A
KEEP
OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS
S
A
F
E
STOP Lithium BESS
in Santa Cruz County
Keep Our Neighborhoods Safe
STOP LITHIUM
BATTERY ENERGY
STORAGE SYSTEMS
(BESS) IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS
OUR MISSION
AWARENESS
Hidden Dangers
Raising awareness about the hidden dangers of lithium battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Our Community
Providing fact-based resources and presentations to inform local communities, governments, and businesses.
We Live Here
Empowering residents with the knowledge to take action against harmful developments in their neighborhoods.
ACTION
Safeguarding Our
Community
Safeguarding neighborhoods, schools, farms, businesses, churches, water and wildlife from the risks posed by lithium battery storage systems.
Disaster Prevention
Preventing potential dangers like fires, toxic fumes, and environmental contamination.
Keep Santa Cruz County Safe
Maintaining the safety and integrity of residential areas, farmland and natural habitats through organized community efforts.
ADVOCACY
Stronger Together
Leading community efforts to oppose the construction and operation of lithium BESS in residential areas.
Our Voices Matter
Collaborating with local and state agencies to influence policy and affect change.
Strength in Numbers
Mobilizing citizens to speak out, sign petitions, and participate in public forums to protect their homes and environment.
"To ensure safety, we need to eliminate thermal runaway, not simply mitigate the fire consequences."
"Unpacking Battery Safety..." – Transition, January 9, 2025
"Unpacking Battery Safety..." – Transition, January 9, 2025
LFP Batteries Are Dangerous, Warn Scientists
The 2nd generation, allegedly "safer" lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries planned for use in New Leaf Energy's proposed 200 MW battery energy storage facility (BESS) near Watsonville may be cheaper to produce, but they are not safe. The BESS industry sector's false 'best practice' narrative that promotes the LFP battery as the 'safer' and cheaper antidote to the nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery is not supported by scientific research. Scientists are warning that the 2nd Gen LFP battery is dangerous.
A peer-reviewed, scientific meta-analysis study published in the March 2024 issue of the Journal of Energy Storage examined 60 other scientific papers and concluded that LFP batteries present a greater flammability hazard, show a greater toxicity, producing significantly more of the highly toxic hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas, and have a greater risk of vapor cloud explosions than the nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) chemistry.
The BESS sector's and the lithium battery industry's efforts promoting the LFP battery as a safer and cheaper replacement for the NMC lithium battery have escalated in the aftermath of the 250-foot-tall inferno, fed by NMC lithium batteries, that demolished Vistra's Moss Landing BESS 300 in January of 2025.
The authors of the meta-analysis described the popular and incorrect belief in LFP being the “safest” battery as stemming from "typical abuse tests (overheating, penetration, etc.) due to LFP having lower maximum temperatures and heat generation or based on the absence of visible sparks and flames." The study's authors further cautioned that "it is unwise to categorize the safety of a battery system based on the abuse tests of cells that do not account for the explosion of the off-gas (and its toxicity) or the influence of the battery system design on failure behavior."
At a California State Fire Alarm Advisory Committee (FAAC) meeting in February of 2025, committee members, as advisors to the State Fire Marshal, spoke to potential BESS design failures, stating that they have seen many BESS containers shipped in with pre-installed and unlisted fire alarm equipment installed by a non-licensed integrator or installer. Other potential design failure factors mentioned included container equipment exceeding its warranty period due to length of time spent waiting on the docks on ships, and a 50 percent failure rate at point of inspection.
The lithium-based battery energy storage industry is self-policing and has not produced a complete and accurate record of facility failures and fires. The industry-tied Palo Alto based Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI) has compiled an incomplete list that frequently fails to identify the specific type of lithium battery chemistry that failed or burned.
Neermoor, Germany. April 2024.
In April of 2024 in Neermoor, a small town in northern Germany, containerized LFP battery energy storage exploded and burned for 10 hours. Two firefighters were injured, the nearby highway was closed for six hours and the town's residents were told to close their windows and doors.
In April of 2021 in Beijing China, a shopping mall rooftop co-located solar panel and LFP battery energy storage exploded and burned for over 10 hours. Two firefighters were killed and a third injured. The fire involved 235 fire-fighters, 47 trucks, and 15 stations.
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"Unpacking Battery Safety..." – Transition, January 9, 2025
AdThe first of three lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) installations planned by the County is being proposed for 90 Minto Road – a 14-16 acre 200 MW/ 800 MWh industrial-scale BESS.d paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
"Unpacking Battery Safety..." – Transition, January 9, 2025
We are you. We live here. This is our community.
As residents of Santa Cruz County, of this shared space, we stand together with one common goal: to protect what matters most — our neighborhoods, schools, families, farms, businesses, churches, water and the wildlife that calls this place home. We are the stewards of a rich tradition that has created a vibrantly diverse and creative community in an astoundingly beautiful county that has 14 state parks, 29 miles of iconic beaches, over 47,000 acres of precious farmland of which 25 percent is certified organic, the highest county percentage in the state, and 14,000 acres in the Land Trust conservancy.
The growing threat of lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) planned for three locations on a 15-mile stretch in the second smallest county in the state threatens everything we’ve worked to preserve. These facilities come with the risk of fires, toxic fumes and ash, and soil and water contamination, all of which could devastate our environment, our health, and the future of our community.
We’re not just bystanders; we’re actively organizing, educating, and advocating for change. Through our collective efforts, we aim to protect our community and ensure our voices are heard by local governments, businesses, and organizations. Join us, and let’s safeguard what makes our home truly special — together.
Take Action!
Keep Our
Community
Safe!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Read about the hidden risks of lithium-ion battery storage.
Read about why lithium-ion (LFP) batteries are dangerous from five peer reviewed scientific papers, excerpted.
Read about potential medical consequences of lithium-ion battery energy storage fire, Dr. David Gelmont, USC.
Forward this information to your contacts – let's ensure the residents of Santa Cruz County and beyond are fully informed.
For a thorough update on Vistra's ongoing toxic battery fire disaster at Moss Landing, see
Some of the organic farms within a 3-mile radius.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW BESS REZONING
ORDINANCE AND THE FIRST BESS PROJECT
Right next to homes — 500 and 750 ft from the closest residences
New Leaf Energy proposes to construct an industrial-scale lithium battery energy storage system (BESS) for the applicant Sequoia Energy Storage 1, LLC on unincorporated apple orchard land next to and uphill from College Lake. The approximately 14-16 acre project site is located at 90 Minto Road — its concrete footprint approximately 10-12 football fields. The closest neighborhoods to the facility are 500 and 750 feet away, essentially the length of an average city block. The BESS would be capable of storing up to 200 MW of electricity for four hours — up to 800 MW hours (MWh). The proposed energy storage project would be composed of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, inverters, one water tank and other associated equipment. To date, New Leaf Energy has stated that they are not the owner or operator of the BESS. They are only the project integrator, designing and installing the BESS. To date, there has not been a clear statement provided by the County identifying either the long-term owner or operator of the BESS and no clear statement about whether the land will be leased or owned by the operator.
The county has initiated but not completed, approved or adopted a new type of zoning specifically for BESS installations planned on unincorporated county land at three locations, next to existing transmission substations: behind Dominican Hospital, across from Aptos High school on Freedom and at 90 Minto Road. Although New Leaf Energy is issuing public statements claiming that the site at 90 Minto Road is the only viable one, the county has made no official statement confirming this or indicating that they are changing their initial BESS zoning Ordinance draft, which includes all three locations.
WE ADVOCATE FOR THREE PRIORITIES FOR THE COUNTY
Pass an Urgency Ordinance to implement a temporary moratorium on BESS projects in Santa Cruz County.
Moratoria have been enacted in:
Escondido
City of Morro Bay
Vacaville
San Juan Capistrano
Solano County
Unincorporated Orange County
Convene an impartial Technical Advisory Group or Task Force Panel of battery science experts, fire and first responders, experts in non-flammable and non-explosive battery energy storage technology and environmental regulation, and community members to advise County Planning staff in writing a BESS Ordinance that makes health and safety for our residents and environment a priority.
Hold a town hall public forum as soon as possible and before the September 9, 2025 Board of Supervisors' postponed con-sideration of the new Energy Storage (ES) Combining District Ordinance (postponement outlined in the Board minutes and Executive Summary of April 8, 2025) and then hold a series of properly noticed public meetings focused on this critical concern.
BESS Fire Safety Symposium
Thursday, July 24 7:30 am – 5:00 pm
Sacramento/CA Natural Resources Agency
• REGISTRATION LINK:
https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/code-development-and-analysis/battery-energy-storage-systems
• PLEASE NOTE that in-person registration is now full, but you can still register to attend virtually and be part of the experience from anywhere.
• AGENDA LINK:
• plan strategy for Commission on the Environment Public
Workshop July 30 on "Battery Technology Innovations, Fire
Prevention and Emergency Response"
• action teams/ neighborhood outreach groups next concrete steps
• Mailchimp set-up next concrete steps
• schedule writing meeting for expanded talking points/ word track
list and alternative letter templates
• direct bulk mail media campaign next concrete steps
• tabling letters/petitions at New Leaf/Whole Foods/ farmers markets
Hope to see everyone there!
• UPDATES on lithium battery energy storage sites (BESS)
planned for ➢ 90 Minto Road (near College and Pinto Lakes)
➢ across from Aptos High School on Freedom Blvd.
➢ behind Dominican Hospital on Houts Drive
• PRESENTATION
➢ panel discussion featuring environmental justice,
university, research and fire fighting experts in
BESS
• Q and A
• MEET IN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS FOR LETTER AND PETITION
SIGNING
Hope to see everyone there!
UPCOMING EVENTS
