OAKHAM, Mass. — Along with other communities around the state, Oakham is fighting a proposed lithium-ion battery storage facility that some advocates say could contaminate drinking water for millions of Massachusetts residents.
Shawn Seeley grew up a mile from the proposed site along Coldbrook Road and is also a member of the Oakham Conservation Commission. He said the 180-megawatt project would sit near the Ware River Watershed, part of the Quabbin Reservoir system.
“This is a safety hazard for the entire state,” Seeley said. “It would contaminate our wells, but it would also contaminate the drinking water all the way to Boston.”
The Oakham native said the site would disrupt wetland connectivity, which is the foundation of clean water. Seeley, who graduated from Worcester State University with a degree in Environmental Science, explained that the forests and wetlands naturally filter our drinking water as it moves downstream, which is especially important in Oakham because each resident has a private groundwater-sourced well, connected to the Quabbin watershed. He says forest and wetland removal in Oakham would impact the entire interconnected landscape that is relied upon for clean drinking water.
Seeley explained there are also concerns for the critical wildlife habitats on the property for rare and declining species, called vernal pools.
“These species can’t survive anywhere else,” Seeley said. “This is a really important place for these species to survive, and this property is part of their habitat. Three vernal pools on one property, that is pretty significant.”
Seeley said he’s not against clean energy, just the location and the potential danger if something goes wrong. Even Oakham’s fire chief, Tim Howe, has spoken out against it.
“I feel that if this what put in, I can’t tell the citizens that if something happens, we can deal with it,” Chief Howe said. “It’s not because of the capabilities of the men and women of Oakham fire; it’s just we don’t have the resources.”
The company behind the plan, Rhynland Energy, said it will meet or exceed all safety standards and was designed to avoid and minimize the environmental impacts. They said these facilities can have positive environmental impacts, helping reduce energy emissions.
The site, a former salvage yard, is currently under review by the Massachusetts Energy Siting Board.
Chief Howe explained that Oakham has a bylaw against these kinds of facilities, but new state regulations overpower it.
“With these new regulations, we were told that our bylaws don’t matter, and I think a lot of residents are hurt because their voice isn’t heard,” Chief Howe said. “Now we’re being told we don’t have a say in our own community, protecting our own community.”
Due to the state’s clean-energy law passed last year, the battery project doesn’t need local zoning approval, only state review. That leaves some residents feeling powerless.
“We can’t claim to be fighting climate change and at the same time destroy the ecosystems that are going to help us adapt to it and the ecosystems that sustain us,” Seeley said.
A state hearing on the proposal is expected later this year, but residents have until Oct. 30 to submit for the public comment period.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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