Gillespie County's lawsuit seeking to block the proposed Marshall Springs battery energy storage system (BESS) and solar project will move forward after a district judge denied the project's motion to dismiss Monday.

The county filed suit in March in an effort to stop the development north of Fredericksburg, arguing that a large-scale lithium-ion battery storage facility poses a significant safety risk because of its potential for fire and environmental damage.

Attorneys representing the Marshall Springs project argued the county's claims were premature because the project's development plans are not yet finalized and any alleged harm remains hypothetical until the facility is built.