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Residents press New Leaf Energy over proposed battery site at 38 Cedar Lane
Summary
At a packed Highland Falls information session, New Leaf Energy presented plans for a 5 MW / 20 MWh battery storage project at 38 Cedar Lane; residents raised safety, chemical, noise and property‑value concerns and urged the village to oppose siting the facility in a residential area.
New Leaf Energy representatives outlined a proposal for a 5‑megawatt, 20‑megawatt‑hour battery energy storage system sited at 38 Cedar Lane during an informational meeting organized by the Village of Highland Falls. Corina Solis, senior project developer at New Leaf Energy, said the facility would occupy roughly a 10,000‑square‑foot fenced area with containerized battery cabinets and would operate primarily during summer peak hours to relieve strain on the grid.
The presentation prompted repeated public comment and sharp opposition from local residents. "I don't want this in my backyard," one resident said, summing up a commonly stated view that the parcel is too close to homes, a recently upgraded Little League field and wetlands. Several speakers raised concerns about property values, potential chemical releases in a fire and the appropriateness of siting the project in a residential zone. Mayor Salvo emphasized the meeting was informational and said any developer application would still need planning‑board review and public hearings.
Solis said New Leaf targeted the site because it meets technical interconnection needs on Orange and Rockland utility distribution lines and because comparable alternatives were not available in developer outreach. She added the company has installed systems in the region since about 2018 and characterized the proposed Cedar Lane facility as a relatively small, privately funded installation in a statewide push to add energy storage capacity. "This is a 5 megawatt project," Solis said in the presentation.
Residents pressed for clearer local data: noise‑study specifics, property‑value analysis based on local comparables and the content of the developer's hazard‑mitigation analysis and environmental assessment. Solis said noise modeling predicts a maximum 1–2 decibel increase relative to ambient levels at Cedar Lane and that hazard and environmental analyses will be public as part of the planning process. She also said the project could be eligible for roughly 10% construction incentives via NYSERDA and for certain federal tax credits.
The village mayor and trustees noted they had no formal municipal endorsement and reiterated that planning and zoning approvals — including possible variances for change of use — would be required before construction. The board said it had received substantial public input and would consider further outreach or an additional public meeting if warranted.
Next steps: if New Leaf files a formal application, the planning board would schedule the technical and environmental reviews and public hearings required by local law and state review rules.
