UPDATE 1/14/26 - URGENT ACTION ALERT — STOP A08378 / S5506 (ORES Fast-Track for Battery Storage)

Friends — two nearly identical bills are moving through the New York Legislature that would take local control away from towns and municipalities on battery storage siting and give fast-track permitting power to the state Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES):

Assembly Bill A08378 (Sponsored by Assemblymember Dana Levenberg)
Senate Bill S5506 (Sponsored by Senator Brian Kavanagh)

These bills would allow large battery energy storage facilities (25 MW and up) to bypass local zoning and permitting processes — meaning your town and planning boards could lose authority over where these industrial facilities are sited.

We need BOTH of these bills voted down — in the Assembly AND the Senate — to protect local control.

Please call or email these lawmakers today and tell them:
“I oppose A08378 / S5506 because these bills take away local land-use authority by fast-tracking major battery storage siting under ORES. My town must retain control over land-use decisions.”

Senator Pete Harckham (Chair of the State Senate Environmental Conservation Committee)
District office: (914) 241-4600
Email: harckham@nysenate.gov

Senate Contacts (S5506):
Senator Brian Kavanagh (Sponsor)
District Office Phone: (212) 298-5565
Email: kavanagh@nysenate.gov

Senator Patricia Fahy (Co-Sponsor)
District Office: (518) 455-2225

Email: fahy@nysenate.gov

Senator Robert Jackson (Co-Sponsor)
Albany office: (518) 455-2041
Email: jackson@nysenate.gov

Senator Rachel May (Co-Sponsor)
District office: (315) 478-8745
Email: may@nysenate.gov

Senator Christopher Ryan (Co-Sponsor)
Albany Office Phone: (518) 455-3511
Email: chrisryan@nysenate.gov

Senator Michelle Hinchey (Local elected Senator)
District phone: (845) 331-3810
Email: hinchey@nysenate.gov

Assembly Contacts (A08378):
Assemblymember Dana Levenberg (Sponsor of A08378)

District Office: (914) 941-1111
Email: levenbergd@nyassembly.gov

Assemblymember Karines Reyes (Co-sponsor of A08378)
District Office: (718) 931-2620
Email: reyesk@nyassembly.gov

Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha (Local Assemblymember)
District Office: (845) 338-9610
Email: shresthas@nyassembly.gov

DO THIS EVERY DAY:
Call during business hours
Leave a clear message opposing both bills

Sample message to say on voicemail:

“Hello, my name is ___ from ___ (town/city). I’m calling regarding A08378 / S5506. I oppose these bills because they strip local land-use authority and move large battery siting to a state fast-track process. Local communities must keep control over where industrial facilities are placed. Thank you.”

Only phone calls count!
Emails are easily ignored. Calls create pressure.

📞 Please call. Call again. And ask others to call.
Local control is on the line. This is not about clean energy. This is about who controls land use.

If these bills pass, the Hurley Lithium-ion battery project is a DONE DEAL. So please, make the calls!