Texas: every permit portal for solar, wind, and storage
The quick find: which office handles each approval a utility-scale project touches in Texas, 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 Texas: proposed projects and contacts by county · Texas permits by county · the twelve Texas approvals, stage by stage.
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 siting permit; counties cannot zone outside cities — see the Texas permit hubTexas county governments (no state siting permit) |
| Grid interconnectionThe queue the project enters to connect: the regional grid operator, or the utility and public utility commission outside an RTO. | Resource IntegrationElectric Reliability Council of TexasERCOT resource integration/generator interconnection process page (search returned this path rather than /services/rq/re/ri). |
| Construction stormwater permitNPDES coverage for land disturbance of one acre or more, before earthwork starts. | Stormwater General Permit for Construction ActivitiesTexas Commission on Environmental QualityTPDES Construction General Permit TXR150000 program page (NOI, SWPPP requirements). |
| 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. | How the THC Reviews ProjectsTexas Historical CommissionSHPO Section 106 and Antiquities Code project review consultation process. |
| Wildlife and habitat reviewThe state wildlife agency's project screening or natural-heritage data request; federal species go through USFWS IPaC. | Environmental Review Team (Wildlife Habitat Assessment)Texas Parks and Wildlife DepartmentTPWD environmental review and TXNDD rare-resources data requests for project screening. |
| State road access and utility permitsA driveway onto a state highway, and a gen-tie or cable in state right of way. | Access Management Manual: Driveway PermitsTexas Department of TransportationTxDOT access/driveway permit requirements for connections to state highways. |
| Floodplain (state NFIP coordinator)Local floodplain development permits are county or city; the state coordinator lists who administers them. | Flood Community Assistance Program (NFIP)Texas Water Development BoardTWDB is the NFIP state coordinating agency for Texas. |
| Water rights and wellsConstruction water, dust control and O&M wells: the state engineer, water board or environmental agency. | Surface Water Rights and AvailabilityTexas Commission on Environmental QualitySurface water rights permitting; groundwater wells are permitted by local groundwater conservation districts and drillers licensed by TDLR. |
| Property-tax incentive programState abatement or exemption programs for renewable generation, where one exists. | Chapter 312 Property Tax Abatements FAQTexas Comptroller of Public AccountsLocal Tax Code Chapter 312 abatement agreements registered with the Comptroller; Chapter 313 expired in 2022. |
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 Texas
From the nationwide permit finder; counties and cities issue most land-use approvals, so start with the jurisdiction that covers the parcel.
- Texas — Construction stormwater permit (State): Texas 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.
- Texas — 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.
- Travis County — commercial site development (County): Travis County Development Services. Commercial site development, including applicable utility projects in county jurisdiction.
- Harris County — permits A to Z (County): Harris County Engineering. Find site development, floodplain, wastewater, road and related county approvals; confirm jurisdiction.
- Austin — standalone trade permits (City & local): City of Austin. Electrical and other standalone trade work, including applicable home backup installations. Not a complete utility-scale project checklist.
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.