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Public Hearing Correspondence - 6-6-2022
e.btic/‘avi,17eye-f11CTheresidentsofthiscommunity,acrossfromtheRiverViewParkontheCedarRivet,aregratefulthatyouMr.Mayor,CouncilmembersandotherCityStaffhaveheardourconcernsregardingthepre-applicationforaBatteryEnergyStorageSystem(BESS).Thisisa‘Grid-sized,’9.3acresoflithium-ionMegapacks,andwouldsit50’behindourmodesthomes,withatotalfootprintof16acres.AsaresultofhearingourconcernsyoupassedanordinanceplacingamoratoriumonBESSinRenton.Wethankyouforthisandsupportthemoratorium.**BESShazardousinstallationshavenoplace50’fromresidentialcommunities,fromfamiliesenjoyingthesafetyandsecurityoftheirhomes,wherechildrenplay.TherearemanydocumentedinstancesofthermalrunawayinvolvingBESS,including,overheating,firesandtoxicgasemissions.Batteryfiresareveryhardtocontrolandtakehundredsofthousandsofgallonsofwatertocontrol.TherearerecordedincidentsofproblemsasrecentlyasFebruaryandAprilofthisyearintheUSinvolvingthebreakdownofsafetymeasures,softwaremalfunctionsandoverheatingbatterypacks.AsyouknowtherearenoBESSinstallationsinWAstate,andintheUSmostareawayfromhabitation,andinisolatedlocations.ThoroughandadequateregulationshavelaggedbehindtheexplosionofBESS.Theallegedstructuralsafetydesignsandguidelines,andsoftwareprogramscontinuetohaveproblems.SUMMARY.Therearemanyelementsabouttheinvolvedparcelthatwouldmakeitdifficult,ifnotimpossibletoproceedtopermitting.ThedesignationisResourceConservation(Rural)Zoning:LDSF.LowDensitySingleFamily.(1unit/lOacres).Thisparcelalsoconsistsofcriticalandsensitiveareasthatinclude;Densewoodland,slidehazard,Zone1aquifer,2documentedstreams,awetlandandisacrossfromtheCedarRiver.ThisBESSwouldresultintotaldestructionofthisnaturalarea,wild-lifecorridorandputourcommunityatriskThisproposedinstallationisNON-CONFORMINGtothelanduseoutlinedforthisparcel,andittakesup100%ofthebuildablearea,whereonly35%isallowed.BESSshouldbeinlocationsdesignatedforindustrialinstallations,andwelldistancedfromcommunities,habitationandcriticalandsensitiveareas.Weaskthatyourefusethispre-applicationfrommovingforwardtopermittingonthisparcel,andanymodificationthatmightinvolveasmallerfootprint.Weareoptimisticthatthisproposalwillbe,rejectedbythecityasinappropriateforthislocationduetolanduserestrictions,criticalandsensitiveareas,landslidehazardandbecauseofitsproximitytoourcommunityofmodesthomessince1943,andthatanyproposedmodificationofthispre-applicationforthesamereasons.WebelieveinGreenEnergy,butnotifitthreatenscommunities,families,theenvironment,wildlifeandourwaterways.Thankyou.NicolaRobinsonCITYOFRENTONJUN062022RECEIVEDCITYCLERK’SOFFICE PuL(’tIv”CITYOFRENTONUN062022vIce’’i’/‘4-1RentonCityCouncilRECEIVED1055S.GradyWay,Floor7)V,v1,Hytt/i1c_iCITYCLERK’SOFFICERenton,WA98057DearHonorableMayorandCouncilmembers,IwritetodayonbehalfofTenaska,anenergygenerationanddevelopmentcompanythattakesprideinworkingwithavarietyofcustomersandstakeholderstodeliverinnovationandvalueforenergysystemsthatserveourcommunitiesandeconomy.Tenaskahasproposedanapproximately$250millionbatteryenergystoragesystem(BESS)projectwithintheCityofRentonthatwillcreatejobsandnewrevenueforthecommunity,increasethesecurityandresiliencyofyourelectricalgrid,andpositionthecityasaleaderinWashington’sfighttocombatclimatechangeandrealizeacarbon-freefuture.Whilewepreviouslyfiledpre-applicationmaterialswhichwouldtypicallyinitiatearobustpermittingprocess,werespecttheCity’sdesiretobetterunderstandthetechnologyandareavailabletohelpprovideinformationandshareourexpertiseastheprocessmovesforward.Rentonhasalreadytakenimportantstepstowardsecuringastrongenergyfutureforyourconstituents,startingwiththeadoptionofaCleanEconomyStrategy(CES)in2010thatincludedthegoalto“Identitynewinitiativesforacompetitive,cleanlocaleconomyandfulfillRenton’scommitmenttostay“aheadofthecurve.”TheCESstrategyupdatecurrentlyunderway,CES2.0,iscriticaltomeetingthejointcommitmentsoftheKingCounty-CitiesClimateCommitment(KC4)agreementandnewupdatestobringKC4intocompliancewiththeWashingtonstateCleanEnergyTransformationAct(CETA).WebelievebatterystorageprojectsareuniquelywellsuitedtohelpyoumeetyouestablishedpolicygoalsofCES2.0andCETAwhilepositioningRentontobenefiteconomicallyinboththenearandlong-term.Giventhatutility-scalebatteryenergystoragesystemsarerelativelynewinWashingtonstate,Tenaskastandsreadytosupportanyfurtherprovisionofinformationoftherolebatterystorageplaysinthesecomplexissues.WerecognizethisisonlyoneofmanycomplexpolicyissuestheRentonCityCouncilfaceseverydayandweappreciateyourpublicservice.Tenaskaalwaysworkswithallstakeholdersingoodfaithandseekstobuildtrustthroughtransparency,goodlistening,andsharedaction.WehopetodemonstratethiscommitmentthroughcontinueddialogueandengagementinwhatevermannerismosthelpfultotheCity.Thanks-