I am calling for an immediate countywide moratorium on all Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects in Ulster County, effective immediately and lasting until further notice.

I am making this call because recent events have made it clear that these facilities pose real, demonstrated risks to public safety, the environment, and emergency responders. These are risks that local governments are not adequately prepared to manage.

In December 2025, a lithium-ion battery storage facility in Warwick caught fire and was subsequently condemned by local oƯicials after it was found to be out of compliance. That fire was not an isolated incident; it was the third battery-related fire in Warwick in roughly two years! These are not theoretical risks. They are documented failures happening in real communities like ours.

I do not believe Ulster County should continue approving or siting large-scale lithium-ion battery facilities while these failures continue to occur.

Why a Moratorium Is Necessary

Lithium-ion BESS facilities are not passive infrastructure. When they fail, the consequences are immediate and severe:

They burn intensely and unpredictably due to thermal runaway, often for extended periods and with limited suppression options.
They release toxic gases when they burn, including substances that raise serious concerns for nearby residents and first responders.
They place enormous strain on emergency services, requiring prolonged fire and hazmat responses and exposing firefighters and EMTs to unacceptable risk.
They create environmental uncertainty, with unanswered questions about impacts to air, soil, and groundwater following fires or system failures.

Despite these risks, communities are repeatedly told to trust safety assurances that have not held up in practice.

This Is About Responsible Governance, Not Opposition to Clean Energy

I support responsible, well-planned clean energy solutions. What I do not support is rushing dangerous infrastructure into populated areas before safety standards, siting rules and emergency-response capabilities are proven to be adequate.

Clean energy goals do not justify exposing residents, first responders or the environment to avoidable harm.

What I Am Calling For

I am urging Ulster County, its municipalities, and all relevant boards to take the following steps immediately:

1. Adopt a county-wide moratorium on all BESS approvals, permits and construction activity until further notice.

2. Commission independent, third-party safety and environmental studies that are not funded or controlled by developers.

3. Develop clear, enforceable siting and safety standards before allowing any future battery storage projects to proceed.

4. Engage the public transparently and meaningfully, including first responders and environmental experts, before any decisions are made.

Until these steps are completed, continuing to approve BESS projects in Ulster County is reckless.

My Message Is Simple

We do not need to wait for a disaster in Ulster County to act. Warwick has already shown us what can go wrong. Ignoring those warnings would be a failure of leadership and responsibility.

A moratorium is not extreme. It is prudent. It is necessary. And it is the least we owe the people who live and work in our communities.

Tim Kelly is a resident of Hurley.