The project team is working through the detailed stage of the planning process to enable the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to go on public exhibition. The EIS will respond to the Project Specific Guidelines issued for the St Patricks Plains Wind Farm by the Environment Protection Authority Tasmania (EPA), and will:

• Describe the project, its potential for impacts and outline how these have been avoided, minimised and mitigated, and how residual impacts will be managed.
• Provide technical and specialist reports detailing the findings of impact studies and assessments, including for avifauna, flora and terrestrial fauna, noise, socio-economic impacts, traffic, landscape and visual impacts, shadow flicker, communications, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and hydrogeology.

After the development application (DA) has been lodged with Central Highlands Council it will be sent to the EPA and once accepted by the EPA it will go on public exhibition for six weeks. Subject to government processes it is anticipated that the DA and EIS will go on public exhibition during Q2 this year.

Exhibition of the documents will provide the opportunity for neighbours, community members and other interested stakeholders to review the full details of the project and make a submission, either to raise concerns or show support for the project. Ark Energy welcomes input from community members and project stakeholders, and this will be an important step in the process to ensure relevant matters are adequately addressed and considered.

Thank you to all those who have provided details of accommodation available for leasing or registered their interest to provide work or services during the project’s construction and/or operation. This information has been recorded in the project database. To register an interest to work on the project or provide services or accommodation, please contact the project team via 1800 731 296, email or drop into the information centre in Bothwell and leave your full contact details.

Thank you to everyone who has visited the project’s information centre in Bothwell, currently open 10am to 4pm on Fridays.

During the EIS exhibition period the EIS will be available in the centre, and it will be open for additional days including some weekends, to enable convenient access to all information. Opening times will be advertised and posted on the website.

St Patricks Plains Wind Farm Update - April 2023