Petition richtet sich an: uSuffolk County Legislature, Town of Brookhaven Planning Board, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Governor Kathy Hochul, Suffolk County Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services

A massive Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) — a high-voltage industrial lithium battery installation — is being proposed in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Holtsville, NY, less than one mile from an elementary school.
And this isn’t just happening here — it’s happening across the country.
We are not against renewable energy. We are against placing industrial battery plants where people live, children play, and families sleep. A BESS facility does not belong next to homes or schools any more than a chemical plant or oil refinery would.
When these batteries fail — and they do — the results can be catastrophic.
These facilities pose serious fire, chemical, and environmental risks. Across the country, BESS sites have exploded, caught fire, and burned uncontrollably:

• Surprise, AZ: An explosion hospitalized eight firefighters.
• Morris, IL: An entire neighborhood had to evacuate.
• Liverpool, NY: A battery fire burned for nearly a week, releasing toxic smoke.

When lithium-ion batteries overheat, they can enter thermal runaway — a chain reaction that creates chemical fires hotter than steel. These cannot be extinguished with water and release toxic gases such as hydrogen fluoride and carbon monoxide, which can cause severe respiratory and heart damage.
Our fire departments have acknowledged they are not equipped to fight these fires. Specialized hazmat teams can take 30 minutes or more to arrive — and even then, fires can reignite days later. During that time, toxic smoke and runoff can drift into homes, soil, and groundwater.
This is not “if” — it’s when.
Property values also drop near industrial or hazardous sites — not because of fear, but because of reality.
Would you buy a home next to an explosion hazard?
What’s especially alarming is this site is within one mile of multiple schools. If a fire or explosion occurred, how would hundreds of children be evacuated safely? Who would bear responsibility?

We’re asking for common sense and accountability.
BESS facilities must be placed in safe, properly zoned industrial areas, where they can be contained, monitored, and serviced by trained emergency personnel.
Too often, these projects are quietly approved under the banner of “green energy” without community input or oversight. But clean energy cannot come at the expense of community safety, public health, or basic common sense.

We call on our County and Local Officials to:

1. Pause or deny approval of any BESS facility near residential areas until a full, independent safety and environmental review is completed.
2. Establish safe setbacks — far enough from homes, schools, and playgrounds to protect residents and first responders.
3. Require clear emergency response and evacuation plans, publicly shared and funded by the developer.
4. Ensure full financial accountability — the operator, not taxpayers, must carry liability for any accidents, fires, or contamination.

We all want progress — but not at the expense of people.
Progress should mean cleaner air, safer neighborhoods, and a better future for our children — not industrial hazards disguised as “green” solutions.
We stand together — residents, parents, and taxpayers — not against technology, but for safety, transparency, and common sense.
This isn’t about politics.
It’s about people — and protecting the community we love.