A small Adirondack town is putting the brakes on a fast-growing energy trend before any project even reaches its doorstep: Newcomb, N.Y., has enacted a 12-month moratorium on permits and applications for commercial and industrial battery energy storage systems so local leaders can study the technology and its potential hazards.
What happened?
According to Sun Community News, at a July 14 public hearing, Newcomb adopted Local Law #1 of 2026, which pauses for one year the town's review and approval of applications and permits for commercial and industrial battery energy storage systems, or BESS.
Town officials said no BESS proposal has been submitted in Newcomb, but they wanted to have a policy in place before any project is proposed.
Newcomb now joins Essex County communities including Ticonderoga, Jay, and St. Armand that have acted to prohibit BESS.
Several towns in Lewis, St. Lawrence, Erie, and Onondaga counties also have active moratoriums.
Town Supervisor Mary Lamphear said the town sees the temporary pause as a chance to take a deeper look at BESS.
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"We are doing this moratorium so we can carefully study BESS," Lamphear said.
People who spoke at the hearing backed the measure, raising safety concerns that included fire risks linked to some lithium battery storage systems.
Why does it matter?
Battery storage allows electricity to be stored for later use and helps smooth out power supply.
Large energy projects can become highly personal for communities when they may be built near homes, roads, or emergency response resources.
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Still, critics of moratoriums often argue that such delays can slow cleaner energy development, reduce investment, and make it more difficult to modernize the grid.
Pauses like this can also create uncertainty for developers and for residents who want more energy infrastructure to support a lower-pollution future.
The challenge for towns such as Newcomb is balancing climate and energy goals with immediate local concerns about safety and emergency planning.
What's being done?
Newcomb plans to use the next year to build a more informed local process.
Officials said a formal BESS committee is being put together with Town Board members, volunteer fire department representatives, the zoning officer, and residents.
"The moratorium gives us a time to carefully review our local laws and really gather more information, hear from the residents, consult experts, and make sure that we are protecting public safety," Lamphear said.
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