Guest Op-Ed by Michael P. Mezzacappa

Dozens of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facilities are currently proposed or being built in some of New York City’s tightest-knit communities. As policymakers prioritize climate goals over the health and safety of neighborhoods like Middle Village and, most recently, St. Albans, residents are right to be concerned.

The push for battery storage centers is born out of the desire to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The New York Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (NYCLCPA) calls for cutting emissions 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050. However, this law totally disregards the reality of fire science, which is within my area of the practice of law.

Toxic Chemicals Forced Fire- fighters to Let Fires Burn Out

While the FDNY is the best and most e

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