A photo of a battery bank. 

By Ben Crnic From Daily Voice

Another Westchester County community has enacted a complete ban on new Battery Energy Storage Systems, citing growing concerns over fire safety, environmental hazards, and the lack of local emergency response capabilities to manage lithium-ion battery incidents. 

The Mount Pleasant Town Board voted unanimously last month to approve the measure following a moratorium and months of public discussion. Town officials said the decision was made after reviewing national reports of battery storage fires and environmental contamination incidents.

“The decision to ban Battery Energy Storage Systems was not taken lightly,” said Town Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi in a statement on Friday, Oct. 31, also adding, "There was considerable public input throughout this process, and we studied [Battery Energy Storage Systems] mishaps that have occurred nationwide. 

"When faced with the unique public safety challenges these systems present—challenges that our emergency responders are not equipped to manage—we chose to take this protective measure," Fulgenzi continued.  

The ban takes immediate effect, prohibiting the siting or construction of any new BESS facilities within Mount Pleasant’s borders.

Officials said warnings from the US Environmental Protection Agency and fire safety experts influenced their decision. The EPA’s July 2025 Safety Guidance on BESS installations acknowledged the “very real dangers” associated with lithium-ion battery systems, particularly the difficulty of controlling toxic fires that can release hazardous gases and burn for extended periods. 

Mount Pleasant leaders also pointed to the risk of chemical contamination affecting nearby wetlands, the Saw Mill River, schools, and the Westchester Medical Center campus. 

"These types of fires are difficult to extinguish, capable of burning for weeks and releasing chemicals like hydrogen fluoride—a significant health hazard," the town said in a statement on Friday.

The move follows similar actions by neighboring municipalities. In May 2025, the Town of Yorktown also voted to ban large-scale battery energy storage systems, citing fire risks, groundwater contamination, and the early stage of battery technology development, as Daily Voice reported at the time.

Yorktown officials at the time said the prohibition was a temporary precaution until stronger safety standards and emergency response protocols are developed.

Mount Pleasant’s new law, by contrast, enacts a permanent ban, with town leaders emphasizing the measure as a necessary safeguard for residents and first responders.