Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown) has introduced legislation requiring the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) to develop standards and conditions for the siting of certain large-scale renewable energy systems, including battery energy storage systems. Municipalities across the Hudson Valley have expressed concerns about these projects, citing potential risks to public health and the environment. As large-scale energy storage projects are being proposed in environmentally sensitive areas like the Hudson River watershed, local communities have raised alarms about the impact on local ecosystems and infrastructure.

The 2024-25 New York State Budget expanded the authority of ORES and added extra safeguards for Native American and agricultural lands. However, the Lower Hudson River Watershed was excluded from these protections, undermining efforts to ensure New Yorkers have continued access to safe, clean drinking water.

“The Hudson River watershed is one of the most environmentally sensitive regions in our state, yet large-scale battery energy storage systems are not subject to the same level of oversight as other developments in the region,” said Slater. “This legislation will ensure municipalities have a voice in decisions that affect their communities, as they have every right to. No project should proceed without their full involvement and understanding of the potential risks.”

This new legislation builds on the groundwork laid by Slater and Congressman Mike Lawler last year, who met with concerned residents in Somers and Mahopac about a local battery storage proposal. Slater wrote a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul last year, signed by each town supervisor of the 94th Assembly District, urging state protections for the watershed, modifications to the state’s model law on battery storage, increased setbacks for projects near residential zones and greater local control of these projects.

“We must find a balance between the development of renewable energy and protecting the interests of our local communities. The proposal to build a new energy storage site in the Hudson Valley without local input or oversight has faced widespread opposition from residents and every local government. I will continue to stand with my constituents and fight for their right to have a say in the future of their hometowns. I’m grateful to Sen. Mario Mattera (R,C-2nd Senate District) for his leadership in championing this bill in the Senate.”

Sen. Mario R. Mattera, Ranking Minority Member on Senate’s Energy Committee stated, “We have already seen the catastrophic failures in East Hampton, upstate New York, and Moss Landing, California—proving that these facilities are an environmental and public safety disaster waiting to happen. Municipalities across the state deserve local control over these projects—which are really an experiment—to protect their residents, first responders, and local ecosystems. I am proud that the two towns I represent—Smithtown, under the leadership of Supervisor Ed Wehrheim, and Huntington, under the guidance of Supervisor Ed Smyth—have taken a stand by placing a moratorium on these dangerous battery storage facilities. We need a responsible energy plan, not a reckless mandate that prioritizes radical policies over common-sense protections for our communities and our clean, domestic natural gas.”