Battery energy storage facility at 90 Minto Road
Summary
Several speakers warned about Chinese-made lithium batteries planned for a Minto Road energy storage project, urging the county to stand firm on its battery ordinance and demanding thorough review.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 5
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Jun 30, 2026.
Impact analysis
Residents cited potential property value losses up to 30%, insurance difficulties, and county financial liability in a disaster.
Nearby residents and first responders if stricter battery safety rules are adopted.
Opponents argue nearby residents face fire and contamination risk from lithium battery facilities.
Mentions & discussions (5)
Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting - Jun 30, 2026
A large lithium battery storage facility proposed on agricultural land near Watsonville is now before the state Energy Commission after the developer pulled its county application. Supervisors pushed the county's draft safety rules to the state, demanded farmland replacement and community benefits, and must now watch a process they no longer control.
Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting - May 5, 2026
Callers urged the county to fast-track an independent EIR for the battery storage ordinance, ban flammable lithium chemistry, and require transparency about siting a facility near Watsonville in a low-income, mostly Latino area.
Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting - Apr 28, 2026
Roughly a dozen speakers demanded the county finish its battery energy storage ordinance rather than pause it, ban lithium chemistry in favor of alternatives like vanadium, and require independent soil testing at the proposed New Leaf Energy site on Minto Road near Watsonville. They argue 28,450 Latino residents live within two miles of the site.
Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting - Apr 14, 2026
Several speakers warned about Chinese-made lithium batteries planned for a Minto Road energy storage project, urging the county to stand firm on its battery ordinance and demanding thorough review.
Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting - Feb 10, 2026
Roughly 30 residents, most from Watsonville-area neighborhoods, urged the board to ban or restrict lithium battery energy storage facilities, citing the Moss Landing fire, proximity to schools and farmland, and Measure J protections. No battery item was on the agenda; the chair clarified no decision was being made that day.
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