The term 'utility-scale' generally refers to projects that produce electricity for the statewide electrical grid. Clean energy projects include a broad range of proposals:
- Battery energy storage
- Biofuel and biomass energy generation
- Clean energy product manufacturing
- Electrical transmission
- Energy-Intensive Trade-Exposed projects that reduce greenhouse gases
- Geothermal energy
- Green electrolytic or renewable hydrogen
- Nuclear fusion and nuclear fission
- Pumped hydro storage
- Solar energy
- Sustainable aviation fuel or alternative jet fuel
- Tidal energy
- Wind energy
Developers are encouraged to reach out to us as early in the planning process as possible. Our technical experts can help identify potential issues and data requirements for your project that can avoid potential delays later in the process.
Once we receive a request to meet, we will coordinate with you to find time for a virtual meeting, usually lasting about an hour. To help ensure the right agency experts participate, we will ask you to provide information about your project in advance.
At the meeting, please be prepared to provide a brief 10-15 minute overview of the project. We will also want to know about the project site and technology as well as any known potential environmental impacts.
We will provide feedback about potential impacts and discuss the permits our department is likely to need. We will also review requirements under the State Environmental Policy Act. This informal early planning meeting is designed to be interactive, giving developers an opportunity to ask clarifying questions. We also encourage developers to engage early with potentially affected Tribes and communities as well as other local, state and federal permitting agencies.
Following the meeting, we will provide a summary, agency contacts, and recommended next steps.
No, this early planning meeting occurs outside of permitting. Some permits and certifications do require a pre-application or pre-filing meeting with us before a developer submits their permit application. While this meeting is separate from those other processes, we will provide information about the permits likely to be needed as well as department contacts.
If a project changes, or new potential impacts are identified, please contact us for a follow-up meeting to review these changes.
This information can vary, depending on the project. You do not need detailed plans, surveys or studies to meet with us. Our goal is to share feedback and other information even when a project is still at the early conceptual stage, or a site is being selected. The more information you can provide, the more detailed our feedback will be. Examples of information include:
- An overview of the proposal
- Site location and project maps, if known and available
- Ownership of proposed site
- Types of air emissions
- Water bodies, including wetlands, that are on or adjacent to the proposed site, and whether the waters are protected under the federal Clean Water Act.
- Anticipated impacts to state waters, including wetlands, such as filling, excavating or dredging
- Stormwater and wastewater discharges and proposed methods for managing discharges
- Water uses and sources
- Any known contamination
- Fuel to be stored on site, including types and storage capacity
- Hazardous materials, including use, storage and disposal
- Energy sources and utility infrastructure needs
- Transportation, including rail or vessel traffic
