North Hempstead’s Town Board approved extending a temporary moratorium on battery energy storage facilities at a meeting on Nov. 18. The board also heard and denied a proposed law regarding a potential limit on mailers sent by town officials running for re-election close to the voting period.
Council Member Robert Troiano, who represents District 1, was the only board member who voted against the moratorium.
“The fire departments are not prepared to put these fires out. They don’t have the manpower… we’re not ready for it, so I vote yes, absolutely, for this moratorium,” said Council Member Dennis Walsh, who represents District 3.
BESS facilities utilize large-scale lithium-ion batteries to store and discharge energy to the power grid.
Prior to voting, the board heard the public’s concerns. North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said she received letters in favor of extending the moratorium from U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, state Sen. Jack Martins, Nassau County Legislators Delia DeRiggi-Whitton and Samantha Goetz and more community leaders and residents. All residents who spoke at the podium were in favor of extending the moratorium, with many mentioning health and safety concerns.
“It’s not if they explode, it’s when they explode,” a resident said regarding BESS facilities. “And then you just can’t put a load of water on it and it’s gonna go away. They have to burn themselves out. And what burns with it, the entire town? Our water system. The air my children breathe.”
All other residents who spoke echoed her sentiment that the moratorium should be extended for safety and health concerns.
Troiano said he voted against extending the moratorium because the town has failed to conduct the year-old study it claimed was essential, and that leaders should take a proactive approach by completing the review and establishing safety regulations rather than repeatedly delaying.
“I believe that government’s role — elected officials’ role — is to be leaders and not to stick your head in the sand,” he said.
The proposed law regarding mailers during election season was more divided.
The Republican majority – DeSena, Council Member David Adhami, Council Member Ed Scott and Walsh – voted against it, while the Democratic minority – Troiano, Council Member Mariann Dalimonte and Council Member Christine Liu – voted in favor of it.
Dalimonte sponsored the legislation, which aimed to establish a 60-day moratorium on mass governmental mailers when the officials sending them are running for re-election.
“I sponsored this legislation because I noticed that governmental mailings were being sent from the Town of North Hempstead using taxpayers’ money to promote elected officials,” Dalimonte said.
Those opposed said they want to have clear communication with their residents, and don’t want a limit on when they’re able to do so.
“I think that less information going to our residents is less transparency and is not good government,” DeSena said.
Dalimonte also noted an increase in mailers in recent years. Umberto Mignardi, the town’s communications director, said the mailers have been commonplace for over a decade.
Dalimonte responded to the legislation not getting passed in a newsletter after the meeting.
“I want to be clear: keeping our constituents informed is essential, it’s part of our job,” Dalimonte wrote. “But as elected officials, we also have a responsibility to protect taxpayer dollars and to safeguard the public’s trust.”
