The Saline County Commission voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve regulations for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) after nearly two years of development by the county's planning and zoning commission.
Commissioners Shadwick, Grevas, and Weese voted in favor of the regulations, while Commissioners Hay and Sparks voted against.
The regulations establish parameters for future battery storage facilities in the county, though Planning and Zoning Administrator Tim Hamilton emphasized that Tuesday's vote was not on any specific project location.
"We're not okaying the battery plant. We're not okaying that. We're just okaying the process," Commissioner Shadwick said before the vote. "We're just saying that their two years [of work] is just a process. We're not okaying the application. The application hadn't even come to us yet."
Multiple area residents voiced concerns about safety risks associated with battery storage facilities, particularly regarding fire hazards, environmental contamination, and proximity to residential areas.
Commissioner Hay, who voted against the regulations, expressed concerns about three key issues: the 10-acre limit for facilities, setback requirements from residential areas, and liability insurance amounts.
"I still think we need to hold it and leave it at 10 acres," Hay said. "I still would like to see that half-mile setback from any residential, any schools. I think that's reasonable. And the last one is on the liability. I still don't feel that a million and a half dollars liability is right. I mean, I think anywhere between 8 and $10 million ought to be the liability."
According to Hamilton, the planning commission maintained shorter setbacks based on national standards and increased liability insurance to $1.5 million rather than the $8-10 million some commissioners had suggested.
Carolyn Sichley, a county resident, told commissioners that the planning commission "rejected the half-mile setback" recommendation, which she claimed "effectively says that three to four, five families living within a half mile don't matter."
Hunter Armstrong, a senior project manager for Plus Power, spoke in support of the regulations, stating they "carefully balance innovation, safety, and community interests."
The approved regulations include provisions for emergency notification requirements, decommissioning plans, and coordination with emergency management and fire districts.
Commissioners supporting the measure praised the planning commission's extensive work developing the regulations and clarified that their vote was not an approval of any specific battery project but rather establishing a regulatory framework for future applications.
