New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019 requires the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050 from 1990 levels. In attempting to reach these goals in NYC, Governor Hochul is issuing licenses to lithium powered Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) throughout the city, including dozens of them in Queens. The proliferation of battery storage plants is clearly visible in our residential neighborhood. Recently we witnessed the proposed construction of such a facility at 64-30 69th Place in Middle Village, across the street from PS/IS 128 and next to private homes and a pre-K center. This led to a big rally this past summer where residents and elected officials point out the volatility of such facilities and the danger to nearby homes and schools in case of a fire.
Currently there are no known ways to put out lithium battery fires, firefighters would simply wait for them to burn out. Council Member Robert Holden raised serious concerns over these power plants. They should only be built in commercial areas just like current Con Ed power plants. This is common sense, but it’s clearly lacking in Hochul’s chambers.
Residents wouldn’t want to live near any industrial complex, and certainly not next to power plants. Nine Dot Energy is pausing their plan to build their facility on 69th Place for the time being but they are scouting for alternate sites. We must be vigilant and watch for their next move, they are not giving up and not going away.
At the state level, the push for an all-renewable electric grid is running out of steam due to rural residents fighting back. For the past few years local ordinances banning wind and solar projects are happening up and down state, much more than the power outages we face annually in our community. This revolt led Albany to implement an executive law that gives state officials the authority to override local zoning laws and force communities to accept renewable projects they don’t want. This muscle play still can’t solve our power crisis – wind and solar power projects simply cannot replace traditional power plants.
However, at every other news conference we witness Albany legislators singing praises of renewable energy, that it’s a be all, end all solution to the growing needs of the state. Climate groups and their Albany allies provided more Kool-Aid by claiming the state can run solely on alternative energy, if only it had the political will. Meanwhile Con Ed is hiking prices to unprecedented levels, citing the need to buy out-of-state power due to their failure to fulfill high power demands during summer months and evening hours. I lost interest watching these snake oil sales talks and found them to be no different from roof scammers’ rhetoric in Maspeth or Middle Village.
