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Residents urge Dana Point to oppose nearby battery storage project, cite firefighter and health risks
Summary
Several Dana Point residents addressed the council during public comment raising safety, toxic‑emission and environmental concerns about proposed/nearby battery energy storage facilities and urged the council to join neighboring cities in opposing them and to notify the public.
Multiple residents at the May 6 Dana Point City Council meeting urged the city to speak out publicly and join neighboring cities that are objecting to proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities in South County, citing firefighter safety, toxic emissions and environmental risks.
Mary Herron opened the public comment on the topic, describing risks she attributed to lithium‑ion battery fires — thermal runaway, chain reactions, explosive gases such as hydrogen, long‑burning fires requiring large volumes of water, and toxic combustion products including hydrogen fluoride and other hazardous gases. Herron referenced firefighter injuries in a McMicken, Arizona, incident and urged the council to “speak out and inform Dana Point citizens” and to coordinate with Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, which she said were already resisting such projects.
Michelle Morgan, a Dana Point resident and business owner, echoed those concerns and described additional combustion byproducts she said could arise from burning batteries and associated infrastructure. She urged the council to notify residents, attend county board of supervisors hearings and to press state authorities. Michael Kelly and other speakers also urged local officials to oppose the facilities and warned of long‑term health and environmental impacts.
Council members and the city attorney cautioned they could not take action on items not listed on the posted agenda but acknowledged the comments and spoke about the limits of council authority. Several speakers urged the city to be proactive in public outreach and in coordination with neighboring municipalities and county officials.
No formal council action on the battery storage topic occurred at the meeting; the record shows public comment and requests that the council raise the issue with the county and regional partners.
