A standing-room-only crowd sent a message to Oshtemo Township Board members. Industrial battery storage does not belong next to farms, wells, and wetlands.

"Being quiet is not the answer. We know that stepping up is."

That was the message from Katie Schneider, co-owner of Little Pistol Farms and a lead organizer against a proposed battery energy storage system on S. Van Kal Street in Oshtemo Township. Schneider spoke at a rally on June 8 that drew more than 100 neighbors to the farm adjacent to the proposed site, according to News Channel 3.

The rally followed two major community events in Oshtemo this week. Over 100 residents from Oshtemo, Almena, and Mattawan filled Oshtemo Township Hall on June 4 for a standing-room-only community conversation, according to a press release from Citizens for Responsible Energy Development Southwest Michigan. Then dozens more packed the June 9 Township Board meeting, where the public comment period stretched past 40 minutes, according to Public Media Network reporter Matt Schuster.

What the proposed facility is and why residents are fighting it

A battery energy storage system, or BESS, is a large-scale industrial installation that stores electricity from solar or wind sources and discharges it back to the grid during peak demand. The developer identified for the Van Kal site is NewEdge Renewable Power, an out-of-state company that has stated plans to submit a formal application in the second half of 2026, according to News Channel 3.

Residents raised several specific concerns at both meetings, according to the two outlets:

  • Fire risk. Multiple residents described lithium-ion battery fires as unable to be extinguished with water or foam. One resident with an electrical background cited a California facility fire that burned and reignited for 35 days, leaving toxic residue across the surrounding area, according to Public Media Network.
  • Environmental proximity. The proposed site sits near the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery, the Mock Bird Sanctuary, private residential wells, an elementary school, and local farmland, according to Public Media Network and News Channel 3.
  • Property values. A resident and realtor cited national case studies showing home value declines for properties within several miles of similar facilities, according to News Channel 3.
  • Tree removal. One resident cited a figure of approximately 8,000 trees proposed for removal along Almena Drive, according to Public Media Network.

The legal trap: Why the township cannot simply say no

Under Michigan Public Act 233, if Oshtemo Township declines to regulate or rejects a BESS proposal, the developer has the right to take the application directly to the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) in Lansing for approval, according to Public Media Network. The MPSC has its own review process.

Oshtemo Township officials said they believe a locally developed ordinance would impose more stringent requirements than the state process would. "If this board simply says no and does nothing, they simply go to Lansing," the Township attorney said, according to Public Media Network.

The township is working to produce a compatible renewable energy ordinance that retains local authority over siting decisions. A one-year moratorium on accepting BESS applications was approved in November 2025. The moratorium could be extended, according to News Channel 3.

The board admits it did not communicate well

Trustee Kristin Cole addressed the public directly after the June 9 comment period closed. She acknowledged the Township had not communicated well with residents early in the process.

"We are not in support of these facilities," Cole said, adding that every board member shares the safety and environmental concerns residents raised. "We have not done a great job of it initially. A hundred percent I own that."

Cole encouraged residents to attend Township community forums and directed them to the Township website, which includes a dedicated section on PA 233 and the BESS proposal, according to Public Media Network.

Transparency questions emerge

Board members stated that the developer was watching the June 4 meeting in real time. However, residents noted that the public was not offered the same livestream access. Community members raised concerns about transparency and whether residents were being given the same opportunity to participate and observe as the applicant, according to Citizens for Responsible Energy Development Southwest Michigan.

The June 11 Planning Commission meeting was cancelled, according to the group. The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 25 at 6 p.m.

Residents push for industrial-only zoning

A recurring theme across both meetings was a demand that any BESS facility be required by ordinance to be built in Oshtemo Township's industrial zone, not in agricultural or rural residential areas. Residents pointed out that the township recently adopted a master plan that retained and expanded its industrial zone, according to Public Media Network.

The neighborhood group Say No to BESS issued an open call for Southwest Michigan experts, including attorneys, realtors, engineers, and scientists, to get involved as the township considers what regulations to include in an ordinance, according to News Channel 3.

One resident told the crowd she had already obtained names of attorneys who have successfully challenged battery plant proposals in other communities and indicated legal action by residents was being considered, according to Public Media Network.

What happens next

The Oshtemo Township Planning Commission continues to work on a draft BESS ordinance. The Township hired an outside consultant with a master's degree in electrical engineering to help develop technical standards based on NFPA 855 and UL standards that govern battery storage installations, according to Public Media Network.

Residents plan to continue attending meetings and submitting written input. The deadline for the township is real. If a developer applies for siting approval before the township has a qualifying ordinance in place, the MPSC can step in and take over the decision, according to Public Media Network.

"We have a voice and we need to use them," said Robin Burpee, a St. Joseph County resident who has attended township meetings across the state to help organize community opposition, according to News Channel 3.