Hawaii: every permit portal for solar, wind, and storage
The quick find: which office handles each approval a utility-scale project touches in Hawaii, 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. | PUC approval of power purchase agreements; county special use / Land Use Commission permitsHawaii Public Utilities Commission |
| Grid interconnectionThe queue the project enters to connect: the regional grid operator, or the utility and public utility commission outside an RTO. | Interconnection Process (competitive bidding resources)Hawaiian ElectricDominant utility's interconnection requirements study process for utility-scale resources; Hawaii has no RTO. |
| Construction stormwater permitNPDES coverage for land disturbance of one acre or more, before earthwork starts. | NPDES General Permits (Appendix C construction activities)Hawaii Department of Health, Clean Water BranchClean Water Branch page for NPDES general permit coverage, including HAR 11-55 Appendix C construction stormwater. |
| 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. | Historic Preservation Review & ComplianceHawaii DLNR State Historic Preservation DivisionSHPD review of projects under HRS 6E-8/6E-42 and Section 106. |
| Wildlife and habitat reviewThe state wildlife agency's project screening or natural-heritage data request; federal species go through USFWS IPaC. | Wildlife review (HRS 195D habitat conservation plans)Hawaii DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife |
| State road access and utility permitsA driveway onto a state highway, and a gen-tie or cable in state right of way. | Guide to PermitsHawaii Department of Transportation, Highways DivisionHighways Division permit guide covering use and occupancy, lane use, and access/driveway permits on state highways. |
| Floodplain (state NFIP coordinator)Local floodplain development permits are county or city; the state coordinator lists who administers them. | National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)Hawaii DLNR Engineering DivisionState NFIP coordinating office page with flood hazard maps and county floodplain contacts. |
| Water rights and wellsConstruction water, dust control and O&M wells: the state engineer, water board or environmental agency. | Well Construction / Pump Installation Permit ApplicationHawaii Commission on Water Resource ManagementCWRM application for well construction and pump installation permits required statewide (water use permits also required in designated management areas). |
| Property-tax incentive programState abatement or exemption programs for renewable generation, where one exists. | Property tax is county-administered; renewable energy technologies income tax creditHawaii Department of Taxation |
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 Hawaii
From the nationwide permit finder; counties and cities issue most land-use approvals, so start with the jurisdiction that covers the parcel.
- Hawaii — Water permitting programs (State): Hawaii 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.
- Hawaii — Energy project permitting resources (State): Hawaii energy / siting authority. Confirm technology, project size, location and the current state-versus-local approval pathway with this authority.
- Hawaii — local government contacts (City & local): State government / local-government association. Locate the relevant government using this directory; some directories list only cities or only counties. 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.