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Johnstown has extended its moratorium on battery energy storage facilities and wind farms for 12 months to develop a comprehensive plan, which will take 18 months. The town board voted 4-0 to allocate up to $62,090 to Community Planning and Environmental Associates for this effort.

Fire safety concerns, due to four battery energy storage system fires in New York in 2023, have influenced regulatory actions. The EPA reports a significant decline in fire rates since 2018. Johnstown's last comprehensive plan was completed in 2004, and the town aims to address zoning and regulation challenges with this new initiative.