Battery storage system code committee formed

The Town of Warwick has formed a battery-energy storage code committee to evaluate town’s current battery energy storage system code and make improvements based on feedback from the fires that occurred in 2023, Warwick Town Supervisor Jesse Dwyer shared at the Dec. 4 town board meeting.

“It’s very unfortunate that the Town of Warwick had two out of I think three or four of the fires across the state. So there’s a very sour taste in a lot of people’s mouths. That’s why we’re not rushing through this process,” Dwyer said. He reminding the public that the town has a moratorium in place that prohibits the review and approval of clean renewable energy technology businesses (including battery-energy storage facilities) seeking to operate in the area.

Dwyer acknowledged growing electricity demand and the potential need for battery energy storage sites to serve the community. He said if the town determines it must allow these types of facilities in the area, it wants to do so carefully and ensure residents are protected from any potential impact, noting that the public will have the opportunity to comment in favor or against any proposed changes to the town code.

Dwyer also reported that the town is continuing to review the feasibility of adding solar infrastructure to town property and whether there will be additional costs to connecting this infrastructure to the grid. He reminded the public that this study is grant funded and the town is not committed to take any action and that the board will continue to communicate information with them.

The town continues to explore a potential multi-use trail connecting the Village of Warwick with the Price Chopper/ShopRite business area. Dwyer reported that this is being done through a grant-funded study, and that the process is still in its feasibility stage. In addition, he said the town is hoping to apply for Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding through the New York State Department of Transportation. He said that the town has not committed to anything at this time and will keep the public notified on the details of the project.

During the meeting the town approved an intermunicipal agreement with the villages of Greenwood Lake, Warwick, and Florida to share cannabis sales tax revenue. Dwyer said the information reported in The Warwick Advertiser regarding the distribution of retail sales tax from the sales of cannabis was incorrect. The paper reported that at the Nov. 20 Warwick Town Board meeting, Dwyer shared that a combined $100,000 in retail sales tax from the sale of cannabis within the town of Warwick will be distributed to the town and villages of Warwick, Florida and Greenwood Lake next year.

At the Dec. 4 meeting, Dwyer said that he reported that the town anticipates receiving approximately $100,000 in local tax revenue that will be shared among the town and the three villages for 2026 and added he didn’t want the villages spending more than they’re going to get.

Dwyer further clarified that the town received $17,000 in sales tax revenue for the third quarter of 2025, 65% of which will go to the town, based on population, with 19% going to the Village of Warwick and the Villages of Greenwood Lake and Florida each receiving 8%.