New York gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman called Thursday for an immediate halt to battery storage facilities across the state until regulators can guarantee their safety.
Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, tied the proposal to a battery storage fire in East Hampton and alleged that contaminated runoff affected groundwater. His campaign release asserted that independent testing found PFAS chemicals but did not include the test results or other supporting documentation.
The candidate accused Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration of withholding information about the incident and placing its energy policy ahead of public health. Those allegations were presented as Blakeman's claims in the campaign statement.
Blakeman also cited radioactive waste in Niagara County and cleanup work at the former Grumman site in Bethpage as examples of what he described as state failures to protect drinking water.
He pledged to stop battery storage projects until safety concerns are addressed and state regulators are held accountable. Blakeman also repeated a campaign promise to cut utility bills in half if elected governor, though the release did not explain how he would accomplish that goal.
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