Here we go again! The subject of 'Wind Farms' has been a bit quiet lately, to the point where most people I talk to thought they had gone away.

In May 2014 Epuron's application to the NSW Department of Planning for a Wind Power Proposal went on Public Exhibition. The project would cover an area from south of Rugby, through Rye Park, to the Hume Highway.

This application attracted 131submissions with only 8 of those submissions supporting the proposal.

The Dept of Environment and Heritage rejected the application and there were many comments of concern from the Boorowa Council. Despite the clear message that there were many reasons why the project was not suitable in this area, and the Community were not supporting the project, a New Zealand based company Trustpower purchased the right to the project application.

NSW Department of Planning, instead of just making a decision and letting us all get on with our lives, put the proposal 'On Hold' and have given Trustpower another bite at the cherry, asking them to resubmit the Environmental Impact Statement (EOI).

Trustpower have decided money is the answer. They are offering people living close to the proposal, and objecting to the proposal, $500 on signing a contract which prevents them from written objections, and then $2500 a year after the turbines are in operation. Trustpower are attempting to buy the silence of objectors.

If the people of Boorowa, Rye Park and Rugby do not start taking notice of what is happening to their precious farming communities, and show them some support, they will become victims of the 'Wind Farm Creep'. You only have to look at Crookwell 1, 2 and 3; Capitol 1, 2 and 3; Gullen Range, Gunning and Bialla; Copabella, Marilba, Conroy's Gap 1 and Conroy's Gap 2.

All of these areas start with one proposal and then get either amendments or additions to increase the area of turbine production. Rye Park Wind Farm is the first. Bango Wind Farm is also being planned which will run from south of Boorowa (yes you will see them), along the Lachlan Valley way to the Hume Highway, and the Rugby Wind Farm will be situated along the north of the other two proposals.

Farming is a hard life and the reward is the beautiful and peaceful environment that we live in. If you take that away you will lose your farming communities. You take the farming communities away and you have no towns or villages....and the tree changers will not want to be here either.

When NSW Department of Planning announce the Trustpower EOI is on public exhibition, which is expected in October, please respond. There needs to be a clear message to the State Government that Industrial Wind Powered Electricity Production is not wanted in farming communities of the South West Slopes and Southern Tablelands. Our environment is too precious to destroy in the name of saving the environment.

Jayne Apps, Rye Park, NSW