Michigan: every permit portal for solar, wind, and storage
The quick find: which office handles each approval a utility-scale project touches in Michigan, 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. | Renewable Energy and Storage Facility SitingMichigan Public Service CommissionMPSC certificate process under PA 233 of 2023 for solar (50 MW+), wind (100 MW+) and energy storage (50 MW and 200 MWh+) facilities. |
| Grid interconnectionThe queue the project enters to connect: the regional grid operator, or the utility and public utility commission outside an RTO. | MISO Generator InterconnectionMidcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)MISO's generator interconnection queue process serving the Lower Peninsula and most Upper Peninsula load. |
| Construction stormwater permitNPDES coverage for land disturbance of one acre or more, before earthwork starts. | Construction Stormwater Overview (Permit-by-Rule)Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)EGLE's NPDES construction stormwater permit-by-rule coverage for sites disturbing one acre or more, tied to the Part 91 soil erosion permit. |
| 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. | The Environmental Review / Section 106 ProcessMichigan State Historic Preservation Office (MEDC)SHPO's Section 106 and state environmental review submission guidance for federally assisted or permitted projects. |
| Wildlife and habitat reviewThe state wildlife agency's project screening or natural-heritage data request; federal species go through USFWS IPaC. | Rare Species ReviewsMichigan Natural Features Inventory (MSU Extension / DNR partner)Formal rare species and natural community data review for project sites, the standard screening request in Michigan. |
| State road access and utility permitsA driveway onto a state highway, and a gen-tie or cable in state right of way. | Right of Way Construction PermitsMichigan Department of TransportationMDOT permits for driveways, utility installations and other construction within state trunkline right of way. |
| Floodplain (state NFIP coordinator)Local floodplain development permits are county or city; the state coordinator lists who administers them. | National Flood Insurance ProgramMichigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)EGLE Water Resources Division is Michigan's NFIP state coordinating office. |
| Water rights and wellsConstruction water, dust control and O&M wells: the state engineer, water board or environmental agency. | Water Use Permits and Large Quantity WithdrawalsMichigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)Registration/permitting of large quantity water withdrawals (100,000 gpd+) via the Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool. |
| Property-tax incentive programState abatement or exemption programs for renewable generation, where one exists. | Solar Energy Facility ExemptionMichigan Department of TreasuryPA 108 of 2023 solar energy facility tax exemption with payment in lieu of taxes in local Solar Energy Districts. |
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 Michigan
From the nationwide permit finder; counties and cities issue most land-use approvals, so start with the jurisdiction that covers the parcel.
- Michigan — Water permitting programs (State): Michigan 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.
- Michigan — Renewable energy and storage facility siting (State): Michigan energy / siting authority. Confirm technology, project size, location and the current state-versus-local approval pathway with this authority.
- Michigan — 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.