S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6667
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 19, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations
 
 AN ACT establishing the New York state energy storage siting task force;
   and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration there-
   of

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Establishment and composition. 1. The department of  public
 service  shall convene an energy storage siting task force within ninety
 days of the effective date of this act, hereinafter "task force".
   2. The task force shall be composed of 15 members as follows:
   (a) the chair of the public service commission, or the chair's  desig-
 nee, who shall be the chair of the task force;
   (b) the commissioner of environmental conservation, or their designee;
   (c)  the  chair  of the New York state energy research and development
 authority, or their designee;
   (d) the commissioner of homeland security and emergency  services,  or
 their designee;
   (e) the secretary of state, or their designee;
   (f) the state fire administrator, or their designee;
   (g) five members appointed by the governor; and
   (h)  four  members  appointed by the legislature, two of whom shall be
 appointed by the  temporary  president  of  the  senate,  two  shall  be
 appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
   3.  Of  the  four members appointed to the task force by the temporary
 president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly,  the  temporary
 president  of  the  senate  and  the  speaker of the assembly shall each
 appoint:
   (a) One member who has a background or expertise in  fire  safety  and
 responding to and extinguishing fires; and
   (b)  One  member  who  represents  a  not-for-profit trade association
 representing the energy storage industry.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11056-02-5
 S. 6667                             2
 
   4. Of the five members appointed to the task force  by  the  governor,
 the governor shall appoint:
   (a)  one  member  who  has  a  background or expertise in clean energy
 siting; and
   (b) one member who has a background or expertise in building and  fire
 codes.
   §  2.  Compensation.  The  members  of the task force shall receive no
 compensation for their services but shall be allowed  their  actual  and
 necessary  expenses incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant
 to this act.
   § 3. Meetings. The task force shall meet at such times and  places  as
 may  be  determined by its chair. The task force shall meet at a minimum
 of six times per year. A majority of the members of such  council  shall
 constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of business. Action may be
 taken, and motions and resolutions adopted, at any meeting by the affir-
 mative vote of a majority of the full membership of the task force.
   § 4. Powers and duties. The task force shall:
   1. Review the findings and recommendations of  the  Inter-Agency  Fire
 Safety  Working  Group,  summarize  other  current data and research and
 provide recommendations including any  recommendations  for  where  more
 data may be required;
   2.  Support  any  relevant  state  entity  in any regulatory processes
 related to energy storage while the task force exists;
   3. Create and distribute  materials  to  municipalities  and  industry
 professionals  regarding energy storage best practices for safety, which
 may include hazard detection systems, ventilation and cooling strategies
 for protecting against thermal runaway, fires and explosions, and recom-
 mendations for setbacks;
   4. Conduct a minimum of three public hearings for input annually;
   5. Issue an interim progress report at the end of the  first  year  of
 the  task  force's  operation. Such interim report shall be delivered to
 the governor and the legislature and be posted publicly on  the  depart-
 ment of public service's website; and
   6.  Issue  a  final  report  at the end of the second year of the task
 force's operation. Such final report shall be delivered to the  governor
 and  the legislature, and be posted publicly on the department of public
 service's website.
   § 5. Facilities and assistance. The department of public service shall
 provide the task force with such facilities, assistance and data as will
 enable the task force to carry out its powers and duties.  Additionally,
 all  other  agencies  of the state or subdivisions thereof shall, at the
 request of the chair, provide  the  task  force  with  such  facilities,
 assistance,  and  data  as  will  enable the task force to carry out its
 powers and duties.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire  and  be
 deemed repealed on the one hundred twentieth day after the submission of
 the  final  report  of  the  task  force  pursuant to subdivision six of
 section four of this act; provided that the chair of the public  service
 commission  shall  notify  the legislative bill drafting commission upon
 the occurrence of the submission of the final report of the  task  force
 pursuant  to  subdivision  six of section four of this act in order that
 the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective  data  base
 of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance
 of  effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and
 section 70-b of the public officers law.