The NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) has issued Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) for the Richmond Valley Solar Farm.

SEARs are issued by DPE for developments that are considered State Significant Development, and outline the general and technical assessment requirements for the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). In accordance with section 4.12(8) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, a State Significant Development is to be accompanied by an EIS.

The SEARs are based on the Scoping Report for the project, which was formally lodged to the DPE in July 2022. After due consideration of the Scoping Report, DPE issued SEARs for the Richmond Valley Solar Farm on 21 September 2022.

The issue of the SEARs signals the start of the preparation of the project's EIS. Key matters identified by the SEARs for assessment are biodiversity, heritage, land impacts, landscape and visual impact, glint and glare, noise, transport, water, hazards, waste, and social and economic impacts.

Richmond Valley Solar Farm is proposed for a site of about 900 hectares located approximately 7 km east of Rappville and 25 km south of Casino in northern New South Wales.

The Scoping Report and SEARs are available on the Richmond Valley Solar Farm project page in the NSW Government's Major Projects website.