Tag: BESS

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

– April 17 radio interview: Update on Vistra Moss Landing battery fire with Ed Mitchell, Never Again Moss Landing

From Community Matters Host Becky Steinbruner:

“Community Matters” is returning to the air waves with an inaugural program  Friday, April 17 on KSCO Radio AM 1080 2pm-3pm.  

My honored Guest will be Mr. Ed Mitchell, Lead Investigator for Never Again Moss Landing, discussing the recent news that Vistra is decommissioning the Moss 100 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility in Moss Landing.  We will also talk about the latest news in the remediation  work at the Moss 300 BESS Fire  disaster site. https://neveragainmosslanding.org/

What IS going on in Moss Landing at the largest BESS facility in the world?

Call in and join the conversation.  831-479-1080.

Listen in on your AM radio  at 1080 or via the live stream app: https://ksco.com/listen/