Islip Town places ban on battery energy storage systems

“Not permitted, totally not allowed, banned. And just in case anyone doesn’t get the idea, we, too, are passionate and we, too, care about the residents of this town. And that’s precisely why we worked on putting this resolution together,” town supervisor Angie Carpenter reassured the town. The resolution in question was Islip Town’s potential ban on large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), which passed 5-0 last Tuesday, Sept. 15, at the town’s latest board meeting.

Islip Town attorney William Garbarino explained the resolution prior to the vote.   

“Tier three, which is larger-scale battery energy storage systems, at this point in time, would be not permitted in the town,” Garbarino shared.

This ban would block a proposed project in Hauppauge that aimed to build a BESS facility. Pressure to ban such facilities had been mounting since the moratorium on BESS facilities, passed in 2024, ended. In several public letters to the Town Board, Hauppauge fire commissioner Louis Zara had emphasized the potential dangers that these BESS facilities held to the community.

“I understand that the battery storage industry and their proponents consider these facilities an important infrastructure improvement, but at what cost to the residents? The reality is that despite all the claims that lithium storage systems are safer, is that it is still impossible to extinguish a lithium battery fire. There is no known technology that allows the fire service to fight this kind of fire with rapid extinguishment being the goal,” Zara wrote to the board.

Other Islip councilmembers have shared their enthusiasm for the ban. “The Town of Islip just unanimously voted to ban Tier 3 battery energy storage facilities! Proud to have seconded the motion!” councilwoman DawnMarie Kuhn shared about the resolution.

The next Town Board meeting will take place on Oct. 20, and will highlight Italian Heritage Month.