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Local residents raise water-contamination concerns ahead of BESS bylaw hearing
Summary
Community members warned that Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) fires could generate contaminated runoff affecting wells and waterways. Planning Board member Mike Mahar announced a public hearing on the draft BESS bylaw for April 7 at 5:30 p.m.
At the March 9 meeting of the Whately Agricultural Commission, resident Judy Markland told commissioners she was worried that a fire at a battery energy storage system could require firefighters to apply large volumes of water, producing runoff that could contaminate local rivers, streams and private wells that support farms and households.
"The standard procedure for extinguishing such fires involves allowing the blaze to continue while applying substantial quantities of water," Markland said, and she raised concern about resulting runoff reaching agricultural and domestic water supplies.
Mike Mahar, who serves on the Planning Board, described the purpose of a draft Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) bylaw developed by the Planning Board and announced a public hearing on the proposed bylaw for April 7 at 5:30 p.m. Mahar did not indicate that the Planning Board had concluded the safety concern was unfounded; rather, he brought the bylaw to the commission’s attention and publicized the hearing date.
The Agricultural Commission acknowledged the concern and accepted the notification of the upcoming Planning Board hearing. No policy decision or formal action on the bylaw was taken by the commission at this meeting.
