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Supervisors and residents voice concern about fire response at battery storage facilities
Summary
Board members discussed community concerns about emergency response to battery storage facilities, noting that local fire departments are volunteer and that permit materials issued earlier did not foresee expansion.
Supervisors and members of the community raised concerns at the May 26 Franklin County Board meeting about emergency response capabilities at battery storage facilities.
Chairman Chris Vanness clarified that Alliant Energy indicated at the time it received building and conditional-use permits — issued about a year earlier — that it did not have expansion plans. Supervisor McVicker told the board that residents and communities have expressed worry about firefighting capacity for battery-storage fires because most local departments are staffed by volunteers.
Holly McCoy-Nelson, an Alliant Energy representative, addressed scheduling questions about upcoming Planning & Zoning and Board of Adjustment meetings earlier in the session. The board did not take formal action on battery storage policy or permitting at the meeting; supervisors discussed the concern and logged it for future consideration in permitting and emergency-response planning.
No votes or conditional-use changes were recorded on the matter during this session.
