Amherst Committee Reviews 600‑Foot Setback for Battery Storage in Clean Energy Bylaw

Amherst’s Planning Board and Community Resources Committee reviewed a draft clean energy bylaw that would require a 600‑foot setback for battery energy storage systems and defer projects over 25 MW solar or 100 MW storage to state permitting. Committee members labeled the local approach a “unique snowflake” relative to the state model. The review covered only the first half of the 20‑page draft, with a follow‑up meeting scheduled for June 3.

The joint hearing on May 20, 2026 covered the first half of a 20‑page draft that originated from a 2022 Solar Bylaw Working Group and was taken up by the Community Resources Committee in 2024. New state rules now mandate that any solar installation exceeding 25 megawatts or battery storage exceeding 100 megawatts receive state permits, pushing municipalities to align local bylaws by October 2026. Amherst’s draft attempts to incorporate those thresholds while adding local safeguards, such as protecting drinking‑water supplies.

The bylaw includes a 600‑foot setback for battery energy storage systems, and solar installations over 25 MW or battery storage over 100 MW will be state‑permitted. Johanna Neumann called the proposed Amherst‑specific clean energy bylaw a “unique snowflake bylaw.” She noted that while the state model requires a 200‑foot no‑disturbance zone near drinking water, the local draft imposes a larger setback for storage facilities.

If adopted, the bylaw would give Amherst tighter control over where large battery systems can be sited, potentially limiting development near residential areas or wells. Developers would still need state approval for utility‑scale solar and storage projects, but local review would apply to smaller installations and to the setback rule. The split jurisdiction could streamline permitting for some projects while adding complexity for others that straddle local and state thresholds.

The committee will reconvene on June 3 to finish reviewing the draft, after which the proposal goes to the town attorney for legal review. A final vote by the Town Council will follow.