Resident urges Babylon to ban lithium battery storage and asks town to attend state hearing

Tammy Palmieri, a lifelong resident of the Town of Babylon, urged the town to move beyond a moratorium and ban lithium battery energy storage systems (BESS) on Long Island, citing recent fires and health concerns.

"It is a terrorist fantasy to have all of these lithium ion battery facilities all over the island," Palmieri told the board, referencing a large fire at Moss Landing and saying she had attended public meetings where residents reported evacuation and health impacts. She submitted copies of local laws from the towns of Amsterdam and Duanesburg, which she said have banned BESS, and asked the board what it would take for Babylon to adopt a ban.

Palmieri said the state recently adopted a "rapid act" intended to expedite permitting of BESS and that the New York State Office of Renewable Energy (as referred to in the comments) will hold a public hearing at Stony Brook University; she asked whether Long Island municipal officials who oppose installations will appear. Supervisor Schaffer confirmed the town will have a staff member attend the hearing and said submitted materials would be provided to the town's working group for review.

Palmieri also questioned whether lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries are safer than other chemistries and submitted a published paper she said concludes LFP off-gassing can present greater flammability hazards. She provided the board with documents and a public-notice flyer for those wishing to attend the state hearing. The board did not take formal action on the request at the meeting; staff attendance at the state hearing was arranged.