❓ Mr. Hunter's extensive question addresses various environmental, safety, and community concerns related to proposed wind energy developments in regional WA, seeking clarity on regulations, assessments, and community engagement processes.
⏳ Awaiting AnswerQoN 2295Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to proposed wind energy developments in regional Western Australia, including projects in proximity to established communities, and I ask:(a) Will the Government outline the minimum setback requirements currently applied between wind turbines and:(i) established townsites; and(ii) individual residential dwellings;(b) Does the Government intend to introduce or amend planning frameworks to require greater setbacks, and if so, what distances are under consideration;(c) How does the Government reconcile existing approvals that place residences within approximately 2km of turbines with any proposed future planning requirements relating to noise or amenity;(d) What provisions exist to ensure that local community opposition to a project is formally considered in the approval process, and what threshold of opposition triggers further review;(e) What approvals are required for the construction of access roads associated with wind energy projects, and who is responsible for their ongoing maintenance;(f) What requirements apply to temporary workers’ accommodation (camps), including location, approvals and rehabilitation obligations once construction is complete;(g) Does the Government have any policy regarding the co-location of solar or battery infrastructure within approved wind farm project areas;(h) What approvals are required for associated transmission lines and substations, and what assessment is undertaken regarding land clearing impacts;(i) Are wind turbines required to cease operation during total fire bans, harvest bans or other emergency restrictions, and if so, under what conditions;(j) What fire mitigation and suppression standards are required for wind turbine infrastructure in Western Australia;(k) In the event of a turbine fire causing damage to surrounding property, who is legally liable - the project proponent, the landholder or another party;(l) Who is responsible for the clean-up and remediation following turbine-related fire incidents;(m) Has the Government undertaken any assessment of cumulative fire risk in areas where wind farms are proposed near communities already exposed to bushfire risk;(n) What regulatory requirements exist regarding the inspection and maintenance frequency of wind turbines and associated infrastructure;(o) How are structural integrity risks identified prior to failure, including for turbine foundations and pads;(p) Has the Government assessed the impact of high groundwater salinity on turbine foundations in relevant regions;(q) Are there operating restrictions for turbines during extreme heat events, and how effective are turbine cooling systems under such conditions;(r) What noise standards apply to wind energy developments in Western Australia;(s) Who is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with noise limits;(t) What mechanisms are available to residents to lodge and resolve noise complaints;(u) Has the Government undertaken or relied upon studies into the impacts of infrasound on nearby residents, and if so, will these be tabled;(v) How does the Government account for terrain and environmental factors that may amplify sound when assessing wind farm proposals;(w) What environmental assessment processes are required to evaluate the impact of wind farms on local wildlife;(x) Has the Government conducted or required studies into the impacts of turbine operation on:(i) birds of prey, including wedge-tailed eagles;(ii) bats; and(iii) threatened species such as black cockatoos;(y) How many known nests of protected bird species must be present to trigger additional environmental protections or project modifications;(z) What consideration is given to cumulative habitat loss where wind farms are proposed in areas already impacted by mining or other developments;(aa) What minimum wind resource thresholds are required for project approval;(bb) What data is required to demonstrate wind consistency, and over what period must it be collected;(cc) What percentage of operational time is typically expected for wind turbines in approved projects in Western Australia;(dd) What standards are applied to assess visual impact on nearby residents;(ee) How are long-term changes in vegetation, including loss of screening tree lines over the life of a project, accounted for in visual impact assessments;(ff) What processes are in place to ensure consistency between current approvals and future planning reforms relating to wind energy developments;(gg) What consideration is given to the cumulative social and mental health impacts on communities located near large-scale energy infrastructure; and(hh) Will the Government commit to reviewing setback distances and community consultation requirements in light of increasing development pressures in regional areas?
I refer to proposed wind energy developments in regional Western Australia, including projects in proximity to established communities, and I ask:
(a) Will the Government outline the minimum setback requirements currently applied between wind turbines and:
(i) established townsites; and
(ii) individual residential dwellings;
(b) Does the Government intend to introduce or amend planning frameworks to require greater setbacks, and if so, what distances are under consideration;
(c) How does the Government reconcile existing approvals that place residences within approximately 2km of turbines with any proposed future planning requirements relating to noise or amenity;
(d) What provisions exist to ensure that local community opposition to a project is formally considered in the approval process, and what threshold of opposition triggers further review;
(e) What approvals are required for the construction of access roads associated with wind energy projects, and who is responsible for their ongoing maintenance;
(f) What requirements apply to temporary workers’ accommodation (camps), including location, approvals and rehabilitation obligations once construction is complete;
(g) Does the Government have any policy regarding the co-location of solar or battery infrastructure within approved wind farm project areas;
(h) What approvals are required for associated transmission lines and substations, and what assessment is undertaken regarding land clearing impacts;
(i) Are wind turbines required to cease operation during total fire bans, harvest bans or other emergency restrictions, and if so, under what conditions;
(j) What fire mitigation and suppression standards are required for wind turbine infrastructure in Western Australia;
(k) In the event of a turbine fire causing damage to surrounding property, who is legally liable - the project proponent, the landholder or another party;
(l) Who is responsible for the clean-up and remediation following turbine-related fire incidents;
(m) Has the Government undertaken any assessment of cumulative fire risk in areas where wind farms are proposed near communities already exposed to bushfire risk;
(n) What regulatory requirements exist regarding the inspection and maintenance frequency of wind turbines and associated infrastructure;
(o) How are structural integrity risks identified prior to failure, including for turbine foundations and pads;
(p) Has the Government assessed the impact of high groundwater salinity on turbine foundations in relevant regions;
(q) Are there operating restrictions for turbines during extreme heat events, and how effective are turbine cooling systems under such conditions;
(r) What noise standards apply to wind energy developments in Western Australia;
(s) Who is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with noise limits;
(t) What mechanisms are available to residents to lodge and resolve noise complaints;
(u) Has the Government undertaken or relied upon studies into the impacts of infrasound on nearby residents, and if so, will these be tabled;
(v) How does the Government account for terrain and environmental factors that may amplify sound when assessing wind farm proposals;
(w) What environmental assessment processes are required to evaluate the impact of wind farms on local wildlife;
(x) Has the Government conducted or required studies into the impacts of turbine operation on:
(i) birds of prey, including wedge-tailed eagles;
(ii) bats; and
(iii) threatened species such as black cockatoos;
(y) How many known nests of protected bird species must be present to trigger additional environmental protections or project modifications;
(z) What consideration is given to cumulative habitat loss where wind farms are proposed in areas already impacted by mining or other developments;
(aa) What minimum wind resource thresholds are required for project approval;
(bb) What data is required to demonstrate wind consistency, and over what period must it be collected;
(cc) What percentage of operational time is typically expected for wind turbines in approved projects in Western Australia;
(dd) What standards are applied to assess visual impact on nearby residents;
(ee) How are long-term changes in vegetation, including loss of screening tree lines over the life of a project, accounted for in visual impact assessments;
(ff) What processes are in place to ensure consistency between current approvals and future planning reforms relating to wind energy developments;
(gg) What consideration is given to the cumulative social and mental health impacts on communities located near large-scale energy infrastructure; and
(hh) Will the Government commit to reviewing setback distances and community consultation requirements in light of increasing development pressures in regional areas?
I refer to proposed wind energy developments in regional Western Australia, including projects in proximity to established communities, and I ask:
(a) Will the Government outline the minimum setback requirements currently applied between wind turbines and:
(i) established townsites; and
(ii) individual residential dwellings;
(b) Does the Government intend to introduce or amend planning frameworks to require greater setbacks, and if so, what distances are under consideration;
(c) How does the Government reconcile existing approvals that place residences within approximately 2km of turbines with any proposed future planning requirements relating to noise or amenity;
(d) What provisions exist to ensure that local community opposition to a project is formally considered in the approval process, and what threshold of opposition triggers further review;
(e) What approvals are required for the construction of access roads associated with wind energy projects, and who is responsible for their ongoing maintenance;
(f) What requirements apply to temporary workers’ accommodation (camps), including location, approvals and rehabilitation obligations once construction is complete;
(g) Does the Government have any policy regarding the co-location of solar or battery infrastructure within approved wind farm project areas;
(h) What approvals are required for associated transmission lines and substations, and what assessment is undertaken regarding land clearing impacts;
(i) Are wind turbines required to cease operation during total fire bans, harvest bans or other emergency restrictions, and if so, under what conditions;
(j) What fire mitigation and suppression standards are required for wind turbine infrastructure in Western Australia;
(k) In the event of a turbine fire causing damage to surrounding property, who is legally liable - the project proponent, the landholder or another party;
(l) Who is responsible for the clean-up and remediation following turbine-related fire incidents;
(m) Has the Government undertaken any assessment of cumulative fire risk in areas where wind farms are proposed near communities already exposed to bushfire risk;
(n) What regulatory requirements exist regarding the inspection and maintenance frequency of wind turbines and associated infrastructure;
(o) How are structural integrity risks identified prior to failure, including for turbine foundations and pads;
(p) Has the Government assessed the impact of high groundwater salinity on turbine foundations in relevant regions;
(q) Are there operating restrictions for turbines during extreme heat events, and how effective are turbine cooling systems under such conditions;
(r) What noise standards apply to wind energy developments in Western Australia;
(s) Who is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with noise limits;
(t) What mechanisms are available to residents to lodge and resolve noise complaints;
(u) Has the Government undertaken or relied upon studies into the impacts of infrasound on nearby residents, and if so, will these be tabled;
(v) How does the Government account for terrain and environmental factors that may amplify sound when assessing wind farm proposals;
(w) What environmental assessment processes are required to evaluate the impact of wind farms on local wildlife;
(x) Has the Government conducted or required studies into the impacts of turbine operation on:
(i) birds of prey, including wedge-tailed eagles;
(ii) bats; and
(iii) threatened species such as black cockatoos;
(y) How many known nests of protected bird species must be present to trigger additional environmental protections or project modifications;
(z) What consideration is given to cumulative habitat loss where wind farms are proposed in areas already impacted by mining or other developments;
(aa) What minimum wind resource thresholds are required for project approval;
(bb) What data is required to demonstrate wind consistency, and over what period must it be collected;
(cc) What percentage of operational time is typically expected for wind turbines in approved projects in Western Australia;
(dd) What standards are applied to assess visual impact on nearby residents;
(ee) How are long-term changes in vegetation, including loss of screening tree lines over the life of a project, accounted for in visual impact assessments;
(ff) What processes are in place to ensure consistency between current approvals and future planning reforms relating to wind energy developments;
(gg) What consideration is given to the cumulative social and mental health impacts on communities located near large-scale energy infrastructure; and
(hh) Will the Government commit to reviewing setback distances and community consultation requirements in light of increasing development pressures in regional areas?
AnswerView source ↗
⏳
This question is awaiting a response from the Minister.
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