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Troy adopts six‑month moratorium on battery storage with regular progress checks
Summary
The Troy City Council approved a six‑month moratorium on development of large battery energy storage systems (BESS) to give city departments time to draft zoning, safety and inspection requirements; the ordinance was amended to require progress reports every two months and demonstrable steps toward preparedness.
The Troy City Council on committee night approved an ordinance placing a temporary six‑month moratorium on development, construction or establishment of large battery energy storage systems (BESS) within the city, saying the pause will allow staff to develop safety, zoning and permitting standards.
City leaders and staff told the Science & Technology Committee the moratorium is meant to give code, fire and corporation counsel time to consult with subject‑matter experts, hold public meetings and draft locally tailored rules. Council Member Shakle Stuber said municipalities around New York have used moratoria to pause fast‑moving development while they write local regulations.
The administration and fire officials described safety concerns that animated the proposal. Deputy Chief Steven Barker and other fire officials said firefighters cannot safely open BESS containers during an active thermal event and that the department’s response strategy is often to protect exposures, monitor air quality and evacuate surrounding areas. Barker noted runoff from suppression efforts and smoke as environmental and operational challenges.
Paul Rogers, a former New York City Fire Department hazardous‑materials expert who said he helped draft early New York City guidance, told councilors that properly engineered systems can be sited and operated safely if they meet testing and operational standards. He described the industry’s destructive testing requirement (UL 954A in New York State) and cited mandatory, site‑specific emergency response plans and annual training for local fire departments as key mitigations.
Public comment at the council’s forum offered mixed views. Supporters said modern BESS technology can support the grid and reduce peak costs; others, including the Troy Firefighters union, urged caution. Jeff Ward, the union president, said manpower and infrastructure limitations make a measured pause prudent while departments complete training and establish clear roles for developer‑provided hazard‑support teams.
Council members debated both length and oversight. A proposed three‑month moratorium amendment was withdrawn; council instead retained the six‑month pause and adopted an amendment requiring progress reports every two months and that those updates demonstrate “tangible progress” toward preparedness. The ordinance passed as amended.
What happens next: the administration said it will consult with planning, code and department heads, schedule public information sessions, work with corporation counsel on draft zoning language (including setbacks and special‑use permit provisions) and return to the council within the moratorium period with proposed code changes and implementation steps.
