With the increasing number of large-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) projects in New York, safety and environmental risks have sparked widespread controversy. Lee Zeldin, the director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and former Long Island congressman, declared at a press conference in Hauppauge, Long Island, on the 18th that BESS fires are one of the most challenging environmental threats nationwide. He announced the launch of the country’s first federal BESS safety guidelines to assist communities and local governments in facing these risks.
Zeldin emphasized that this is the first time the EPA has introduced scientific safety guidelines for BESS, covering the entire process from site selection, construction, to emergency response. The aim is to complement the lack of state-level policies and provide residents and local governments with more resources and a greater voice. While encouraging localities to strengthen site control, Zeldin stated that there are no mandatory requirements because site selection and zoning should be determined by the community, not federal agencies.
Due to the unique characteristics of lithium battery fires, they are extremely difficult to extinguish and may reignite even after being put out. Zeldin pointed out that in a BESS fire in San Diego, California, nearly 15,000 lithium batteries burned for nearly two weeks, releasing hydrogen fluoride and other toxic substances (toxic smoke), ultimately requiring a significant amount of taxpayer dollars for cleanup. The severity of the incident was underscored by the EPA’s emergency installation of nine air monitors in California post-accident to track pollutants.
“These are not hypothetical risks but disasters that have already occurred,” Zeldin said. He added that community residents are particularly concerned about facilities being located near residential areas, schools, and playgrounds, fearing that local fire departments lack the necessary professional training and resources in the event of a fire, leading to unimaginable consequences.
During a meeting with residents in Hauppauge, Long Island, many expressed concerns that the facilities could potentially cause pollution in the local river basin and questioned the state government for overlooking local safety in promoting energy transition.
Zeldin published a column in the New York Post on the 17th titled “Abandoning Green Fantasies, Albany – Battery Stations Are Too Dangerous for New York,” targeting Governor Kathy Hochul and state Democrats, criticizing them for putting residents’ safety and well-being at risk in pursuit of unrealistic green progress goals.
According to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act passed in 2019, New York has set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and achieve 100% zero-carbon emissions in the electricity sector by 2040. To support this plan, the state government has invested $3.5 billion in tax incentives to promote the construction of energy storage facilities and requires the deployment of 6 gigawatts (GW) of storage capacity by 2030. One gigawatt is equal to 1,000 megawatts or 1 million kilowatts.
According to data from the EPA and the state government, since 2019, New York has approved approximately 6,000 battery energy storage projects with a total capacity of around 440 megawatts (MW). Another 1.3 gigawatts are in the contracting stage, showing a huge gap towards the 6 gigawatt goal.
Zeldin bluntly stated, “The state government itself has acknowledged its inability to achieve these’ green’ benchmarks forced through by political parties, yet it continues to accelerate without prioritizing safety.”
He further criticized Albany for expanding the Public Service Commission’s approval authority for storage projects above 25 megawatts through the “Quick Act” in 2024, stating that they are not only placing industrial facilities in residential areas but also bypassing local zoning regulations, ignoring community input. This approach, in Zeldin’s view, makes local governments and residents mere spectators in their own backyard, forced to accept facility installations, which he deemed irresponsible.
In response to Zeldin’s criticism, the Hochul administration reacted swiftly. Ken Lovett, senior advisor for energy and the environment in the governor’s office, said, “Zeldin’s job is to protect the environment, yet he continues to attack clean energy, which will harm New York and the country and hinder energy independence in the United States.”
The state government emphasized that New York has recently enacted the strictest BESS safety regulations in the country, covering site selection, construction, and fire safety standards for storage facilities. Six former senior New York City fire officials, including former FDNY commissioner Tom Von Essen, publicly praised these regulations, considering them sufficient to safeguard public safety.
Hochul’s team also pointed out that many states are accelerating investments in storage to stabilize the grid, reduce energy costs, and argued that Zeldin’s stance “could make the New York economy fall behind and force residents to bear higher costs.”
According to the new federal guidelines issued by the EPA for BESS, a recent case occurred at the Moss Landing facility in California last month. The fire forced about 1,200 residents to evacuate for 24 hours. While the fire briefly reignited, it was eventually contained within a single building.
Key points in handling such events include ensuring emergency personnel wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), especially respirators, and establishing isolation zones at least 330 feet away from large commercial BESS. Disposal strategies focus on preventing the fire from spreading; usually allowing the batteries to burn out on their own while using water for cooling to protect nearby structures.
In Long Island, Staten Island, Queens, the Hudson Valley, and even northern New York, communities have expressed strong opposition to BESS projects in recent years. Criticisms focus on three main aspects: the toxic emissions risk from fires, the potential release of pollution water containing hydrofluoric acid during firefighting, and the weakening of local government power while ignoring resident opinions.
For supporters, large-scale storage is essential for promoting clean energy and replacing fossil fuels. For opponents, BESS fires and pollution risks are “overlooked hazards.” Zeldin’s statement has given federal-level support to these opposing voices, making the safety issues of BESS once again a political focus statewide.