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Fire, code officials press for escrow and stronger decommissioning in BESS draft
Summary
At a science and technology check-in on battery energy storage systems (BESS), fire and code officials recommended proportional setbacks, financial assurance (bond/escrow) for emergency response, stronger decommissioning language, and specific training; officials referenced Warwick’s fire and the evacuation of a nearby school.
Fire and code officials told the Science & Technology Committee they want the BESS draft moratorium strengthened with financial assurance and tighter decommissioning rules.
Officials described site-specific risk, training programs coordinated with NYSERDA and the state Office of Fire Prevention & Control, and a preference for setback distances proportionate to facility size. One official explained site experience from Warwick, saying the closest building was a school “which is 200 yards, which is about, what, 750 feet away,” and that schools were evacuated for an incident lasting several days. Committee members and staff discussed adding escrow, bonds, or an upfront financial-security mechanism to ensure the city could recoup emergency response costs and avoid protracted post-incident recovery expenses.
Councilors and officials agreed setbacks could make a 500-foot uniform rule functionally prohibitive for many parcels; staff noted zoning variances would be an administrative pathway when setbacks cannot be met. Officials emphasized the need for a site-specific approach to decommissioning and ongoing training for fire and code personnel.
