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EPA continues Moss Landing battery removals; supervisors ask staff to draft local BESS rules
Summary
EPA-led removal of battery modules at the Moss Landing BESS site continues, with agency oversight, air and soil sampling ongoing; the board received updates and directed staff and counsel to identify funding and consultants to draft local regulations for utility-scale battery storage after public comment and extensive debate about a possible moratorium.
Federal and county officials reported steady progress on removal and stabilization work at the Moss Landing battery energy storage facility during a Nov. 13 Board of Supervisors meeting, while environmental health staff described ongoing sampling and a Preliminary Environmental Assessment (PEA) due in March 2026.
Kelsey Scanlon, director of Emergency Management, said EPA had de-energized and removed 5,560 of about 35,772 Type 1 and Type 2 battery modules to date and that batteries removed from the site are being shipped to qualified recyclers; battery removal is expected to continue into 2026. EPA oversight includes structural stabilization, debris removal and implementation of dust-control measures. The agency has activated a U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team for federal oversight.
Environmental Health's Nikki Fowler reviewed community sampling: Phase 1 soil samples (108 samples from 27 sites) produced a small number of results above conservative screening levels; Phase 2 surface-water and sediment lab results are undergoing quality assurance and are expected to be published in January 2026. Continuous PM2.5 and hydrogen-fluoride monitoring remain active; no HF detections have been recorded since January but monitoring continues as a precaution. Fowler said the PEA will integrate soils, sediments, water and air monitoring and that state agencies have recommended additional background and leaching analysis to be addressed in the PEA.
The public provided lengthy testimony: residents and community groups urged an immediate pause on new battery projects and stronger local controls, citing health and animal impacts and requests for more disclosure from the EPA about on-site debris sampling. Industry and labor representatives urged caution about any pause that could push developers to the state review pathway. Supervisors debated options, noting that an interim (urgency) ordinance would require a 4/5 vote, would initially last 45 days and could be extended up to two years, and that applicants could pursue state certification under AB205 (California Energy Commission) for some projects, potentially bypassing local rules.
The board did not adopt a moratorium that day but directed the county administrative office and counsel to identify funding, technical support and a realistic timeline to draft a local ordinance governing utility-scale BESS projects and to return with a status update by January 2026. Staff estimated consultant costs could reach about $100,000 for technical support if needed and noted the process would require coordination across multiple departments and likely Coastal Commission review for coastal-zone projects.
