Tag: BESS

– September 18, KSCO AM 1080: data center measure rejected by Santa Cruz County, new Moss Landing BESS fire, and more

From Becky Steinbruner:

I will be discussing the [Santa Cruz County] Board of Supervisor action to reject, by a vote of 3/2, putting a measure on the 2028 local ballot that would allow voters to approve data centers in Santa Cruz County should there be an application for permitting in the future. 
The item was proposed by Supervisor Justin Cummings. He is worried a data center could potentially be developed at the site of the former Cemex Plant in Davenport.

The California State Assembly just passed legislation, now headed for the State Senate, that would address energy demands of data centers, but not much else: https://tech.yahoo.com/general/article/the-house-just-passed-a-bipartisan-data-center-bill-what-the-ratepayer-protection-act-would–and-wouldnt–do-to-protect-consumers-from-rising-energy-costs-130000413.html

There has been a plan to build a data center, combined with a desalination plant, in Moss Landing (2010-2018), known as DeepWater Desal: DeepWater Desal aiming to build desalination plant in Moss Landing. It was to use sea water to cool the data center, and use the cooling water for desalination water supplies in the region.

[Also, land in King City is being sold as a data center site https://www.montereycountynow.com/svnow/news/council-candidate-sues-king-city-over-revoked-cannabis-permit-and-pitches-a-data-center/article_6b5898ab-de54-4570-b05a-ba8bf2af61bc.html]

What do you think about data centers?  What do you think about the Santa Cruz County Supervisors?

Call in! 831-479-1080. I have invited Supervisor Justin Cummings to phone in.
Listen in 2pm-3pm Pacific Time on KSCO Radio AM 1080 and FM 104.1, 95.7 & 107.9. KOMY AM 1340. or listen live online: http://www.ksco.com/
The program will be recorded and posted on the KSCO website: http://www.ksco.com/

******Also of note for discussion will be a town hall meeting by Second District  County Supervisor Kim DeSerpa to discuss the proposed “Village on the Green” Project in Aptos on the former Par 3 Golf Course that would bring two 6-story apartment buildings and about 200 three-story townhomes to that 13-acre parcel.

September 28, 2026 – 6:00 to 7:30 pm, Twin Lakes Church (2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Aptos) – Village on the Green Community Meeting
Let us know if you can make it

AND THEN……

Bratton on KSCO (6pm-7pm) Pacific Time
TOO MANY TOO TALL AND UGLY BUILDINGS IN SANTA CRUZ???

Host Gillian Greensite will be covering a variety of local political issues,  especially those involving over-development.

— How did the City of Santa Cruz fail to involve itself in the state wide effort by CA cities to take back local control from the State’s grab over land use issues?   
— How did the CA Coastal Commission turn its back on a small but significant environmental issue at its last meeting, held here in Santa Cruz?

Call in and join the conversation!  831-479-1080.
Listen in at 6pm-7pm Pacific Time on KSCO Radio AM 1080 and . FM 104.1, 95.7 & 107.9. KOMY AM 1340.  or listen live online: http://www.ksco.com/

The program will be recorded and posted on the Bratton on KSCO webpage: http://zbsradio.com/show_detail/id/126

– August 21, Santa Cruz County Supervisor Kim DeSerpa on KSCO

From Becky Steinbruner

Friday’s Guest on “Community Matters” (2pm-3pm Pacific Time) is Santa Cruz County Second District County Supervisor Ms. Kim DeSerpa.  

  • What are the challenges facing the Aptos, Capitola, Corralitos and Watsonville areas she represents? 
  • What is the latest news on the “Village on the Green” project in Aptos, with two apartment buildings six stories tall and nearly 200 three-story townhomes? 
  • What are her thoughts on regulating battery energy storage (BESS) facilities?  

Listen in!  Calls will be accepted at the discretion of Supervisor DeSerpa. 

You can listen live on KSCO Radio AM 1080 or live stream: http://www.ksco.com/

The program will be recorded and posted on the KSCO website: 
http://zbsradio.com/play-episode/id/24961/play-time/1

– Moss Landing Battery Fire Science Symposium, August 7

From Elkhorn Slough

Updated August 19, 2026

Moss Landing Battery Fire Science Symposium

Complete video recording playlist

Presentation abstracts, titles and links to specific recordings

7 August 2026 • 9 am to 4 pm 

Join us for a public symposium with presentations from scientists studying the impacts of the 2025 fire at the Vistra battery storage facility in Moss Landing. 

In-person attendance is sold out.
Please register to attend by Zoom at this link.

Presenters from EMBER will speak about metal concentrations in soils, water, and animals in Elkhorn Slough. Researchers from UCSC will report on metal concentrations in human hair and in dust and insects near residences, comparing values from areas near vs. far from the battery fire site. There will also be invited presentations from other researchers studying the fire. The presentations will be fairly technical but take-home messages will be summarized simply, and there will be ample time for questions from the audience. We also anticipate at least one panel discussion about lessons learned. 

Here are the agenda and presentation abstracts.

This symposium is hosted by EMBER (Estuary Monitoring of Battery Emissions and Residues resulting from the Moss Landing Battery Fire), with support from all partnering organizations – Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Elkhorn Slough Reserve and Foundation, Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory, Amah Mutsun Land Trust, and Monterey Bay Aquarium.

More about the Moss Landing Battery Fire and EMBER.

https://elkhornslough.org/reserve/research/firesymposium

– July 23, EPA answers questions on Vistra Moss Landing battery fire cleanup – Castroville Farmers Market

The US Environmental Protection Agency will have a booth at the North County Farmers’ Market July 23 on the Vistra battery storage fire and cleanup. They will have English and Spanish speakers .

Thursday, July 23
2-7 pm
North County Recreation Center
11261 Crane St.
Castroville
Free

https://www.epa.gov/ca/moss-landing-vistra-battery-fire

For community and independent information and investigations:
https://neveragainmosslanding.org

Watch the presentation by Dr. Kerstin Wasson on what Moss Landing Marine Laboratory, San Jose State University found
Monterey County Board of Supervisors hearing – beginning at 2:15:25
3:06:43 Dr. Kerstin Wasson, Ph.D EMBER ( Estuary Monitoring of Battery Emissions and Residues resulting from the Moss Landing battery fire)
4:20:12 Dr. Wasson answered questions
EMBER Powerpoint presentation 

– June 26: Two Moss Landing and Watsonville battery storage discussions on KSCO AM 1080

Friday 2-3 PM: KSCO Radio’s “Community Matters” guest Ms. Phoenix Artemesia, organizer of the public meeting this Sunday (2:30pm) in Pinto Lake City Park to inform people about the large Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project proposed for 90 Minto Road in Watsonville.  Join the conversation tomorrow as Phoenix discusses the event and BESS issues. 
Phoenix and others have worked hard to arrange for many informed speakers, including the Executive Director of the California Energy Commission (CEC), Mr. Drew Bohan, to attend this public meeting, organized by a grassroots group to inform people about the status of the Project.    The Project developers, New Leaf Energy / Sequoia Energy LLC  applied in May for Opt-In Certification with the CEC.  
Although the County will not be making the decision about whether to permit the Project or not, local opinion will carry great weight with the CEC staff in their deliberation.  

Attend  Sunday’s June 28  free event at Pinto Lake City Park at 2:30pm in the large gazebo near the Green Valley Road entrance.  Spanish translation will be available. 

Friday 6 PM: “Bratton on KSCO” Radio program will feature Guests Dr. Don Smith, UCSC Environmental Toxicologist, and Mr. Brian Roeder, representing “Never Again Moss Landing”

On January 16, 2025, the large Vistra Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility at Moss Landing had a thermal runaway problem that led to a massive fire lasting for days, erupting again in February. 
 What was in that smoke plume that traveled around the area?  Did the air that people breathed in the plume area include heavy metal contaminants?
Dr. Don Smith conducted a hair analysis study with more than 60 volunteers living in the Moss Landing area. He and Mr. Roeder discuss the investigation results.

AM 1080 on your radio or streaming live here:  http://www.ksco.com/

In related action, during their June 30 meeting, the County Board of Supervisors will again review the County’s Draft BESS Ordinance that outlines permitting requirements for large BESS projects like that proposed for 90 Minto Road, and includes a site near Aptos High School.

– PG&E to start major kV increase to electric grid corridors – south Santa Cruz County

Update 7/2/26:
Last week, one Santa Cruz County Supervisor’s office repeatedly reached out to PG&E for information on the project, but to date, PG&E has not responded to this county official.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

In a PG&E press release dated May 29, 2026, the company announced a “major power system upgrade” to south Santa Cruz County. PG&E will increase electrical capacity from 4 kV to 21 kV, and install higher capacity electrical cables above and below ground, transformers, and other equipment.

But in a notice to customers June 10, 2026 (p. 1, p. 2), PG&E gave no information on the planned changes, saying only that the company was replacing utility poles.

These upgrades appear to be linked to new battery energy storage (BESS) facilities planned near Watsonville on farmland and near a bird refuge, and another one next to Aptos High School, despite public objections.

All of this will come at an environmental price. And those who live near this equipment will be exposed to higher levels of EMF, which can cause health problems including leukemia.

The hazards of BESS and lack of public protections have been in sharp focus since the fires at the Moss Landing BESS in January and February 2024.

For information on health effects:
The Health Effects of EMF, ELF and Magnetic Fields from Power Lines and Electricity

– May 8: Community Matters KSCO discusses battery energy storage (BESS)

From Becky Steinbruner
Community Matters, KSCO

Listen in today, 2pm-3pm, on KSCO Radio (AM 1080) to “Community Matters”, where the conversation continues regarding the battery energy storage system (BESS) issues.  

What is happening with the 90 Minto Road project in Watsonville that would require massive excavation in areas adjacent to College Lake known to be sensitive archaeological areas amidst farmland and densely-populated working class neighborhoods?

What does it mean now that the developer is abandoning local permitting in favor of California Energy Commission permitting?  

What do we know about actions of other jurisdictions also examining new rules to allow large BESS facilities in their areas?

Tentative Guest will be Planning Dept. staff from the City of Vacaville, where the City Council enacted a new BESS Ordinance allowing only non-flammable battery technology to be used.  

Join the conversation!  Call 831-479-1080

Listen in on the radio or via the App:https://ksco.com/listen/

Please share this information.

Also…NEW on KSCO on Fridays, 6pm-7pm….Bratton Online Contributors go live on the air as a weekly program!  Listen in and join the conversation!
https://brattononline.com/

– May 1, “Community Matters” on KSCO Radio at 2pm: Air Quality Monitoring and the Moss Landing Battery Fire

From Becky Steinbruner
Host, Community Matters

My guest on this Friday’s “Community Matters” program on KSCO Radio (AM 1080) will be Mr. Richard Stedman, Air Pollution Control Officer for the Monterey Bay Air Resources District.  We will discuss the air quality monitoring that happened before, during and after the  Moss Landing Battery Fire that began on  January 16, 2025.  

What is happening now during the site clean-up work to ensure the air around Moss Landing is clean and safe for the public?

What did the Air District learn?  Should future large lithium battery energy storage system (BESS) projects have air monitoring equipment and protocols required?

What are your questions?  At Mr. Stedman’s discretion, we will take calls from the audience in the last half of the program.831-479-1080.

Listen in!  https://ksco.com/listen/

– April 26, Watsonville – Information meeting on SC New Leaf BESS proposal and draft county ordinance; Spanish translation provided

Sunday, April 26
2:30pm
Pinto Lake City Park, Watsonville

Information on the New Leaf lithium ion battery energy storage facility (BESS) proposal on Minto Road, the draft Santa Cruz County ordinance, and ways to take action.

Question: Why haven’t any of the Santa Cruz County Supervisors held a town hall meeting about the critical BESS issue??

https://www.stoplithiumbessinsantacruz.org/
https://www.change.org/p/stop-lithium-bess-at-90-minto-road-watsonville-detengan-la-bess-de-litio-en-90-minto-rd/u/34437424

Article on meeting February 28, 2026
https://pajaronian.com/meeting-highlights-downsides-of-bess-facilities/

– April 24: Update on Moss Landing Vistra fire and Santa Cruz battery storage, 2 PM PDT — KSCO Radio

Today’s “Community Matters” on KSCO Radio (AM 1080) is at 2pm-3pm and will feature continued discussion of the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) issues of the Moss Landing Vistra Fire site and also the impending new rules to allow grid-scale BESS facilities in Santa Cruz County.

Michael Polkabla, the Senior Certified Industrial Hygienist with BioMax Environmental Labs in Pacific Grove, will be calling in as a Guest for interview.

What was included in last Tuesday’s Monterey County Board of Supervisor staff update on the Moss Landing Vistra BESS fire remediation?  What was NOT included?

What is happening in Santa Cruz County regarding the large BESS project in permit process for 90 Minto Road in Watsonville?

Stop Lithium BESS in Santa Cruz County has a public meeting this Sunday, April 26, at 2:20pm at Pinto Lake City Park, ‘Watsonville to provide information and ways to take action.   Why haven’t any of the Santa Cruz County Supervisors held a town hall meeting about the critical BESS issue??

Listen in today on KSCO AM 1080 and JOIN THE CONVERSATION by calling 831-479-1080Listen in on your AM radio  at 1080 or via the live stream app: https://ksco.com/listen/

Take care,

Becky Steinbruner
Program Host