Town Board of Little Falls holds hearing on one-year moratorium for battery storage systems

The Town Board of Little Falls held a public hearing March 10, 2026, to consider Local Law #1-2026, a proposed one-year moratorium on battery storage systems.

Supervisor Dan Casler called the hearing to order at 6:04 p.m. "The purpose of the hearing was to consider adoption of Local Law #1-2026, a One-Year moratorium on battery storage systems," the board record states.

Town Attorney Nick Macri said the moratorium is "in connection with the town’s comprehensive planning process, allowing the town time address permitting fees, restrictions, regulations and other considerations the town may want to place in effect;" he added that the proposal "pretty much mirrors the moratorium on solar farms and wind mills except it deals with battery storage systems." The attorney framed the pause as an administrative step to give the town time to develop permit language, fee schedules and regulatory limits.

Supervisor Casler then opened the floor for public comment; there were none. "There were no further comments. All persons desiring to be heard, having been heard, the hearing was closed at 6:12 p.m.," the record states. No formal vote on the local law was taken at the hearing.

The hearing record lists board members present — Supervisor Dan Casler and Councilmen Anthony Viscomi, Kirk Schwasnick and Kevin Sullivan — and notes Councilman Mitch Soules was absent. Town officials, planning and steering committee members, an insurance agent and a regional planner were also on the record as present.

The moratorium, as described at the hearing, would pause new battery storage system permitting for one year while the town completes aspects of its comprehensive planning and considers regulations, fees and other controls. The record does not show a vote; the board closed the hearing and preserved the written record for any subsequent actions the board may take.