Question and Submission History

The project requires review and permits from several agencies at both the local and state levels. Locally, this includes the Charlton Conservation Commission (wetlands and stormwater review) and the Select Board (community benefits discussions). At the state level, it includes the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB consolidated permit), Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) office, and the Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (Natural Heritage/NHESP review). Each of these reviews is public. In the EFSB proceeding, residents can comment on the record, and community groups and the town can ask to intervene as full parties. The state's Intervenor Support Grant Program, run by the Department of Public Utilities, helps intervenor groups pay for the attorneys and technical experts that participation takes. The program page linked below has the eligibility rules and application details.

The state's Intervenor Support Grant Program funds attorneys, expert witnesses, and other participation costs for eligible community groups, nonprofits, and towns, up to $150,000 per group for each proceeding. The state decides eligibility, and the process starts after the application is filed. Details are at mass.gov/info-details/intervenor-support-grant-program. We have also been asked to support the cost of a negotiator for the town, which is not decided.

Water use, wastewater, and chemical storage. Water use details have not been published. The facility is not a power plant and is not expected to need an ongoing supply from the town's drinking water for normal operation. Wastewater and chemical storage information has not been published. The only significant liquid in each battery unit is the coolant in its cooling system, and the coolant type has not been specified. The hydrology and stormwater studies are committed and will be published.

Stormwater, wells, and aquifers. The design being developed uses basins sized for storm events, with a commitment to no net increase in runoff and no wetland fill. A hydrogeologic study with a well inventory is underway. The draft Community Benefits Plan proposes testing wells within 1,000 feet of the work limit, with baseline testing before construction and retesting during and after it.

Emergency response. The Emergency Action Plan is being built with Charlton Fire and will be reviewed by an independent reviewer the town selects and the project pays for. It is not published yet.

Independent review and monitoring. The Energy Facilities Siting Board conducts the state review, which includes public hearings and environmental review. An independent third-party review of the Emergency Action Plan is committed. A separate independent review of the groundwater study has not been committed. Groundwater monitoring at the site is committed, with its terms in writing before construction. The state's Intervenor Support Grant Program, up to $150,000 per group for each proceeding, can pay for expert witnesses.

Financial assurance and accountability. A decommissioning bond is required before construction and stays with the project through any change of ownership. Pollution liability insurance is to be carried during construction and operation, and Massachusetts law keeps cleanup responsibility with the site's owner. Permit conditions bind any future owner. The decommissioning bond covers removal and restoration so the cost does not fall to the town.

The process. The project is in the state's required pre-filing engagement phase, with public meetings, a Citizen Advisory Committee, published records, and a comment period on the draft Community Benefits Plan that runs into 2027. Every comment receives a written response. A cumulative impact analysis, which looks at what is already in the area, is part of the state process and is in preparation.