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Resident raises safety and siting concerns about proposed large battery‑energy storage projects near schools
Summary
A resident urged the Town of Brookhaven board to evaluate proposed large battery‑energy storage system (BESS) projects by asking the board to base decisions on facts, consider proximity to schools and population density, and weigh infrastructure limits; he said 1,600 people signed a petition opposing proposed Setauket/East Setauket facilities.
A resident raised community concerns about proposed large battery‑energy storage systems (BESS) near East Setauket and Setauket during the public comment period, saying siting and scale warranted close scrutiny.
The speaker said he supports green energy in principle but opposed proposals he described as sited too close to schools and dense neighborhoods. He said petition organizers had collected roughly 1,600 signatures opposing planned Setauket/East Setauket proposals and urged board members to anchor deliberations in facts rather than fear. He listed several schools and distances — for example, saying Port Jefferson Middle School and Port Jefferson High School are each less than a mile from a proposed site — and asked the board to consider population density, facility scale and infrastructure adequacy before endorsing plans.
Board members did not take action on BESS siting at this meeting; the comment was entered into the public record for future consideration. The speaker encouraged measured, fact‑based discussion when the board confronts formal applications.
Why it matters: Large BESS projects are technically complex, raise questions about emergency response, fire risk, cumulative siting near schools and community infrastructure capacity; early public opposition can shape review and conditional requirements.
What happens next: The comment will be part of the public record. Any formal BESS application will proceed through the planning and permitting process and be subject to engineering review and specific conditions if proposed within the town’s jurisdiction.
