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Resident warns of lithium‑ion battery storage risk; supervisor notes moratorium and state review
Summary
A resident warned the board about fire and groundwater risks from proposed lithium‑ion battery storage containers; the supervisor replied the facility under discussion lies in neighboring Islip and said Smithtown has a moratorium and is coordinating with state experts and volunteer fire departments.
At the meeting’s public‑comment portion, James Marcala told the board he had attended a separate hearing about a proposal to place containerized lithium‑ion battery storage at a Hop Hog site and warned such installations can ignite and burn for days, releasing hydrogen chloride, cyanide and carbon monoxide and sending firefighting water into groundwater. Marcala urged elected officials to stop the plan.
Supervisor Weheim responded that the facility Marcala referenced is in the town of Islip, not Smithtown, and that Smithtown currently has a moratorium on battery storage projects. The supervisor said the town has engaged state experts and volunteer fire departments to evaluate risks and will stay on top of the issue.
Why it matters: Containerized battery installations have drawn heightened attention around the region due to difficult‑to‑extinguish thermal runaway fires and concerns about hazardous runoff during firefighting. The public statement put the issue on Smithtown’s public record and prompted the supervisor to summarize local and regional mitigation steps.
