Thank you.

Okay, now is the time for and place for a public hearing.

Would the clerk please read the short title?

Yes, Madam President.

This public hearing is relative to a proposed six-month moratorium on our city zoning or permit approved of battery energy storage system within the city of Syracuse.

Thank you.

So before we start our meeting, uh some ground rules.

Everybody will have three minutes to state their point.

Please speak into the mic.

We have Carrie with us today.

She's gonna be our stenographer.

For her to take um effective notes, we need you to speak into the mic.

Okay.

And then for those who are maybe watching us through um WCNY, please if you need some comments, please make sure that you submit those to the office of the clerk before midnight tonight.

Um I think that's about it for now.

And oh, if you want to speak, there are yellow cards in the back of the room.

Please complete one and they'll bring it to us.

Okay.

So at this point, we want to call Dave uh Jake Desha to the mic.

Zoning administrator.

Uh good evening.

Uh I'm Jake Dishaw, Deputy Commissioner of Code Enforcement.

Uh just for clarification, I do want to reiterate that um the common council did vote this afternoon on a special use permit uh for a battery energy storage uh system facility on East Brighton.

Um two separate things.

Tonight's meeting is a public hearing uh where the common council will take public comments on the idea of a possible moratorium for battery energy storage systems, otherwise known as BESS or BES.

The idea of a moratorium would allow relevant city agencies such as code enforcement, zoning, fire prevention, planning and sustainability, DPW and engineering time to assess the benefits and also the public concerns associated with battery energy storage facilities and their placements within the city in regards to the siting of facilities, adverse environmental impacts, fire risk of lithium-ion batteries, decommissioning of facilities, and much more.

Local renewable energy systems, such as Van Buren's Community Solar Farm, provide Syracuse with clean electricity generation.

However, renewable energy systems are not perfect and rely on uncontrollable factors, such as the sun to shine and wind to blow.

To combat this problem with a sustainable solution, battery energy storage is the best system we have to do this.

These systems can draw energy from the grid when electricity prices are low, store it during periods of low demand, and redistribute it during times of peak usage.

By shifting energy use in this way, battery energy storage systems help reduce stress on the grid while providing a cleaner, healthier solution for meeting peak demands that benefit both the environment and surrounding communities.

Not to mention, when these batteries are no longer functioning, they will be properly disposed of or recycled.

The land can be then restored to how it previously was.

Currently, the systems we have in place to deal with peak demand are fossil fuel peaker plants, which are often located in marginalized communities like the plants in Sabay and Geddes.

Emissions from these plants radiate into the Syracuse community, worsening air quality.

These communities, including Syracuse, are at risk for asthma, lung cancer, and other respiratory related illnesses.

When fossil fuels are burned, there are contaminants, there are contaminants and microscopic particles emitted into the air in the surrounding communities.

By implementing battery storage energy systems, the harmful effects of fossil fuel plants like the ones in Salway and Gettys can be reduced.

Thank you for your comments.

Yes.

Thank you for your time.

If you want if you want to leave your your notes on the next, we're gonna have Rhea.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Can you please say your name, state your name and your address?

Always too high for me.

Rhea Jaser.

Uh greetings to you all and and congratulations on a wonderful election, may I say?

Um I'm here because I care deeply about the city of Syracuse.

Most of you know that.

I care about its residents, and I appreciate how much work you guys do to protect the citizens.

As many of you know, I've been involved in reducing the effects of climate change for decades.

Although cities are large contributors to climate change, they're also highly vulnerable to its impacts.

Cities, because of high density, are responsible for approximately 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate change has taken a disproportionate toll on cities and its inhabitants, with his enormous asthma, other health issue rates, and much damage to the infrastructure.

Cities face the most extreme impacts with the least resources to adapt to them.

Syracuse, however, is a model city and has been taking climate change seriously for a long time.

In partnership with SUNY ESF and the Federal Department of Energy, the city completed a sustainability plan in 2012 as part of the comprehensive plan, which is for 2040.

And I know that Mayor Owens is committed to work and update the sustainability plan.

The city is now given the opportunity to further its goal by increasing the use of renewable energy with the introduction of battery energy storage, which is essential, essential in the transition to a sustainable energy future.