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Residents press county on lithium-ion BESS projects, behavioral health contracts and staffing concerns during public comment
Summary
Public comment at the April 14 Santa Cruz County Board meeting focused on parks and volunteer recognition but also included sustained concern about proposed lithium-ion battery energy storage (BESS) projects, a request to include more parenting programs in a behavioral health contracts packet, and labor worries about potential layoffs and backfilling senior positions.
A wide range of public commenters addressed the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors April 14, offering both praise for county programs and sharp concerns about proposed battery energy storage sites and county contracting choices.
Several speakers warned about planned BESS (battery energy storage system) projects near Watsonville and Aptos. Becky Steinbruner and Corralitos resident Corell Reader said NewLeaf had submitted a pre-application to the California Energy Commission and urged the county not to weaken local ordinance protections; Reader said he believed some…
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