Local Law No. 9, a proposed temporary moratorium on battery energy storage systems (BESS), received strong and unanimous support from ERB members during discussion. Speaker 2 urged a moratorium because, the board said, the town lacks proven, timely fire‑suppression techniques for BESS incidents and because multiple catastrophic BESS fires elsewhere have shown the technology’s risks. "When the town passed the law of allowing this by special needs permit, we didn't know what questions needed to be asked," Speaker 2 said. "Until we can safely extinguish that fire, I'm not looking to put our residents at risk."

Speakers described thermal runaway and reignition as distinct hazards for lithium‑ion battery fires: water can spread contamination, and standard extinguishing approaches may be ineffective; responders often adopt defensive tactics to prevent fire spread rather than extinguish BESS fires. ERB members noted the Goshen Fire Department’s letter indicates that department would focus on preventing spread to adjacent properties rather than extinguishing a BESS fire on site.

ERB members proposed a study scope for the town board to consider, including independent evaluation of fire suppression technologies, air‑quality impacts of BESS fires, evacuation distance protocols tied to wind direction, and water containment/contamination risks from suppression efforts. Speaker 2 offered to assist the town board in developing study requirements: "If the town board would like input from the ERB, I'd be willing to get in there and throw my sleeves up," Speaker 2 said.

Action: The ERB resolved to recommend support for the temporary moratorium (Local Law No. 9) to the town board as a pause for technical study; no formal roll‑call vote was recorded in the transcript, but members expressed unanimous support during discussion.