over the past six months work on the proposal’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has continued despite delays caused by COVID restrictions, and a few outstanding field surveys will be completed after restrictions have been lifted. Assessments for the EIS will include landscape and visual impact, noise, biodiversity, traffic and transport, heritage, water and soils, waste, and social and economic impacts.

Epuron referred the project to the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) for review under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and it has been deemed a ‘controlled action’ (Referral ID 2021/8916). The decision means the proposal must also be assessed and approved under the EPBC Act. This will be done under a bilateral agreement between DAWE and the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

The project’s Community Consultative Committee (CCC), chaired by Garry West, has been appointed and held its first meeting in Mudgee in May. The meeting was attended by community members Jacqui and Nathan Coates, Heather Gough-Fuller, Justin Gard and Carmel Vecchio, and stakeholder representatives Brad Bliss and Chris Pilley.

Epuron welcomes input from members of the local community and other interested parties to help shape the project and maximise community benefits. If you have questions or would like to share your views please email the project team on info@burrendongwindfarm.com.au, speak to a member of the CCC or submit a feedback form.

Subject to the lifting of COVID related restrictions the project team looks forward to hosting a community information session in the local area as soon as practicable. To be notified directly of information sessions when these are scheduled and receive project updates via email register online at epuron.com.au/mailing-list-details.