Could the humble Blanding’s turtle be the key to keeping large battery storage farms out of Haverhill?
The theoretical siting took center stage Tuesday when city councilors learned a proposal to build a battery farm in Ward Hill, the subject of social media speculation, was quietly withdrawn. Councilors pondered, however, how to influence future battery energy storage systems through zoning. One idea is to designate an area at a former airport off Route 110, near Northern Essex Community College. It was previously considered for a new industrial park until it was found to be a protected wetland habitat for the endangered turtles. City Solicitor Lisa T. Mead explained the city could use such a zone to meet its obligation to consider such industries, but still have recourse should it choose to deny proposals.
“The state isn’t telling us that they’re going to modify the Wetlands Protection Act or the Endangered Species Act to also allow them to go there,” Mead said.
She explained that while the city must create a zone for battery farms, it isn’t required to ensure an energy storage plan could ultimately win a permit. “So know if we have some place that we have reasonable regulations from the zoning perspective, you’ve done your job.”
Ward 1 Councilor Ralph T. Basiliere said the idea of creating a zone where any project is unlikely to ever win approval is genius.
“We might want to do the overlay here because it doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of ever getting permitted. There are no overhead lines, high tension lines to draw off of. There is no solar. The place is lousy with turtles. I mean, yea!” Basiliere said.
Ward 4 Councilor Melissa J. Lewandowski, herself an attorney, said the strategy carries risk and the city could be setting itself up for a costly legal battle with a well-financed developer. “I’m not willing again tonight, I’m just reiterating, to put that particular district on the hook for those particular developers who are going to come forward with the hope that we are just going to deny it.”
She noted the proposed area at the old Dutton Airport is in her ward.
The farms, which look like rows of metal shipping containers filled with batteries, are used as backup energy during peak demand periods. They can store electricity from solar and wind installations, for example.
Councilors decided to refer the matter to its Planning and Development Committee for further discussion and debate.
Some councilors expressed confusion over seeing such proposals as one from Hecate Energy of Chicago repeatedly appear on board agendas only to see the matters postponed. They learned then-Economic Development and Planning Director William Pillsbury Jr. last year simply submitted a battery energy storage system ordinance to protect the city in case Hecate’s plan advanced. A stronger zoning ordinance is now being proposed.