UPDATE: Do NOT contribute to change.org.  Save your financial donations to assist those affected by the flooding.

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We, the citizens of Lamar County and surrounding areas, raise concerns about the proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). These facilities are proven to pose real risks to our environment, health, and local economy. 

In 2012, a similar BESS facility in Hawaii led to a fire which lasted for three days, underscoring the potential risks associated with such installations (source: Energy Storage Association).

In 2023 there were 3 fires at separate storage facilities in NY state alone. 

Earlier this year, a fire at Vistra’s Moss Landing site in California forced the evacuation of 1,200 residents. In 2024 another fire in Escondido, California, forced the evacuation of 1,500 homes and 500 businesses. In New York, a new battery facility caught fire just a month after it was built. And these fires aren’t just here in the USA, they are happening in every country where these systems are installed.

If these sites are allowed in Lamar County, our volunteer firefighters will be the ones responding. They are brave — but they do not have the equipment or training for battery explosions and gas leaks. The companies behind these sites are not offering to upgrade our fire trucks, extend water lines, or install better cell towers. They will walk away with federal subsidies and tax breaks while we hold the risk.

These facilities will drive down nearby property values. They endanger ranching, agriculture, and livestock. The land will never be the same if there’s an incident. No one asked us if we wanted this. There was no public vote. No fair warning. Just quiet deals and fast permits.

Therefore, we demand the following actions be taken immediately:
1.  Deny all tax abatements or incentives for BESS development.
2.  Reject permits for any BESS sites near homes, farms, schools, or critical infrastructure.
3.  Form a 391 Commission to formally research and plan projects like these.
4.  Define safe distances for residences, pipelines and utilities, water bodies, and agricultural land; then prohibit battery facilities within these distances.