Long Island residents concerned about plans for lithium-ion battery storage facility
HOLBROOK, N.Y. -- A new storage facility on Long Island just got the green light to house lithium-ion batteries, but residents who live near the proposed plant tell CBS New York's Jennifer McLogan they're worried about fire safety.
An e-bike exploded in front of a Long Island school recently, and a storage facility burned in Brooklyn this week.
The volatility of lithium-ion batteries has Holbrook Association President Robert Hoffman concerned.
"You can't do it in front of families and the children. We're not going to let it happen. We're going to keep going to these meetings and fighting, and put it somewhere else," he said.
Homeowners in the community off Furrows Road have started a petition to stop a 6-acre battery storage plant in Holtsville. They claim the location, just west of a movie theater and less than a mile from multiple schools, caught them all off guard.
"It should not be expedited. It should be very carefully considered. I wish that the Public Service Commission would come and meet the people in this community," Assemblyman Doug Smith said.
The Public Service Commission says the lithium-ion battery facility advances the state's greenhouse gas emission reduction and renewable energy goals.
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"I think if they decide to contain it, it might be a little bit safer. I don't think it's something that's going to be stopped. I think it's just something that needs to be managed," Holtsville resident Adrian Williamson said.
Developer Savion says they recognize the community has questions and are prepping for another public information session, especially because the PSC acknowledges "recent fires at smaller battery storage facilities in Suffolk, Jefferson and Orange counties highlighted the need to address fire safety."
Firehouses in the area have been the site of multiple meetings, and more are scheduled to address worries about fire evacuation routes; the plant would go up near fuel tanks, a power plant and power substation.
Brookhaven Town councilmembers say the proposed location is zoned industrial, so the town cannot block it on zoning grounds.
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"I think EV is the future -- it's happening whether we like it or not -- but we need to be safe in our neighborhood," Holbrook homeowner Liju Tea said.
They say the Holtsville site should wait until a state report is conducted on safety of battery storage in residential areas.
The next neighborhood meeting will be held Thursday night at the Holtville Fire Department, and others are scheduled in Holbrook next week.