11 PERIODIC NOISE MONITORING REPORTS

Within three months of the fifth anniversary of practical completion of the first Stage of the Project, and every subsequent five years, GPWFM shall engage an Independent Test Authority to complete an assessment of noise compliance for the Project and submit this to EPA Victoria.

The Independent Test Authority appointed shall meet the requirements of Section 5.1, and shall conduct noise monitoring in general accordance with the requirements listed in Section 5 of this report, with the following key exceptions: • No near field WTG testing is required, such that Section 5.3 does not apply. The Independent Test Authority may conduct near field testing if deemed necessary for information for the assessment, but this is not a requirement of any Periodic Noise Monitoring Report. • No ancillary infrastructure noise monitoring is required, such that Section 5.8 does not apply.

Additionally, noise monitoring does not need to be conducted at the test locations listed in Section 7.1, Given potential concerns around changes in background noise over time, the Independent Test Authority shall determine appropriate noise monitoring locations for assessing compliance as part of the periodic noise monitoring that may include Alternative Monitoring Locations (Section 5.5) and/or Attended On/Off Testing (Section 5.6). Where tests are performed at Alternative Monitoring Locations due to concerns of changes in background noise over time, the Independent Test Authority shall ensure that the selected location is appropriate so that changes in background noise are adequately controlled in the noise test.

The following minimum requirements shall be met: • A minimum of five monitoring locations shall be selected by the Independent Test Authority, with the locations selected to consider multiple directions from the Project. The Independent Test Authority shall justify the selection of the locations. The locations should be informed by the results of previous noise assessments for the Project to be representative of Noise-Sensitive Locations or Alternative Monitoring Locations where the wind turbine noise levels are expected to be closest to the applicable noise limits or noise criteria. • A minimum of one monitoring location shall be selected for an assessment of Special Audible Characteristics as per Section 5.7. The Independent Test Authority shall justify the selection of the location(s).

The Periodic Noise Monitoring Reports shall be prepared in accordance with the Regulations, including all information required by NZS 6808:2010. It is noted that the Periodic Noise Monitoring Reports are not subject to the PostConstruction Noise Assessment Report requirements listed in Section 7. As required by the Regulations, the report shall be accompanied by an environmental audit report prepared under regulation 164(ca)(ii) of the Environment Protection Regulations.

All Periodic Noise Monitoring Reports and the associated audit report shall be provided to EPA Victoria.