By ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM -- The Potsdam Town Council has passed a local law establishing a six-month moratorium on the development or construction of battery energy storage systems.

There was no comment from the public at a hearing on the measure on April 14 at a Zoom conference session. The council passed the law at their regular meeting session following the hearing.

The moratorium halts the application or permitting for the construction, development and installation for "any and all" battery storage systems, but does not include stand-alone 12-volt car batteries or electric motor vehicle batteries. The moratorium also covers all pending and future applications for construction of such systems.

Increasing local interest in "alternative energy sources resulting in the installation of Battery Energy Storage Systems for the purpose of storing energy for sale to third-parties produced by solar systems and other alternative energy sources" led the town board to implement the moratorium, the text of the local law said. The law also states that the installation of commercial level battery energy storage systems could cause "undesirable impacts" to neighboring properties and the town itself.

The moratorium will give the town board a chance to evaluate the town's zoning law to address the impacts installation of such systems, and hold any hearings, launch studies or stage environmental reviews on any proposed construction.

The new local law, which takes effect after the town files it with the Secretary of State, will be enforced by the town code enforcement officer.

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