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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 life. She provided legislators with brochures listing possible town-level regulatory options and said she had repeatedly encountered town officials seeking guidance.
"When real energy production is operating, there is no justification for battery energy storage systems," Engstrom said, arguing that dispatchable sources such as hydro, natural gas and nuclear provide on-demand power without the operational and disposal challenges she cited for BESS.
She asked the legislature to consider a countywide moratorium or other steps to give towns time to adopt protective ordinances, and she encouraged legislators to educate trustees and supervisors in the county's towns on potential regulatory responses.
Why it matters: Local land-use decisions, public-safety plans and environmental protections are governed at the municipal and county level. As developers propose grid-scale battery projects, some residents and elected officials want time to assess safety, siting, and long-term environmental costs before projects are approved.
Clarifying details
- Engstrom supplied brochures and stated towns were seeing multiple BESS proposals; she did not enumerate the specific project proponents or sites in the county during her comments.
- Her remarks focused on safety concerns (thermal runaway, fire/explosion), costs (installation and disposal), and potential impacts to water systems from battery fires and leaks.
- Engstrom called for county-level support to allow towns time to draft protective local laws, but she noted many towns are pursuing their own measures.
Speakers and affiliations
- Karen Engstrom, Town of Chautauqua resident and member of Chautauqua Energy Watch.
The county did not respond during the public-comment portion; formal regulatory or moratorium options would require additional action by the legislature or local municipalities.
