Feds asked to safeguard Carmel battery farm prohibition

CARMEL – Last fall the Carmel Town Board voted to adopt a zoning change that prohibited large scale battery farms to be built anywhere within the greater Carmel, Mahopac, Mahopac Falls area.

The action came in the wake of a proposal by the Virginia-based East Point Energy to construct a 116-megawatt plant along Miller Road on a 90-acre parcel at the Mahopac-Baldwin Place border.

Since then, the state via its Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act, has attempted to override local municipal authority by removing the ability of towns and villages to oppose renewable energy projects such as battery storage systems even if community welfare was at risk.

Carmel Town Supervisor Michael Cazzari contacted the Federal Environmental Protection Agency requesting intervention;