Assemblyman Matt Simpson (R,C-Adirondack) joined Assemblywoman Jaime Williams (D,C-Brooklyn), Sen. Joseph Addabbo (SD-15) and a bipartisan group of legislative colleagues on the Million Dollar Staircase for a press conference calling for the passage of bill A.6955C, which would direct the Department of Public Service to establish setback requirements, financial accountability measures and enhanced community input for the siting of large-scale lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) near residential neighborhoods and sensitive areas like schools.

“New Yorkers deserve safe, responsible energy infrastructure that protects our communities and does not endanger them,” said Simpson. “Lithium-ion battery facilities carry real fire and environmental risks, and we cannot allow them to be placed haphazardly.”

Simpson emphasized this effort aligns with the ongoing fight for local control in the Adirondack and North Country regions, where massive renewable projects and battery storage facilities are increasingly overriding local priorities.

“The state’s heavy-handed approach to energy development is creating real problems,” Simpson continued. “We need practical regulations that prioritize public safety and community input rather than rushing projects forward with little regard for the risks. Clean energy goals should not come at the expense of the very communities and environment we aim to protect.”