Ari Brown: Battery energy storage systems are a growing threat

New York state is on the verge of making a critical mistake — one that could jeopardize the safety of our communities while stripping local governments of their rightful authority to protect their residents.

Senate Bill S5506 proposes to transfer the approval and siting of  to the hands of an unelected state agency, the Office of Renewable Energy Siting, overriding local moratoriums and zoning laws enacted for public safety. This is an unacceptable overreach, and I strongly oppose it.

Battery storage systems, particularly large-scale lithium-ion facilities, pose serious risks. They have a well-documented history of catastrophic fires that firefighters have no reliable means to extinguish. In many cases, the only option is to let these fires burn out, releasing toxic fumes and heavy metals into the air, soil and water.

We’ve seen the consequences firsthand. In California, the Vista and Otay Mesa battery storage facility fires resulted in significant environmental damage and community evacuations. Here in New York, Lyme, the Hamptons and Warwick have experienced similar fires. These incidents leave communities grappling with health hazards, environmental destruction and unanswered questions about the long-term risks.

Municipalities such as Mahopac, Duanesburg and Amsterdam have wisely enacted bans or moratoriums on BESS installations, and others are considering similar measures. Residents who have conducted independent research understand the risks and are unwilling to wait for a disaster to confirm their fears. Even industry representatives, when pressed, admit they wouldn’t live near one of these facilities — admissions that speak volumes.

Supporters of these projects argue that battery storage is essential for renewable energy. But let’s be clear: BESS facilities do not generate energy — they only store it. Worse, they require constant power to maintain cooling systems. When those systems fail, the results can be deadly. Many of these facilities even require backup diesel generators, completely undermining New York’s so-called green energy goals.

This isn’t about opposing renewable energy — it’s about ensuring public safety. No one can guarantee that these fires won’t happen again. And if they do, no one has a proven method to contain them. “Let it burn” is not a fire-suppression strategy.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Fire Interagency Working Group is still trying to develop recommendations on how to handle these fires, which proves one thing: The state is not prepared. If emergency response teams don’t yet know how to handle BESS fires, why are we rushing to install these facilities near homes and schools?

Furthermore, the financial burden of these projects remains largely unknown. The cost of a single proposed BESS in the Town of Hempstead is estimated at $14 million, with upgrades required every 10 to 15 years. Who will ultimately foot the bill? The answer is simple: New York’s already overburdened taxpayers.

New evidence suggests deep conflicts of interest in the BESS industry. Paul Rogers, a former FDNY lieutenant and a proponent of BESS, is a founder of Energy Safety Response Group, which has contracts with several battery-storage companies on Long Island and across the nation. Rogers has attended community meetings, and assured residents that “nothing’s going to happen” — an assertion proven false time and again.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President Doreen Harris recently voted to ban BESS in her hometown of Duanesburg, citing public-health risks. Yet her agency pushes for these facilities to be forced on other communities. This level of hypocrisy is staggering, and unacceptable.

New York is a home-rule state, and it must remain that way. No one knows our communities better than the local officials elected to represent them. Removing their authority in favor of an unelected state agency is an affront to the people of New York.

We must learn from California’s failures, not repeat them. The risks posed by these battery storage facilities far outweigh any speculative benefits. I urge my colleagues in the Legislature to reject Senate Bill S5506 and allow local governments to continue protecting their communities.

There is no “greater good” when the cost is putting New Yorkers in harm’s way. We must take a stand. Urge Governor Hochul to stop the mandates, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and the Renewable Action Through Project Interconnection and Deployment, or RAPID, Act. The health and safety of our communities must take priority over Albany’s green energy agenda.

Ari Brown represents the 20th Assembly District.

CORRECTION: Harris lives in Duanesburg, but did not vote for any such measure. In fact, it was Town of Duanesburg’s Town Board that voted to pass laws related to battery-energy storage for that municipality.

INCORRECT: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President Doreen Harris recently voted to ban BESS in her hometown of Duanesburg, citing public-health risks. Yet her agency pushes for these facilities to be forced on other communities. This level of hypocrisy is staggering, and unacceptable.