TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE – The town is holding a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the zoning code that would allow a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to be sited in the town. The public hearing on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at Town Hall, will provide residents with an opportunity to express their opinions on the proposed amendment before the Town Board votes on the proposal.

The proposed change to the town’s zoning code can be found here .

Vassar College is seeking to place a BESS on a parcel of land it owns which is near Manchester Road and two wetland parcels.

The BESS systems have become controversial over the past few years, as companies saw them as an opportunity to purchase energy at a low rate, store it in a bank of lithium-ion batteries, and then sell

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