Project Document
Inaugural Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) Meeting
Official Meeting Minutes — June 3, 2026
Published: June 3, 2026
Meeting Overview
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Date & Time | June 3, 2026 — 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Location | Charlton Public Library, Community Meeting Room |
| Facilitator | Wes Shaffer, Director of Planning & Engagement, ESA Solar |
| ESA Attendees | Wes Shaffer; Jonathan Santiago, Development Associate; Ernest Calderon, Communications Manager |
| Charlton Fire Representatives | Chief Rob Barton, Inspector Jeff Clark |
| Community Attendees | Laurie Degnan, Pat Stockwell, Jeanne Costello, Anthony Aube, Michelle Chalinous, Don Clay, Sharon Dube, Alan Dube, Patricia Ebbeling |
1. Background & Purpose
ESA Solar convened the first meeting of the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Carpenter Hill Power project, a proposed 150 MW / 600 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at 131 Carpenter Hill Road, Charlton, Massachusetts.
The CAC is a voluntary advisory body convened by ESA Solar as part of pre-filing community engagement under 980 CMR 16.00. Participation on the committee does not imply support for or endorsement of the project.
The meeting opened with introductions, a discussion of Charlton's community identity, a project overview, Q&A on technical and safety topics, and a community priorities listening session.
2. Community Identity & Developer Expectations
Participants discussed Charlton's unique community character and outlined expectations for developer engagement:
- Community Character: Committee members highlighted Charlton's agricultural roots, working lands, forest canopy, and rural landscape. Preservation of the tree canopy was framed as a primary concern. The town's historical innovations (including mill heritage and Clara Barton's legacy) were cited as central to the local identity.
- Developer Expectations: Expected transparency, genuine two-way communication, and active listening. Committee members emphasized that Charlton already contributes significantly to regional clean energy infrastructure and that local benefits, hiring, and fair compensation should reflect this contribution.
3. Siting and Siting Equity
Participants expressed concerns about the state's unified permitting process (EFSB) and its preemption of local bylaws:
- Zoning & Siting Equity: Committee members expressed a desire for a siting framework where the hosting of energy infrastructure is shared equitably across all Massachusetts cities and towns.
- Cumulative Burden: Noted that Charlton hosts multiple energy generation and storage projects, but residents do not see direct utility rate reductions.
- State Siting Framework: ESA representatives acknowledged the local impact of state-level permitting acceleration and explained the state's interest in resolving long interconnection study backlogs.
4. Technical Specifications & Footprint
The committee reviewed the physical and technical specifications of the proposed facility:
- Acreage vs. Footprint: Wes Shaffer clarified that while the project parcel is just over 47 acres, the leased area is 15 acres (an interconnection requirement), the fenced BESS equipment area will be about 5 acres or less, and total site clearing will not exceed 10 acres. ESA committed to clarifying these definitions on the website.
- Tree Clearing: Discussed current municipal clearing limits (30% cap designed for solar) and whether BESS projects should meet different local buffer expectations.
- Interconnection: The facility will connect to the adjacent Carpenter Hill Substation via a project-specific step-up substation, utilizing existing high-voltage transmission lines.
- Phased Construction: Battery containers will be transported via flatbed truck and craned into place. A full traffic management plan will be submitted during construction planning.
- Sturbridge Project Status: Confirmed that the Sturbridge Road project is inactive ("on ice") due to insufficient substation capacity.
- ESA Development Model: Clarified that ESA Solar is a pre-development company that secures sites and permits, then transfers them to long-term owner-operators. All permit conditions and community benefit agreements run with the land and are legally binding on future owners. Similar pre-development projects in Michigan and Texas were noted.
5. Safety & Emergency Response
Safety and fire protection protocols were key topics of discussion:
- Emergency Action Plan (EAP): Chief Rob Barton and Inspector Jeff Clark confirmed they are in early-stage talks with ESA Solar. The EAP will be built from NFPA minimum standards, tailored to Charlton's specific department equipment and training capabilities, and incorporate mutual aid provisions.
- Thermal Runaway & Siting Safety: A participant asked about historical incidents. ESA highlighted that the EPRI Battery Failure Incident Database is public and shows that the majority of BESS incidents occur during early commissioning and testing phases. ESA confirmed all Megapack units are UL-certified and stress-tested.
- Fire Safety Webinar: Confirmed a public webinar on fire safety with third-party consultant Jim McDowell is scheduled for August.
6. Community Benefit Priorities
During the listening session, participants identified the following priorities for the Community Benefits Plan (CBP):
- Senior Center: Support for a Senior Center feasibility study or capital development.
- PILOT Program: Implementing a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) host agreement to offset changes in property tax structure.
- Tree Mitigation & Conservation: Establishing a fund for tree replanting or conservation land acquisition, with potential partners like Opacum Land Trust, Charlton Heritage Preservation Trust, Mass Audubon, or The Trustees.
- Local Labor: Prioritizing local trades and local hiring during the construction phase.
- Post-Construction Review: Implementing a structured 5-to-10-year post-construction review involving local emergency services, planning, health, and public works departments to monitor ongoing community impact.
7. Action Items & Next Steps
The project team committed to the following next steps:
- Clarify the 10-acre clearing limit and the 47-acre parcel size on the project website.
- Research PILOT structures used for BESS projects in other Massachusetts municipalities.
- Prepare a clear guide explaining how project commitments travel with the land during developer transitions.
- Coordinate the upcoming public fire safety webinar.
- Research regional energy hosting statistics and distribution data.
- Identify candidate partners for the tree mitigation and conservation fund.