$1.6 billion ‘mega’ wind farm under threat over Tasmanian devil concerns
A massive $1.6 billion wind farm project is under threat over concerns for an isolated Tasmanian devil population
READING LEVEL: ORANGE
A “mega” $1.6 billion wind farm* project on Robbins Island* in Tasmania is facing a threat due to concerns about its impact on the local Tasmanian devil population.
ACEN, the company behind the project, needed to provide crucial information about how the development may affect these iconic* creatures.
However, the company believed only two of the endangered* marsupials* would be affected by the build.
The Tasmanian devils on Robbins Island are believed to be free of devil facial tumour disease*, a deadly condition that decimated more than 80 per cent of the mainland Tasmanian devil population.
Those opposing the wind farm believe a proposed bridge connecting the two islands could introduce the disease to the uninfected population.
They also argued the construction, including new roads and increased traffic, may lead to more devils being killed by vehicles.
As part of a proposed agreement, ACEN would be required to donate $8000 to the state’s Save The Devil Program for each additional Tasmanian devil killed during road construction.
However, the company, majority-owned* by the Philippines, doesn’t believe offsets* are required for habitat loss.
In a 2023 Senate* estimates hearing, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water* requested more information from ACEN about how they planned to offset the destruction of up to 366 hectares of Tasmanian devil habitat.
The offset strategy* and offset management plan was still outstanding, according to the department which must make the final decision on the wind farm.
Long-term project opponent and Montagu resident Kim Anderson questioned whether a plan like this was possible.
“They have to find an area somewhere in Tasmania that can offset the habitat-isolated, disease-free (devils) where are they going to find that now?” she told news.com.au.
“Do you know a place in Tasmania that is disease free and isolated?”
Local media reported the department recently re-requested this information from the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Tascat)* that heard appeals for and against the wind farm late last year.
ACEN told news.com.au it was “pleased” that the commonwealth* had requested further information, as their expert evidence supported the company’s position that “there is little or no impact to devils”.
“Our environmental assessments* and project design demonstrate there will be little or no impact to Tasmanian devils,” a company spokesman said.
“The expert evidence states that no offsets for impacts were required for vegetation clearance and that only two devils out of an estimated population of 186 were potentially impacted.”
Professor of biological science* at the University of Tasmania Menna Jones, an expert in conservation* and ecology* said the project footprint* would likely have a “minimal” impact on habitat, but there would likely be roadkill which should be mitigated by restrictions on driving at night.
These restrictions were part of the project proposal.
Prof Jones said a bridge or causeway* to the island would take the facial tumour disease to the island “very quickly”.
However, she believed it would reach the island regardless and that a properly-engineered* gate could keep devils out.
Mrs Anderson believed humans shouldn’t accelerate this process. Her community group Circular Head Coastal Awareness Network (CHCAN) was preparing to take the project to the supreme court*.
She said most people “wouldn’t understand the scope of the damage that could happen here”.
“It could go from one of the most unique wetlands to totally destroyed if we don’t watch what is going on here,” she said.
Mrs Anderson said she had been visiting Robbins Island her whole life, and had “never stood up for anything before”.
“Why does an ordinary housewife have to stand up against this?” she said.
A spokesman for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water told news.com.au the relevant minister Tanya Plibersek was unable to make a decision on this project until the proponent* provides the outstanding information.
“The deadline for a final decision is 30 business days after the information requested from the proponent is received,” the spokesman said.
The wind farm received approval from the Tasmanian EPA* in November 2022, with conditions including a five-month turbine shutdown* to protect the critically endangered migratory* orange-bellied parrots*.
The local council also approved the project, but conditions were modified, repealing the turbine shutdown.
The project initially proposed 122 turbines but was scaled back to 100, with reduced maximum height.
The development on the 9900-hectare island includes various infrastructure components like a wharf, internal site access roads, a bridge, transmission infrastructure, and temporary workers’ accommodation.
The Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff, now facing a looming state election*, visited Robbins Island in late January with state energy and renewables Minister Nick Duigan and urged the federal government to approve the project, saying it was an important project for Tasmania.
GLOSSARY
- wind farm: a large area with many wind turbines used to generate electricity from wind
- Robbins Island: a remote island in Tasmania’s far northwest
- ACEN: the renewable energy company, majority-owned by the Philippines, responsible for the wind farm project
- endangered: at risk of extinction or harm
- marsupials: mammals with pouches in which they carry and nurse their young
- devil facial tumour disease: a deadly condition affecting Tasmanian devils
- iconic: widely recognised and admired
- offsets: compensation for environmental damage or loss
- majority-owned: having more than half of the ownership
- senate: a legislative assembly or council
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water: a government body overseeing environmental matters
- offset strategy: a plan to compensate for environmental damage
- Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Tascat): a legal body in Tasmania
- commonwealth: a political community founded for the common good
- environmental assessments: evaluations of the impact of a project on the environment
- biological science: the study of living organisms
- conservation – the protection and preservation of natural resources
- ecology: the study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment
- footprint: the impact or extent of something, in this context, the impact of the project
- causeway: a raised road or track across low or wet ground
- engineered – designed and constructed using scientific principles
- supreme court: the highest judicial court in a country or state
- proponent: a person or group advocating a proposal or project
- Tasmanian EPA: Environmental Protection Authority in Tasmania
- turbine shutdown: a period during which the wind turbines are turned off
- migratory: relating to the seasonal movement of animals
- orange-bellied parrots: a species of parrots facing critical endangerment
- state election: an election to choose representatives at the state level
EXTRA READING
Wind farms spark Blue whale fears
Tassie devils back from the brink in the wild
Wild devils return to mainland after 3000 years
QUICK QUIZ
- Where is the $1.6 billion wind farm project located?
- Why are there concerns about the impact of the wind farm on the local Tasmanian devil population?
- What deadly condition had previously affected more than 80 per cent of the mainland Tasmanian devil population?
- What is ACEN’s stance on the need for offsets concerning habitat loss?
- What restrictions are proposed to mitigate roadkill as a result of the wind farm project, according to Professor Menna Jones?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Environmental offsets
This Kids News story highlights the ethical, moral and environmental debate of building infrastructure to help the environment, such as this mega wind farm, versus the impact it has on animals, habitat and road deaths of creatures the projects affect, such as the Tasmanian devil.
Write the Pros and Cons of the wind farm being approved to start construction:
PROS
CONS
Looking at the ‘Cons’ list, what do you think is a reasonable way that the company in charge can offset some of the problems caused?
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
Design and create a gate that might be successful in stopping Tasmanian devils entering the disease free part of the island, so the infected species can’t cross the bridge.
Sketch your design below.
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Design and Technologies, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Summarise the article
A summary can be a really good way to grab the main idea plus some key points in the article as a highlight. Think of the summary like a little advertisement or extract you could use to encourage people to read the article in detail. You want to give them an overview of the article that includes the main idea (being able to tell the audience what the article is about in one sentence), plus a few of the key points of the information.
Remember to re-read your summary to check that it is clear, concise and makes sense to the audience who haven’t read the article yet. You need to make language choices that allow you to explain the information in only a few sentences.