A renewable energy and energy infrastructure company was developing a proposed solar energy center in Washtenaw County, Michigan, and needed to navigate Michigan’s complex siting and permitting landscape to move the project from concept to construction-ready status. Given the scale of the facility and the regulatory oversight required under the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), the client sought ECT’s expertise to guide the project through state siting certification.
ECT supported the Company’s MPSC Siting Certification Application through agency consultations with MISHPO, EGLE, USFWS, and MDNR, permit list development, and preliminary site plan review. The project’s environmental scope included a site characterization study, wetland delineations, Phase I ESA, Phase II ESA, a desktop cultural resource analysis, unanticipated discoveries plan, architectural reconnaissance survey, and a Phase I Archaeological survey. ECT also supported site plan and land use efforts, including constraints mapping, a farmland protection analysis and a landscape location buffer plan.
ECT gave the client a clear regulatory pathway and a well-documented, defensible siting application, including agency consultations and permit tracking intended to minimize delays through MPSC review. Beyond initial certification, ECT positioned the project for long-term compliance through preparation of an environmental compliance report and decommissioning plan.