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Residents urge county and towns to consider moratoriums and local rules for battery energy storage proposals
Summary
Public commenters told the legislature on Oct. 22 that towns and the county should take time to study and regulate large battery energy storage system (BESS) projects because of safety, environmental and land-use concerns.
At the Oct. 22 Chautauqua County Legislature meeting, Karen Engstrom of Chautauqua Energy Watch urged legislators to help towns and villages obtain time to develop local laws addressing battery energy storage systems (BESS), saying communities face multiple developer proposals and need safeguards.
Engstrom said local officials and landowners have concerns about BESS projects related to fire and explosion risks from thermal runaway, air-quality and water contamination risks, high costs for installation and long-term maintenance, and the complexity of hazardous-waste disposal when batteries reach the end of…
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