To the Editor:
Here in Warwick, we are no strangers to the devastating impact that BESS facilities can have on a community. NY Senate Bill S5506, should it pass, will strip towns and residents of the right to decide what gets built in their own communities. It’s a sneaky way for the state to fast track major energy projects under ORES. In other words: the town’s moratorium and the village’s ban on these facilities would be meaningless, because ORES and the state will hold the power. We cannot allow this to happen.
Please call Senator Skoufis at 845-567-1270 and tell him to VOTE NO. Here are three talking points: 1. N.Y. is a Home Rule state. Land use decisions belong to towns, not Albany. 2. Local governments know their communities best. 3. ORES should not be able to approve projects when communities say no. Fast-tracking benefits developers.
Local control protects people!
Megan Cooke
Warwick