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Promoting Best Practices in Local Siting Approval Processes

MCLI Recommendation: “States should adopt the laws and procedures required to review and approve large-scale renewable projects.”

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19 resources

Resource Local Governments

Pace report, local model ordinances on wind permitting

The Pace Energy and Climate Center has published a suite of local model ordinances addressing the various siting and permitting requirements for wind energy.

Resource Local Governments

ELI report, Siting Wind Facilities on State Owned Lands and Waters

The Environmental Law Institute’s report, Siting Wind Facilities on State Owned Lands and Waters, addresses best practices in building renewables on state trust lands, state conservation lands, and st...

Resource Local Governments

APA report, “Planning for Wind Energy”

The American Planning Association’s Planning for Wind Energy provides an overview of the wind siting process, as well as a checklist for ordinances, elements of successful a utility-scale wind project...

Example Local Governments

Michigan’s Model Zoning Guidelines for Large-Scale Wind Systems

Michigan State University has updated a series of model zoning guidelines for large-scale wind systems originally drafted by the state’s Energy Office. The guidelines are designed for rural applicatio...

Example Local Governments

NYC’s operational standard for wind turbines

The Administrative Code of the City of New York enumerates operational standards for small and large wind turbines within the City, including design standards, maintenance, noise, and physical appeara...

Example Local Governments

Maine model ordinance for wind energy

Maine’s state planning office developed a detailed model ordinance for wind energy facilities, including definitions for different types of wind energy facilities based on output.

Resource States and State Governments

National Conference of State Legislatures database of state statutes on wind facility siting

The National Conference of State Legislatures maintains a database of state statutes on wind facility siting with citations and brief summaries.

Resource States and State Governments

Maine’s Wind Energy Act

Maine. Maine’s Wind Energy Act notes that “it is in the public interest to reduce the potential for controversy regarding siting of grid-scale wind energy development by expediting development,” and e...

Resource Local Governments

NYSERDA reports, New York Solar Guidebook and Wind Energy Guidebook

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has published a New York Solar Guidebook for Local Governments, which includes chapters on best practices in utilizing Special Use Permits ...

Resource Local Governments

NARUC report, Wind Energy & Wind Park Siting and Zoning Best Practices and Guidance for States

NARUC’s 2012 report, Wind Energy & Wind Park Siting and Zoning Best Practices and Guidance for States, summarizes the wind energy siting and zoning practices in all 50 states and the District of Colum...

Resource Local Governments

ELI report, State Enabling Legislation for Commercial-Scale Wind Power Siting and Local Government Role

The Environmental Law Institute’s 2011 report, State Enabling Legislation for Commercial-Scale Wind Power Siting and the Local Government Role, addresses state and local responsibilities for siting wi...

Resource Local Governments

Siting Renewable Generation: The Northeast Perspective

Energy Innovation LLC published an issue paper on siting renewables, particularly focusing on the land-constrained Northeast region, and proposed several recommendations for balancing local and state-...

Example States and State Governments

California Executive Order S-14-08

2008’s Executive Order S-14-08 aimed to expedite the permitting of renewable energy facilities by, among other things, creating a more coordinated permitting process for projects that must go through ...

Example Local Governments

Wisconsin Model Wind Zoning Ordinance

Wisconsin has prepared a model wind zoning ordinance for municipalities, including terms for setbacks, limits on shadow flicker, and requirements for construction and operation.

Resource Local Governments

TNC report, Accelerating Large-Scale Wind and Solar Energy in New York

The Nature Conservancy prepared a 2017 report, Accelerating Large-Scale Wind and Solar Energy in New York, which details recommendations for reforming the SEQRA process (NY’s NEPA), land use and plann...

Example Local Governments

Oregon’s Model Ordinance for Energy Projects

Oregon’s Model Ordinance for Energy Projects provides a guide for Oregon cities and counties on siting wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and cogeneration projects, electric power transmission and dist...

Resource Local Governments

Sabin Center’s Model Wind Siting Ordinance

Columbia University’s Sabin Center has produced a Model Wind Siting Ordinance, aimed at helping New York municipalities to enact a wind siting ordinance that encourages development while procedurally ...

Resource Local Governments

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies report, Wind Power Siting, Incentives, and Wildlife Guidelines in the United States

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies prepared a report, Wind Power Siting, Incentives, and Wildlife Guidelines in the United States, which includes detailed summaries of nineteen states’ volu...

Example Local Governments

North Carolina Model Ordinances for Wind Siting

North Carolina has developed a model ordinance for wind siting addressing six key protections: a) setbacks, b) noise, c) property value, d) environmental, e) escrow account, and f) decommissioning.