Something alarming has unfolded in our neighborhood — something that should concern every Santa Clarita resident. What many believed to be a routine multifamily housing project has turned out to be far more dangerous: a lithium battery storage facility that threatens our community’s safety, health and future.  I am urgently requesting an immediate investigation into the lithium battery storage facility approved and constructed at 18358 Soledad Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. This facility represents a clear and present danger to public safety.  Most residents in Canyon Country were unaware of the true nature of this project. As construction progressed, neighbors casually assumed it was just another standard development. Few realized they were living next to what could potentially become an environmental and safety hazard.   A particularly troubling aspect of this facility is the lack of direct engagement with residents living within 1,000 feet of the site. The absence of engagement is not only a procedural failure but also an ethical one.  Lithium battery storage facilities are not just infrastructure — they’re potential catastrophes waiting to unleash devastating consequences. Recent incidents expose the terrifying reality of these so-called “green” energy solutions:  • Gateway Energy Storage Facility – Otay Mesa, California (May 2024): A nightmare unfolded when Rev Renewables’ 250-megawatt site erupted into a 17-day inferno. Lithium-ion batteries became an uncontrollable blaze, forcing comprehensive evacuation within a 1-mile radius. Hazardous materials teams battled toxic gas risks, revealing the catastrophic potential of these supposedly “safe” energy systems.  • Lake Ontario Solar Farm Fire – New York (July 2023): For four harrowing days, a lithium-ion battery fire poisoned the air. Toxic smoke blanketed surrounding communities, transforming a renewable energy promise into a public health disaster. Air quality alerts warned residents of the invisible, deadly threat lingering in their air.  • Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility – Monterey County, California (2018-2022): This massive PG&E-operated site became a case study in systematic failure. Repeated thermal runaway incidents triggered fires, system shutdowns, and chemical releases that threatened groundwater and surrounding ecosystems. What was meant to be a solution became an environmental menace.  • Valley Center Energy Storage Facility – San Diego County, California (September 2023): Terra-Gen’s facility turned into a chemical warfare zone. Evacuation orders consumed all homes and businesses within a 1-mile radius, with shelter-in-place mandates extending to 2 miles. Toxic gases transformed a local energy project into a regional threat, demonstrating the far-reaching danger of these facilities.  These are not isolated incidents — they are warning sirens. Each fire, each toxic release, each evacuation order exposes the fundamental risk of lithium battery storage: an environmental and public health time bomb waiting to detonate. And our wonderful Planning Commission approved this?  The facility on Soledad Canyon Road sits an alarming 200 feet from residential homes, positioning a potential catastrophe directly in the path of unsuspecting families.  Research from the Environmental Protection Agency highlights the health dangers posed by lithium-ion battery systems:  • Toxic metal particles capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory system.  • Documented respiratory damage risks.  • Long-term neurological effects.  • Increased health risks, particularly for children.  Lithium-ion battery systems are effectively technological powder kegs. Thermal runaway events — uncontrollable heating processes — are not hypothetical. Catastrophic incidents, such as the examples above, demonstrate the very real potential for disaster.  Compounding the risks are the chemical hazards. A battery failure could release a mix of highly combustible gases, including hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, ethylene and propylene. These gases, combined with firefighting water, could contaminate soil and groundwater, posing an environmental catastrophe.  This is not an attack on green energy or technological progress. It is a demand for responsible, transparent infrastructure planning that prioritizes community safety and well-being.  I urge the City Council to take the following steps:  • Immediate decommissioning of the lithium battery storage facility.  • A comprehensive, independent safety audit.  • Full public disclosure of all risk assessments. • A thorough investigation into the facility’s approval process. Our community deserves better. We deserve infrastructure that protects rather than endangers, transparency instead of secrecy, and accountability from those entrusted with our safety.  The time for silence has passed. The time for action is now.  Tony Maldonado Canyon Country The post Tony Maldonado | The Ticking Time Bomb appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.