STOP THE RAPID ACT

The New York State RAPID Act (Renewable Action Through Project Interconnection and Deployment) (RAPID Act) was passed as part of the New York State budget and is already in effect. It is being used to accelerate approval of large-scale energy projects, including battery energy storage systems (BESS), through a centralized state-controlled process. This process is triggered when a project developer submits an application to the state to seek approval under this law.

Under this law, the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting (Office of Renewable Energy) has the authority to override local zoning if it determines those laws are “unreasonably burdensome.” In practice, this means local protections can be set aside, allowing projects to be approved at the state level even in areas where towns would otherwise restrict or prohibit them. This process is already being used across New York to fast-track projects on strict timelines, limiting meaningful local input.

This is why local zoning action now is critical. Once a developer places a project into the RAPID Act process, it becomes much harder for towns like the Town of Islip to stop or reshape it. The most effective way to protect our community is to update zoning codes before projects move into this state process. Without those protections in place ahead of time, decisions about what gets built—and where—may no longer be made locally.