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District of Columbia: every permit portal for solar, wind, and storage
The quick find: which office handles each approval a utility-scale project touches in District of Columbia, with the agency's own page. Counties and cities add their own land-use approvals; the state table is the part that is the same across the state.
State and grid
| Approval | Where to go |
|---|---|
| State siting or certificateWhether the state itself approves where a generating facility goes, or leaves it to counties and cities. | No state-style siting permit; zoning and PSC reviewDC Public Service Commission / Office of Zoning |
| Grid interconnectionThe queue the project enters to connect: the regional grid operator, or the utility and public utility commission outside an RTO. | PJM new service requestsPJM Interconnection |
| Construction stormwater permitNPDES coverage for land disturbance of one acre or more, before earthwork starts. | Stormwater Discharges from Construction ActivitiesU.S. EPA |
| Historic preservation reviewSection 106 consultation through the State Historic Preservation Office when a federal permit, federal funding or federal land is involved; many states add their own review on state land. | Complete Guide to Preservation ReviewDC Office of Planning, Historic Preservation OfficeNo single 'historic preservation review' page found. This HPO guide explains the review process. Related: https://planning.dc.gov/page/about-historic-preservation-review-board (HPRB, also DC State Review Board) and https://planning.dc.gov/page/historic-preservation-review-dc-agency-projects (DC agen |
| Wildlife and habitat reviewThe state wildlife agency's project screening or natural-heritage data request; federal species go through USFWS IPaC. | Fisheries and wildlifeDC Department of Energy and Environment |
| State road access and utility permitsA driveway onto a state highway, and a gen-tie or cable in state right of way. | Public space permit applicationsDistrict Department of TransportationConfirmed; 'To occupy the District's public space, permit applications should be submitted to DDOT's Permitting Center.' |
| Floodplain (state NFIP coordinator)Local floodplain development permits are county or city; the state coordinator lists who administers them. | Floodplain Management ProgramDC Department of Energy and EnvironmentConfirmed; page describes DC's NFIP participation and floodplain regulations. |
| Water rights and wellsConstruction water, dust control and O&M wells: the state engineer, water board or environmental agency. | Well and boring permitsDC Department of Energy and EnvironmentConfirmed; DOEE Regulatory Review Division well construction permits under 21 DCMR Ch. 18. |
| Property-tax incentive programState abatement or exemption programs for renewable generation, where one exists. | Exemption from DC real property taxesDC Office of Tax and RevenueClosest page found; it is the general real property tax exemption application page (Form FP-300, aimed at nonprofits). No renewable-specific property tax program page exists on OTR's site. |
Federal portals (the same in every state)
| Approval | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Clean Water Act Section 404 / Rivers and Harbors Act Section 10 | U.S. Army Corps of EngineersRegulatory Request System: applications, pre-application meetings and jurisdictional determinations; the district office is by watershed. |
| Endangered species and critical habitat | U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceIPaC: official species list and the Section 7 consultation path for the project footprint. |
| Tall structures (wind turbines, met towers) | Federal Aviation AdministrationForm 7460-1 notice through OE/AAA before construction above the 14 CFR 77.9 heights. |
| Construction stormwater where EPA is the permitting authority | U.S. EPAEPA's Construction General Permit (NeT eNOI) in New Mexico, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, D.C., Indian country and the territories. |
| Projects on federal land | Bureau of Land ManagementRight-of-way applications and NEPA documents for BLM-managed land. |
| Transmission and wholesale market rules | Federal Energy Regulatory CommissionOrder No. 2023 cluster-study reforms, followed by every FERC-jurisdictional transmission provider, RTO or utility; ERCOT has its own process. |
County and city pages for District of Columbia
From the nationwide permit finder; counties and cities issue most land-use approvals, so start with the jurisdiction that covers the parcel.
- District of Columbia — Water quality regulations (State): District of Columbia environmental authority. Start with this agency for the linked water program. Check construction stormwater, wastewater and water-quality approvals separately; this link does not cover every environmental permit.
- District of Columbia — local government contacts (City & local): USAGov. Select your state in the national directory, then locate the responsible local government. Confirm municipal boundaries and any separate fire, drainage, water or other district authority.
Other states
How this list is made. Each link was found on the agency's own site and is re-checked by a script that loads it and records the date; a link that stops answering is shown without a link rather than dropped. Programs change with each legislative session: confirm fees, forms and thresholds on the agency page before filing. General information, not legal advice. How we check our data · Report an error.