Officials Slam Decision On Middle Village Battery Facility
By MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
NineDot Energy announced Monday it will proceed with its proposed lithium-ion battery storage facility in Middle Village, rejecting alternative sites put forward by local leaders and drawing swift backlash from a coalition of elected officials who said they were “seriously disappointed” by the decision.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after residents and lawmakers rallied on Feb. 26 outside the proposed site at 64-30 69th Place, directly across from P.S. 128 and near a daycare, preschool and animal hospital.
In a joint statement, Council Member Phil Wong, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, State Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr., Assembly Member Andrew Hevesi, along with the Juniper Park Civic Association, the Middle Village Chamber of Commerce and the United Federation of Teachers, said they had worked with the company to identify a different location for the project.
“Our coalition is seriously disappointed with the decision by NineDot to move forward with this location,” the group said in the statement. “We engaged NineDot in good faith and supported what we believe was a reasonable alternative that would have addressed the concerns of residents while still allowing this type of infrastructure to move forward in a more appropriate location.”
The coalition added that it does not believe the alternative proposal “was legitimately considered.”
“From the beginning, our goal has been to work collaboratively and find a solution that balances energy needs with the safety and quality of life of the surrounding community,” the statement said. “We stand with the residents of Middle Village, the Juniper Park Civic Association, the Middle Village Chamber of Commerce, and the many local stakeholders who have raised serious concerns about placing this facility at the currently proposed site.”
“I appreciate our local officials standing with the community, but statements alone are not enough,” Paul Pogozelski, President of the Middle Village Property Owners and Residents Association said. “This situation demanded transparent, proactive leadership – legislation that would have stopped tone-deaf corporations and lobbyists from placing a lithium battery facility across from a school. Our community must unite, reach out to the full coalition of officials and union leaders, and demand that Ninedot address our concerns now. This is about protecting our neighborhoods and kids.”
NineDot Energy said it evaluated the proposed alternative locations but determined they were not viable.
“We spent the last few weeks reviewing Council Member Wong’s proposal for an alternative location, but determined this proposal was infeasible for the reasons detailed in the letter provided to him and other elected officials,” said a NineDot Energy spokesperson. “It’s disappointing that the Council Member says he will fight against bringing more reliable, more affordable, and cleaner energy to Middle Village. Like every one of our battery energy storage sites, our Middle Village project will fully adhere to the FDNY’s best-in-the-nation BESS safety standards. We will continue working with CM Wong, the community and other elected officials to clarify misinformation about battery systems.”
Battery energy storage systems store electricity for later use and are considered a key part of New York’s transition to renewable energy. Still, the proposed location in Middle Village has drawn sustained opposition from residents and local leaders who argue that placing the facility near a school and other community institutions is inappropriate for the neighborhood.
Local officials say they will continue pushing for a different outcome as community concerns persist.
