Resident raises safety and siting concerns about battery energy storage; county says moratorium limit reached and ordinance is being drafted
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Summary
A resident asked whether Howard County will extend a moratorium on battery energy storage systems (BESS); county staff said the moratorium cannot be extended further and that legal counsel is drafting a locally tailored ordinance involving fire departments and emergency responders.
During public comment a resident from eastern Harris County asked for an update on the county's approach to battery energy storage systems (BESS) and whether the moratorium would be extended.
The resident said they were recently notified of a property that had applied for a battery energy storage project less than one mile from Greentown and close to a school, and urged the county to include protections such as a radius around towns or schools in any ordinance. The resident said: "There needs to be something in that ordinance to protect everyone in that community, including the kids."
County staff replied that attorneys are drafting an ordinance and that the board is reviewing examples from other counties to adapt language suitable for Howard County rather than copying another county's code verbatim. Staff said the county had reached the legal limit on extending the current moratorium and therefore would not extend it further. Commissioners said they would involve local fire departments, including Greentown and Kokomo departments and volunteer departments, in developing safety and emergency response elements for any ordinance.
No ordinance text or final policy was adopted at the meeting; commissioners said there is more research to do and that fire and emergency responders will be consulted as the ordinance is drafted.