Bill > A08141

This bill requires governmental entities involved in the siting process for battery energy storage systems (BESSs) to provide mandatory notice to elected state officials (specifically the state senator and assemblymember representing the district where the system is proposed) throughout the entire proposal process. The bill defines a battery energy storage system as a device or collection of devices capable of storing electrical energy for future use, with two tiers: tier one systems have an aggregate energy capacity of 600 kilowatt hours or less and use a single storage technology, while tier two systems have greater capacity or multiple storage technologies. The notice must be sent within ten business days of each filing, delivered via priority mail to the official's district office and by email to their official state government email address. The notice must include all filing contents, with limited allowances for redacting trade secrets. The bill specifies that certain technical details about the battery system (such as battery modules, management systems, and safety venting systems) cannot be redacted. Governmental entities that fail to provide timely notice can be penalized between $1,000 and $10,000 per day past the ten-day notification window. The bill applies to both standalone battery storage systems and those connected to renewable energy or transmission facilities, with exceptions for industrial and small-scale residential applications.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A8141