Oyster Bay Imposes New 6-Month Moratorium on Lithium Battery Energy Sites

By Thomas Nothel

Citing concerns about safety, huge fires and explosions, and the release of toxic chemicals and gasses from the huge lithium battery energy storage facilities being built across New York, the Town of Oyster Bay extended the existing building moratorium for an additional six months.

The Town held a public hearing this past Tuesday, September 9th, and the Town Board voted unanimously to extend the moratorium on building new lithium battery energy sites,

Over a dozen residents appeared and spoke out against the battery energy storage systems.

The residents’ concerns focused on safety and environmental issues.

“I haven’t heard from one person in this town who is in favor of this project,” stated Councilman Steve Labriola.

“We will stand up for our residents,” added Councilman Lou Imbroto.

In response to inquiries why the board has yet to pass a permanent ban, town officials explained that a permanent ban would allow for legal challenges to the moratorium.

The extended ban is “the same as the current one in place” stated Michael Montesano, special counsel to the town attorney’s office.

Tuesday marked the fourth six-month moratorium that the town has imposed.

The bans were prompted by the Jupiter Power Company’s 275-megawatt lithium battery storage facility proposal to be cited in Glenwood Landing, near the Glen Head and Glenwood Landing elementary schools.

The board took a short recess, to review the legality of voting on a resolution relating to the extension at its meeting. After returning, the board unanimously voted to approve the proposed extended ban.

“I am proud to have voted to protect our community,” stated Oyster Bay Supervisor Joe Saladino.

Lithium battery energy storage sites are huge – house or warehouse sized – and are used to store huge amounts of electricity for periods of peak demand or low energy production.

But the lithium-ion batteries used to store the energy are highly unstable and explosively flammable.  Battery storage fires release huge clouds of highly-toxic smoke and have caused the emergency evacuation of entire towns and communities.

In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul is pushing for a massive increase in battery energy storage facilities as an adjunct to a massive wind-power farms off of Long Island.  Because wind power is highly variable – no power is generated of there is no wind – battery energy facilities are needed to avoid blackouts, In recent years, there have been over 25,000 fires in America caused by igniting lithium batteries, with over 200 major fires in New York City alone, that claimed over 25 lives.