At Our Lady of Pity R.C. Church in Bulls Head, a 9,000-square-foot section of parking lot is generally inactive. Used for overflow parking and sometimes shared by several bordering schools as a port of retreat during fire drills and other emergency evacuations, the space is appropriately obscure, idle and undeveloped. But if a hotly debated approval process is green-lighted and a special zoning permit allowed, the practically unused corner of land would be transformed into a lithium-ion battery storage facility, which will accumulate electrical energy and take pressure off the local grid when it is overly stressed.
Residents, school administrators and church parishioners are not taking the possible conversion lightly.
“We are proactively addressing this issue, because we are not comfortable with the idea of these units — which are not yet time-tested for fire safety and toxic emissions — being located 100 feet from our school,” noted Gina DeSantis, president of Moore Catholic High School, which has recently launched a campaign against the battery energy storage system (BESS) development.
DeSantis said she learned about the proposed project last month after a school security guard witnessed a woman taking pictures of the school campus.
‘WHAT I LEARNED WAS DISCONCERTING’
“She said her company was launching an energy installation project on church grounds. So I researched and called every person involved — if it’s going to be installed next to my campus, I want to know all of the details,” DeSantis said. “I didn’t like that this was shrouded in secrecy, and what I learned was disconcerting.”
According to information obtained by DeSantis from New Leaf Energy, the company developing the project, the proposed BESS facility would consist of six large-scale rechargeable lithium-ion battery systems manufactured by Tesla. The information also outlined that each can store up to 20 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity, and the intent of the project is for Con Edison to store energy produced during periods of low demand (e.g., at night), and then draw power from the facility when demand peaks.
“Between the charging and discharge cycles, the stored energy would sit, unprotected, in a church parking lot — not in an industrial location, as required by applicable zoning,” DeSantis noted in a Nov. 22 letter to Community Board 2, stating her opposition to the project.
“Although its proponents claim their project is not a threat to the community, they tried to keep the neighborhood uninformed of their plans,” the letter continued. “Now that the details of this project have come to light, it is clear that there are numerous reasons why the application should be denied … the most important reason is the safety of the children who attend the six schools that encircle the proposed project.”
Bulls Head residents have rallied around DeSantis’ crusade to halt the endeavor. New Leaf Energy, which was founded in July 2022, issued a statement to dispel their concerns.
SAFETY A ‘TOP PRIORITY’
“It is important that the community understands that the safety of local residents is our top priority for this project. This includes our neighbors in nearby schools and local businesses,” noted Corina Solis, project developer at New Leaf Energy. “We only work with reputable battery manufacturers, who adhere to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) code and requirements and are approved for use in New York City by the FDNY. The safety protocols involved in installing battery storage systems include third-party testing, certification and FDNY review of the fire safety of the full battery system, ventilation and exhaust, fire alarm and detection, fire suppression, remote monitoring and communication ….”
Solis also noted that a dedicated technology management team within the FDNY reviews individual models of battery technologies before installation on the project even begins.
“The potential for fire is extremely low, and the systems are designed and tested to fail safely,” she said. “Residents can rest assured we’re working with retired and current members of the FDNY to ensure the highest level of project safety. There will be secure fencing surrounding the equipment as an additional safety measure. The system will be locked and monitored by remote and central monitoring and CCTV. The fencing will block the line of sight to the public.”
But members of the community said they are not satisfied with that response.
“They say it’s 99% safe, but what about that one percent?” said Dennis Quirk, who works closely with the Seton Foundation’s Bishop Patrick V. Ahern High School, a private, special education program for students ranging from 14 to 21 years of age that also borders the site. “This should be located on a commercial property somewhere that is not in close proximity to the children. That one percent is too much when you’re dealing with kids. The safety of our children is paramount.”
Other schools near the site include: New World Preparatory Charter School, also on the Moore Catholic campus; PS 60, located at 55 Merrill Ave.; Children At Play Preschool, 40 Merrill Ave.; Hellenic Classical Charter School, 1641 Richmond Ave.
OUTCRY FROM PARISHIONERS
And parishioners of Our Lady of Pity said they are enraged by the church’s lack of communication regarding this matter.
“The pastor didn’t loop anyone in,” one parishioner said, requesting anonymity. “He brokered this deal, and the parishioners and trustees were left in the dark. This is a residential area, and we have all of these schools. Who needs this system to be installed here?”
Citing fire danger and air toxicity, the parishioner also questioned what will happen if such systems eventually become obsolete.
“Are we stuck with these units then? Do they just sit idle and become an eyesore?”
A small group of Our Lady of Pity churchgoers has launched a grassroots initiative to combat the site, handing out flyers and going door-to-door with informational sheets on the project.
“If it’s so safe, then why is it a big secret?” one Bulls Head resident asked. “There is no transparency, and that’s unacceptable.”
The Advance/SILive called the rectory to inquire about parishioners’ concerns, and the church declined to comment. When asked about the validity of the community’s apprehension, New Leaf simply stressed the importance of the work.
“Blackouts during the hottest days of the summer have impacted this community for years and can be highly disruptive to everyday life and local business,” Solis said. “Our battery storage project will improve the quality of life for residents by reducing or eliminating the frequency of brownouts and blackouts throughout the summer.”
The proposed project is not the only one of its kind in Staten Island. A lithium-ion battery storage unit is currently being built on Giffords Lane in Great Kills. Its developer, NineDot Energy, said it should be operational and ready to harvest energy by 2023. And, according to Frank Morano, chair of Community Board 3, an application seeking to install an identical BESS unit at 405 Arthur Kill Rd. adjacent to Holtermann’s Bakery, was recently rejected.
“We do have major concerns about these units,” Morano said. “We see on the news that litihium-ion batteries easily catch fire, and we know that those particular fires are extremely hard to put out. Toxic chemicals are also at play. There are too many issues, so our final decision was to deny recommendation.”
Paul Rogers and Nick Petrakis, owners of Energy Safety Response Group, who were hired by New Leaf to articulate the safety and compliance of this project, said that many of the community’s concerns are misguided.
“Most of the fires that you see on the news are because of counterfeit consumer products,” Rogers said. “These systems are an entirely different entity.”
SAFETY CHECKS
Rogers and Petrakis, both retired NYC firefighters, work with companies across the country, doing safety checks to ensure that these battery storage sites are compliant. The pair noted that New York state and city codes for these systems are exceptionally strict.
“There are always hazards and risks associated with energy storage in general,” Petrakis said. “But New York City is strict in its requirements. The number of safety measures these technologies must pass just to be installed is considerable.”
According to Rogers and Petrakis, the equipment proposed for Bulls Head endured “full scale 9540A” testing, in which an overcharge was simulated, and normal system protections were removed to see how the BESS would fare.
“The 9540A test, which measures the fire safety hazards within battery systems, replicates the worst-case scenario,” Rogers said, indicating that the units were pushed to their limit, and no fire was observed. “You can’t ever say that equipment is 100% infallible, but the way this system survived this very rigorous test is strong proof of its safety.”
A spokesperson for the FDNY said the project is still under review.
“The stationary energy storage installation is the subject of a Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) application,” the spokesperson said. “The department will fully review the application, and meet with the applicant, before making a recommendation to the BSA.”
Con Edison, which is the beneficiary of this citywide battery storage push, said it has no role in choosing site locations.
“Energy storage has a huge role to play in New York’s renewable energy future,” the utility company said in a statement. “Well-sited battery projects can strengthen the reliability of our electric delivery system, while helping to maximize the use and value of renewables. Through our Clean Energy Commitment, Con Edison has pledged to support the development of 1,000 megawatts of energy storage in our service area by 2030, the vast majority of which will be owned by our customers. Aside from a handful of examples, specific project locations are chosen by other parties, not by Con Edison. Our focus is helping to nurture the battery storage market and providing incentives where appropriate.”
NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS
Concerns about this project were brought before Community Board 2, and a Land Use Public Hearing was scheduled for Jan. 3 to address the issue, but has been postponed.
According to Councilman David M. Carr (R-Mid-Island), the project is currently going through a process of consideration with the BSA, seeking a special permit for a Battery Energy Storage System.
“This entails a hearing before the relevant Community Board, which in this case is Community Board 2,” Carr explained. “The CB’s vote is advisory and not binding.”
Additionally, Carr said there are reviews and sign-offs required by the New York City Department of Buildings and the New York City Fire Department. Finally, there will be a hearing and vote on the project by the BSA itself.
“I believe that New Leaf, which is the company that is the project developer, should actually be doing additional community engagement, including a presentation in Bulls Head about the project, in addition to any appearance they make at the Community Board,” Carr said. “Previously constructed energy storage facilities of this type have not been built in residential neighborhoods, and I think it’s incumbent on New Leaf to explain why they believe this site — which is adjacent to a residential community — is appropriate. I have also reached out to the Fire Department, which is only just beginning their review process. Given all this, they have a steep burden of proof in making their case to residents.”