RESOLUTION
BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT COLLINS-BELLAMY, MAJORITY LEADER RUBBO, MAJORITY WHIP ROBINSON, MINORITY LEADER BREEN, COUNCILMEMBERS, PINEDA -ISAAC, DIAZ AND MERANTE:
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RESOLUTION TO URGE THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO STUDY, IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE STANDARDS AND RESOURCES FOR THE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE AND MITIGATION OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND CONTAMINATING BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER COUNTY
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WHEREAS, The City Council of the City of Yonkers (the “City Council”) has long been concerned with the impact of battery energy storage systems (“BESS”) on, among other things, surrounding properties, neighborhoods, the environment, and public health and safety.
WHEREAS, BESS are a relatively new technology that could serve an important role in facilitating the production and use of clean energy.
WHEREAS, However, there are issues and concerns related to the safety, security and externalities of BESS, including fire, chemical release, standard energy hazards, and noise.
WHEREAS, the City of Yonkers and other responsible municipalities are carefully studying BESS in order to implement appropriate regulations to mitigate or avoid the negative impacts of BESS as necessary to protect public health, safety, and quality of life for their residents.
WHEREAS, Yonkers is the largest City in Westchester County and desires to create and implement appropriate comprehensive county-wide regulations for BESS.
WHEREAS, the Westchester County Department of Health is charged with protecting, maintaining and improving the overall health safety and welfare of all the residents of Westchester County.
WHEREAS, over the years the County has produced and enforced safety standards for many substances and facilities including but not limited to Toxic Substances, Lead, Radon, Mercury, Hazardous waste, Radiological Health and Bulk Petroleum Storage.
WHEREAS, currently, County Environmental health professionals investigate potential exposures from environmental contaminants at inactive hazardous waste sites and from petroleum and chemical spills, fires and other environmental incidents.
WHEREAS, Annually, the Westchester County Department of Health regularly has responded to hundreds of chemical and toxic spills throughout the County.
WHEREAS, moreover, The County Chemical Emergency Response van enables the Westchester County Department of Health to respond on a 24-hour basis to numerous chemical emergencies and hazardous spills, making available a high level of specialized knowledge and technology county-wide.
WHEREAS, The County Office of Emergency Services is the lead agency for Westchester's Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). The LEPC is responsible for developing emergency response plans for all chemical emergencies within Westchester County.
WHEREAS, by direct contrast, neither the City of Yonkers nor any of the municipalities in Westchester County, possess the knowledge, technology or equipment to respond to, assess and remediate these chemical emergencies.
WHEREAS, with the rapid rise in the installation and operation of BESS in Westchester County the County Department of Health must expand the scope of its existing emergency response plans to include the chemical emergencies and hazards that are associated with these types of BESS facilities in order to protect the residents and sensitive natural and environmental features and resources of the County.
RESOLVED, that the Yonkers City Council hereby urges the Westchester County Board of Legislators, the County Executive and the Westchester County Department of Health to expand the scope of its existing emergency response plans to identify and include the chemical emergencies and hazards that are associated with these types of BESS facilities in order to protect the residents and sensitive natural and environmental features and resources of the County in response to the rapid rise of these BESS facilities in the County.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk is hereby directed to submit a certified copy of the Resolution to the Westchester County Board of Legislators, the County Executive and the Westchester County Department of Health.