Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
processes such as adaptive management and evidence-based principles are integral to
the management of the sites. Details of the review process are outlined, along with the
surveys and programs that were found to be successful and those that weren't.
Keywords
Risk assessment • Adaptive management • Birds • Bats • Wind farms •
Monitoring • Mitigation
Introduction
The Woolnorth Wind Farm in north-east Tasmania (see Fig.
1
in Hull et al.
2014
),
was one of the fi rst projects assessed under the newly enacted
Environment
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
(EPBC Act). The Commonwealth
determined the project to be a controlled action under this Act and was therefore
assessed by the Commonwealth, along with the State under the
Environmental
Management and Pollution Control Act 1994
(now regulated by the Tasmanian
Environment Protection Authority, EPA).
The wind farm was approved by both Regulators in 2001 subject to a suite of
permit conditions. Hydro Tasmania (the proponent) also voluntarily committed to a
range of additional environmental management actions.
In 2007 the Woolnorth Wind Farm was formally split into two separate entities,
the Bluff Point (BPWF) and Studland Bay (SBWF) Wind Farms which are now
regulated by two separate State Environmental Protection Notices. The Approval
issued under the EPBC Act remained in force.
The project was developed and constructed over three stages:
•
Stage 1 comprised six wind turbines at BPWF (2002);
•
Stage 2 added the remaining 31 wind turbines at BPWF (2004); and
•
Stage 3 comprised 25 wind turbines at SBWF (2007).
There has been a change in ownership of these wind farms since they were
approved, with Hydro Tasmania the original developer and constructor and operator
of BPWF until 2005. In 2005, the joint venture company, Roaring 40s, took over
operations of BPWF and constructed SBWF in 2006/2007. Roaring 40s was disag-
gregated in 2011, and the wind farms are now owned and operated by Woolnorth
Wind Farm Holding (a joint venture between Shenhua Clean Energy Holdings Pty
Ltd and Hydro Tasmania).
The majority of commitments and permit conditions of the BPWF and SBWF
are managed through a suite of Environmental Management Plans (EMPs). Both
Regulators require evidence of compliance through reporting and regulatory audit-
ing and inspections. One of the State requirements is that fi ve of the EMPs are
reviewed on a 3-yearly basis.
