Lysander officials push to form committee to draft local battery storage rules after webinar

Chair called the 5:30 work session to order and opened discussion on battery energy storage after a staff report on a recent Tug Hill Commission webinar. Staff member said the webinar addressed fire-safety concerns and fire code changes and offered to share the presentation: "I'll forward everybody the link or the PDF of the slideshow," the staff member said. The staff member urged moving beyond a long moratorium and "get[ting] a committee together to, actually, you know, go to the finish line and get a piece of legislation or a draft of the legislation that we can hold the public hearing on."

Why it matters: Board members said local rules must balance safety for the town's all‑volunteer fire service with potential long‑term utility benefits. The staff member described how storage can reduce peak‑hour charges by shifting charging to off‑peak hours, saying the systems "will flatten out the cost for energy during peak hour times." He and others recommended including a fire department representative and a planning or zoning board member on any drafting committee.

During the exchange a resident pushed back on the expected savings: "It's never gonna change utility cost," the resident said, arguing the utilities mothballed older fossil plants and that broader market decisions drive rates. The staff member replied that storage could at least slow how fast costs rise: "it could keep the cost from rising as fast as they are right now."

Board members also discussed agency support. The staff member reported that a NYSERDA representative on the webinar said the agency understands local concerns and will help tailor its generic draft local law to the town's needs. The board agreed to seek volunteers and to invite NYSERDA to meet with the committee.

Next steps: Officials asked for at least three committee members, including a fire representative, and planned to invite NYSERDA to a meeting to help shape a draft local law and a public hearing timeline. The committee formation and outreach to NYSERDA were presented as the immediate priorities.