What to know in Stevens County
Most of Stevens County is timbered, so the open, sunny private ground that utility-scale solar needs is mostly existing farmland and pasture. Projects also need transmission nearby and an owner who is interested.
In Washington, solar and wind projects can go through county permitting or opt into state review by the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) under RCW 80.50.060; an EFSEC site certificate takes the place of local permits. At the county level, Stevens County Land Services decides whether a project is allowed outright or needs a conditional use permit.
For owners: developers usually start with a paid option (a study period) before a long-term lease. Have your own attorney review the rent, the term, decommissioning and land restoration, and how the project would affect any current-use tax classification on the land.
What to put in your inquiry
- Project type and size
- Acreage needed
- Option payment and study period
- Lease rent and term once built
- Decommissioning commitment
In the app, the Solar / wind template fills these in as [bracketed] prompts. Replace them with your details and send.