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

The SEARs outline the general and technical assessment requirements for the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and are based on the revised Scoping Report lodged in October, for a renewable energy project consisting of up to 55 wind turbines with a maximum height of 250 m and a 100 MW / 400 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS).

Key matters for assessment identified by the SEARs are landscape and visual impact, noise and vibration, biodiversity, heritage, transport, water and soils, air quality, hazards and risks, waste, and social and economic impacts.

The Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy the Environment and Water has also determined that the project is a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and will require assessment and approval under the EPBC Act before it can proceed. This will be done by the DPE under the bilateral agreement between the NSW and Commonwealth Governments.

The project’s planning documentation is available online from the Doughboy Wind Farm page in the NSW Government's Major Projects Portal.

While surveys and work for the EIS reports are underway, local community members and other key stakeholders will be consulted through meetings and information sessions.

The next local information session will be held in Q1. Details will be confirmed in the next newsletter.

Download the Doughboy Wind Farm Newsletter - December 2023