S 6557: Prohibits the siting and construction of battery energy storage systems and related facilities, systems, infrastructure, and substations of any scale and possessing any storage capacity on Staten Island.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6557 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE March 17, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. LANZA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities 1 AN ACT to amend to the general municipal law, in relation to prohibiting the siting of battery energy storage system sites on Staten Island The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Legislative intent. It is the intent of this Legislature to 2 protect New York State from the adverse effects of the siting of battery 3 energy storage systems and related facilities and infrastructure in most 4 instances, including but not limited to air pollution and the risk of 5 explosions. The cumulative impact of spewing toxic fumes into the air 6 and the potential for explosions in such close proximity to homes, 7 schools, churches, playgrounds, and small businesses would prompt 8 extremely negative effects on the public health and safety of the local 9 community. 10 The Legislature hereby determines that the public interest requires a 11 prohibition on the siting of battery energy storage systems and related 12 facilities and infrastructure on Staten Island, in most instances. 13 § 2. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 137 14 to read as follows: 15 § 137. Battery energy storage systems; prohibition on Staten Island. 16 1. Definition. For the purposes of this section, "battery energy storage 17 system" shall mean one or more devices, assembled together, capable of 18 storing energy in order to supply electrical energy at a future time, 19 not to include a stand-alone twelve-volt car battery or an electric 20 motor vehicle. A battery energy storage system shall be classified as a 21 tier one or tier two battery energy storage system as follows: (a) tier 22 one battery energy storage systems shall possess an aggregate energy 23 capacity less than or equal to six hundred kilowatt hours and, if in a 24 room or enclosed area, consist of only a single energy storage system 25 technology; (b) tier two battery energy storage systems shall possess an EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00578-02-5 
 S. 6557 2 1 aggregate energy capacity greater than six hundred kilowatt hours or are 2 comprised of more than one storage battery technology in a room or 3 enclosed area. 4 2. Notwithstanding any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, 5 the future siting and construction of battery energy storage systems and 6 related facilities, systems, infrastructure, and substations of any 7 scale and possessing any storage capacity and including, but not limited 8 to, those deploying lithium-ion batteries, is hereby prohibited on 9 Staten Island. No permit shall be issued for the approval or 10 construction thereof, including those reserved for utility or commercial 11 use, with the exception of those sited for use in industrial zones, 12 along with those reserved for small-scale residential applications. 13 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to siting 14 permit applications pending as of such effective date.