To the Editor:

This is what I have written to the New Scotland Planning Board.

I am writing to formally express my concerns regarding the proposed applications for battery energy storage systems (BESS) within the town of New Scotland:

— 1. New Scotland Beagle Club – 1543 Indian Fields Rd., Feura Bush, Tax Parcel ID #107.00- 2-30, located in the RH – Residential Hamlet district, 137-acre site, under special-use permit 642.

— 2. New Scotland Storage 1, 2, and 3 — represented by Tyler Krupa of New Leaf Energy, to construct and operate three separate 5MW BESS units on lands owned by Adam Greenburg at 37 Wormer Road and 128 Wormer Road. BESS 1 and 2 will occupy 2 acres of a 13.1-acre parcel at 128 Wormer Road (Tax ID #62.-3-26.3), and BESS 3 will occupy 2 acres of a 13.8-acre parcel at 37 Wormer Road (Tax ID #62.-3-26.4), located in the R2 district and permitted by Local Law #1 of 2024.

While I recognize and appreciate the town’s interest in supporting renewable energy initiatives, as well as individual landowner’s rights of usage, I am deeply concerned about the potential risks and impacts these installations pose to our community.

I am troubled by the unanimous approval of Local Law 1 of 2024 in the absence of full transparency regarding forthcoming site plans and the individuals or entities set to benefit. In doing such, town officials have created the appearance of impropriety and thereby abuse of both public trust and the offices they hold.

— Safety Concerns

Public safety threats at (BESS) installation sites are a concern for nearby communities, primarily due to the risks of fires, toxic gas release, and environmental contamination.

— Protection of adjacent land uses

The proposed (BESS) sites are in close proximity to residential areas. The risks of fire, chemical leakage, and toxic gas exposure make the protection of neighboring properties a serious concern.

— Minimizing visual impact

These installations will alter the character of our aesthetically and historically valued community.

— Neighborhood impact

The dense placement and scale of these systems raise significant environmental as well as safety risk for residents, first responders, and the community at large.

— Forested sites

Any removal of mature forest to construct Tier 2 systems violates the principle of minimizing environmental disruption.

 New Scotland’s 2025 Open Space Plan prioritizes forest and farmland protection. The approval of one or more BESS installation site(s) directly conflicts with that plan.

Notably, the towns of Duanesburg, Glenville, Rotterdam, and Claverack have all implemented moratoriums on any BESS installation sites. Most recently, our neighboring town of Berne implemented a 12-month moratorium in January 2025 on all solar and BESS installations after RIC Energy applied for a permit, recognizing the risks associated with insufficient review and preparedness.

Additionally, on Aug. 5, 2025, John Freihofer of the Onesquethaw Volunteer Fire Company voiced concerns to the Town of New Scotland Planning Board regarding the lack of emergency response plans, training, and resources to manage a potential incident.

While a representative of RIC agreed that training would be made available, I do not see where/if that training took place to the satisfaction of local first responders.

The safety and environmental hazards associated with BESS installations are serious:

— Fires or chemical leaks can release toxic and flammable gases such as hydrogen fluoride, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide, posing immediate respiratory risks;

— Runoff from fire suppression can contaminate soil and groundwater to the installation site as well as neighboring properties;

— Disposal at the end of the batteries’ lifespan is currently not regulated by any environmentally approved standard, increasing the risk of long-term environmental harm; and

— Property values may decline due to visual disruption and perceived risks in our historically and environmentally sensitive neighborhoods.

It is also pertinent to mention that the sequence of events, including the initiation of Local Law No. 1 of 2024 following undisclosed approaches by developers in November 2023, Councilman Greenberg’s vote in favor of that law in May 2024, and the subsequent leasing of his Wormer Road parcels for BESS development later that same year, creates at minimum the appearance that the law itself may have been influenced or timed in a manner favorable to his private interests, thereby undermining public trust in the legislative process.

Considering these concerns, I call upon the planning board to deny the current (or any yet-to-be-disclosed) BESS special-use permit applications. I believe New Scotland should follow suit with our neighboring townships and impose a moratorium.

At a minimum, a public hearing should be scheduled and dedicated specifically to these safety and environmental concerns before any decision is made.

The town boards have an obligation to the community to provide full transparency, requiring complete and comprehensive emergency preparedness plans, and to ensure that any approvals strictly comply with special-use permit standards as well as the Open Space Plan to protect residents, the environment, and community character.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I request that my concerns, as well as those of other residents and local first responders, be appropriately responded to and addressed before any further discussions of BESS installation sites are heard by the town planning board.

Jessica Sardella

Voorheesville