Residents of Brooklyn are expressing their concerns about a new electric vehicle charging station planned near a primary school, as they fear it may pose health risks, according to reports.
The proposed EVGO charging station will be located at the intersection of 92nd Avenue and 5th Avenue in Bay Ridge, a project made possible by recent zoning updates from the city. These changes facilitate the development of green energy technology while sidestepping input from local community boards.
EVGO has plans to demolish the former KFC at the site, although no construction permit has been submitted yet. Last week, Crain’s New York reported on this development.
Parents in the area are worried that the charging station will lead to increased traffic on already hazardous roads surrounding the school. Concerns also include potential radiation and the heightened risk of fires associated with electric vehicles.
“This should not be built across from a school where over 1,000 children are present,” said John Ricottone, a parent and first vice president of the 20th Ward Community Education Council.
Ricottone is spearheading efforts to further assess the safety of the site.
In his communication to the community, school staff, and city officials, he labeled it “reckless and dangerous” to install EV stations in areas prone to heavy traffic, especially those adjacent to primary schools. In recent years, the area has seen multiple hit-and-run incidents involving pedestrians.
“The safety of our children and the well-being of our community must come first over infrastructure that could be safer and better located,” he emphasized in his letter.
The land where the station is set to be built was acquired in 2022 by an EV charging company based in Los Angeles for $5.3 million. EVGO has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the situation.
