Weeks before the board of supervisors is scheduled to have the first hearing on a proposed battery storage ordinance, District 4 County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez hosted the informational town hall Monday night at Watsonville’s city hall. Residents came armed with questions — and concerns.
Battery storage
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Developer New Leaf assures Watsonville officials its battery storage project would meet safety standards
Massachusetts-based New Leaf Energy briefed the Watsonville City Council this week on details of its proposed $200 million battery storage facility, saying the project would meet all local and statewide requirements.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Newsom signs Laird’s battery storage safety bill in wake of Moss Landing fire
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a new law, authored by state Sen. John Laird, requiring battery storage developers to coordinate with local fire departments before submitting an application for their projects, following a massive fire at a facility in Moss Landing.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County supervisors will take up Watsonville battery storage plant safety issues Nov. 18
After the Moss Landing battery plant fire, New Leaf Energy’s plan to build a storage facility outside Watsonville has gotten more controversial. As Santa Cruz County’s environment commission finalizes its recommendations, the board of supervisors will decide how to move forward in November.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Ask Lookout: Is Santa Cruz County considering additional locations for battery storage facilities?
Santa Cruz County residents are concerned that the battery storage facility proposed outside Watsonville is not the only possible location within the county for battery storage. County officials and developers say the South County project is the only pending application and viable location.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Battery storage developer aims to advance Watsonville project before next summer, regardless of Santa Cruz County’s rules
Santa Cruz County supervisors postponed battery storage rules until August 2026, a delay that could push developer New Leaf Energy to sidestep local review and seek faster state approval for its $200 million project.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Do battery energy storage systems belong in our communities?
January’s fire at Moss Landing has fueled debate over whether battery energy storage systems belong in local communities. While safety concerns are real, national battery safety expert Matthew Paiss argues that modern BESS fires are rare in proportion to the numbers installed.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Boycott 3CE’s silent support of lithium battery energy storage in our neighborhoods
Local activist Becky Steinbruner says the public needs to boycott Central Coast Community Energy because its leadership refuses to be transparent or answer public questions about the company’s embrace of hazardous lithium battery energy storage facilities.
Posted inLatest News
EPA, Vistra reach agreement for urgent battery cleanup at Moss Landing fire site
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached an agreement with Vistra Corp. to remove lithium-ion batteries damaged by a massive fire at its Moss Landing facility in January.
Posted inLatest News
Next county battery storage workshop slated for July 30
The Santa Cruz Commission on the Environment will host the second in a series of public workshops on battery energy storage system technology on Tuesday, July 30.