Chamber President Testifies on Battery Storage, NYC Ferry Expansion
The Staten Island Chamber of Commerce continues to be a leading voice for policies that make Staten Island a better place to live, work, and do business. From transportation access to energy infrastructure, the Chamber regularly testifies before city and state agencies to ensure local concerns are heard and addressed.
Most recently, Chamber President & CEO Linda Baran presented testimony on two key issues shaping Staten Island’s future - the City’s proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) zoning framework and the NYC Ferry Expansion Plan - urging common-sense planning that balances progress with public safety, economic vitality, and quality of life.
The full testimony transcripts are available below.
October 28, 2025
Testimony by Linda M. Baran, President & CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce
The Committee on Economic Development
Economic Development Committee Hearing re: Ferry Operations and Waterfront Sustainability
Chair Farias and members of the Committee – thank you for the opportunity to testify on today’s oversight topic about ferry operations. As an island borough, Staten Island needs ferry service that is better connected to the rest of the network. Expanding and better connecting ferries isn’t just a transit fix, it’s a catalyst for local business growth, tourism, and waterfront activation.
Staten Islanders rely on limited and time-consuming commuting options to reach jobs, schools, and services across the city. Direct, reliable routes to Wall Street and Midtown (34th Street) would significantly cut travel times and expand access to the city’s largest employment centers. Expanded ferry service would also reduce congestion and open new pathways to business hubs and cultural destinations. As we’ve noted in prior testimony on EDC’s Ferry Optimization work, the system must connect Staten Island to more of the network, not just Lower Manhattan. We are encouraged that EDC’s plan restores the Staten Island to Brooklyn route, reviving a historic link between Bay Ridge and St. George. In order to do this, it’s paramount that not only resident feedback is considered but that commuting data is analyzed. This will ensure new landings and service patterns reflect real travel behavior and create meaningful improvements in access and economic opportunity for Staten Island residents and businesses.
We’re asking the Council to prioritize direct routes from Staten Island to Wall Street and Midtown and to work with EDC to embed those connections in the optimization plan. At the same time, the City should identify and fund new ferry landings so our neighborhoods have more than a single gateway. Service planning should be data driven, reflecting actual commuter demand and ridership patterns to ensure reliable, predictable schedules and a true network rather than isolated routes. These improvements would give workers faster, more dependable commutes and give families and visitors easier access to our waterfront assets, cutting real door to door travel time for Staten Islanders and strengthening the waterfront economy on both sides of the harbor.
Thank you Chair Farias and members of the Committee for the opportunity to testify today. The Chamber looks forward to continuing its work with the Council and EDC to deliver meaningful transit options to Staten Island residents and businesses.
October 28, 2025
Testimony by Linda M. Baran, President & CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce
Committee on Fire and Emergency Management
Fire & Emergency Management Committee Hearing re: Battery Energy Storage Facilities
Chair Ariola and members of the Committee – thank you for the opportunity to testify today on this important topic. Staten Island businesses want a resilient and modern grid, but Battery Energy Storage Facilities (BESS) must be planned and placed with realistic protections so we balance energy needs with safe, livable neighborhoods and commercial corridors.
Staten Island’s business community supports energy storage as part of a stronger and more resilient grid. However, the current as-of-right pathway and the pace at which these facilities are being approved bypass the level of review that most development projects must undergo. This rapid expansion without updated zoning protections creates gaps in safety, transparency, and fairness. Staten Island has carried disproportionate environmental burdens in the past, and placing facilities without community input risks repeating that pattern. The Chamber urges the creation of a clear permitting framework that ensures responsible siting, strengthens zoning safeguards, and strikes a balance between grid reliability, community safety, and the vitality of our local business corridors.
We’re asking the Council to replace the current as-of-right pathway with a review and permitting framework that evaluates safety, proximity to homes and schools, and impacts on business corridors. Residents and small businesses should receive early, transparent notice and real opportunities to weigh in before any BESS site is advanced. If such facilities are ultimately sited, they should come with enforceable safety standards, ongoing monitoring, and meaningful community investments that reflect the costs and concerns borne by Staten Island residents and small businesses, including potential effects on property values, insurance premiums, and neighborhood quality of life. Just as important, the City should balance land use so energy infrastructure does not crowd out the commercial and mixed-use development that sustains Staten Island’s jobs and foot traffic.
Thank you Chair Ariola and members of the committee for the opportunity to share the Chamber’s perspective on these projects. We look forward to continuing to work with the Council.