Illinois: every permit portal for solar, wind, and storage
The quick find: which office handles each approval a utility-scale project touches in Illinois, 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.
County-by-county detail for Illinois: proposed projects and contacts by county.
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. | County siting under uniform state standards (55 ILCS 5/5-12020)Illinois county governments (Public Act 102-1123 standards) |
| Grid interconnectionThe queue the project enters to connect: the regional grid operator, or the utility and public utility commission outside an RTO. | Service Requests: Application & FormsPJM InterconnectionPJM generation interconnection (Queue Point) for ComEd territory; Ameren territory in central/southern Illinois is in MISO. |
| Construction stormwater permitNPDES coverage for land disturbance of one acre or more, before earthwork starts. | NPDES Permit for Construction Activities (general permit ILR10)Illinois Environmental Protection AgencyConfirmed live; describes the General NPDES Permit for Construction Site Activities (renewed Sept 22, 2023; NOIs via EPA NeT). Page does not spell out 'ILR10' by number. |
| 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. | Resource Protection (project review)Illinois State Historic Preservation Office (IDNR)SHPO Section 106 and state law project review. |
| Wildlife and habitat reviewThe state wildlife agency's project screening or natural-heritage data request; federal species go through USFWS IPaC. | EcoCAT (Ecological Compliance Assessment Tool)Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesOnline consultation for endangered species, natural areas and wetlands impacts. |
| State road access and utility permitsA driveway onto a state highway, and a gen-tie or cable in state right of way. | Highway PermitsIllinois Department of TransportationIDOT access driveway and utility 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 ProgramIllinois DNR Office of Water ResourcesState NFIP coordinating office page. |
| Water rights and wellsConstruction water, dust control and O&M wells: the state engineer, water board or environmental agency. | Private Water & Closed Loop WellsIllinois Department of Public HealthWater well construction permitting program (issued by IDPH or delegated local health departments). |
| Property-tax incentive programState abatement or exemption programs for renewable generation, where one exists. | Commercial solar energy system assessment (35 ILCS 200/10-720 et seq.); wind energy devices under 35 ILCS 200/10-600 et seq.Illinois Department of Revenue |
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 Illinois
From the nationwide permit finder; counties and cities issue most land-use approvals, so start with the jurisdiction that covers the parcel.
- Illinois — Water quality agency (State): Illinois 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.
- Illinois — 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.
- Cook County — e-permits (County): Cook County Building and Zoning. Building and zoning applications for applicable work in unincorporated Cook County.
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.