Hague is the latest local town to resist construction of battery energy storage systems (BESS).
The Hague Town Board on June 9 adopted a one-year moratorium on development of any BESS or data centers in the town.
Supervisor Joshua Patchett said he is not aware of any current proposed projects in the town, although a National Grid official told him there had been a proposed BESS facility about three years ago that did not materialize.
Town officials wanted to get out in front of any potential proposed projects.
“Primarily, it’s a preventative measure,” he said.
A BESS stores energy from the grid during periods of low demand and then releases it back into the grid when needed, such as during a power outage or to increase supply at periods of peak demand, in theory reducing electricity rates.
Proponents of BESS say that it can be an integral facet of addressing climate change.
Opponents say there are risks of fire and release of harmful chemicals, posing a threat to public health, the rustic character of the Adirondacks and tourism.
Concerns include difficulty in putting out lithium-ion battery fires, the health risks of battery fire smoke, and the difficulty in cleaning up and disposing of burned or damaged batteries.
“We don’t have the fire company to cover that (extent and type of fire) in any way,” said town Highway Superintendent Chad Dunklee, during a public hearing.
Deb Michel suggested that town residents, in general, do not benefit from BESS.
“That’s really for the power companies. The only one who really benefits is the landowner,” she said.
BESS development is a component of the state’s alternative energy policy.
“Energy storage is essential for creating cleaner, more efficient, and resilient electric grid,” the New York Energy Research and Development Authority states on its website.
NYSERDA is running behind on a goal of reaching 1,500 megawatts of energy storage by 2025 and 6,000 megawatts by 2030.
As of March 31, it had reached 533.59 megawatts, about one-third of its goal for the previous year.
BESS has been controversial, particularly in the Adirondack region.
The Ticonderoga Town Board on May 18 voted to place a six-month moratorium on development of BESS facilities in the town.
Local resident Robert Porter has agreed to lease property he owns on Route 9N to Brookfield Power, a large Canadian renewable energy company.
Preliminary plans call for a 15-megawatt system of lithium batteries contained in 10 containers, each the size of a tractor trailer.
The Crown Point Town Board, on May 14, adopted a one-year moratorium on development of a BESS near the local firehouse.
At Dresden, there has been opposition to development of a BESS, but the Town Board has not yet able to take formal action, according to news reports.
The Hague moratorium also applies to data centers, a specialized large-scale facility that house computers and network equipment to support IT systems.
The state Legislature recently passed a one-year moratorium on construction of new data centers 20 megawatts or larger in the state.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to sign the law.
At Hague, the moratorium on BESS and data centers will provide the town time to research how to legally restrict them without the town being subject to a lawsuit, Patchett said.
“I would love to just ban them outright. However, there are some legal implications,” he said. “I think we’re all in agreement that it doesn’t belong in our town and we don’t want it here.”
Several residents, speaking during the public hearing, urged the Town Board to also ban solar arrays.
Patchett said he will research the feasibility.
“I think that would be something separate that I would have to look into,” he said. “Still, not a bad idea, I would guess.”
In other business, the Town Board approved a variance to install a new wastewater system at 8135 Lakeshore Drive.
The current system had failed a Lake George Park Commission inspection, said Anthony DeFranco, an engineering consultant on the project.
“They are hoping to get it replaced as quickly as possible,” he said.
The board also authorized the Highway Department to purchase a 2026 John Deere 524P Wheel Loader from United Ag and Turf to be used in loading road salt into trucks during the winter month.
After a $60,000 trade in, the balance will be $146,532.
In other news, Councilwoman Lara Smith said she will research over the summer the feasibility of the town installing EV-vehicle charging stations.
Also, Councilman Jack Bast announced that the Hague Historical Society will hold its annual meeting on June 24, with a program about the former Hague Central School.
The society continues to seek to obtain a fire-proof safe to story historical documents in.
Finally, Councilwoman Edna Frazier thanked Peggy and Mike Kowalsky and and Maria Waters for maintaining flower beds by the bridge.
This article is sponsored by “Local Matters,” a new project launched by the Adirondack Community Foundation and the Lake George Mirror to support consistent and continuous reporting from local communities. To make a charitable, tax-deductible donation to support the Lake George Mirror Local Journalism Fund, visit lakegeorgemirror.com and click the “Local Matters” button. To become a “local Matters” reporter in your community, write [email protected].
