Will County Brownfield Prioritization Report

Update: This project was completed in May 2014.

CMAP partnered with the Will County Land Use Department to develop an inventory of brownfield sites that can be developed for solar energy production as part of the LTA program. The goal of this project was to inventory existing brownfield sites in the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Will County in order to prioritize the sites that have the greatest potential to be used for solar photovoltaic installations.

After analyzing more than 1,500 brownfield sites, the project team identified and ranked 25 sites that were found to be the most appropriate for solar energy development. The project team classified five of these sites as high priority sites and determined that the remaining 20 sites should be considered a moderate priority based on the project team's knowledge of the sites and communication with municipal partners.

This project helps implement the recently adopted Will County Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan that seeks to make Will County a leader in intergovernmental efforts to foster energy conservation and the development of alternative energy. The foundation of this plan is a triple-bottom-line approach to sustainable growth and development in Will County that takes into consideration financial performance, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. One of the energy efficiency and conservation measures specifically highlighted in the plan is to focus on redeveloping brownfields in Will County as renewable energy sites. With this project, staff from CMAP and the Will County Land Use Department have addressed the initial challenges identified in the plan by coordinating efforts with the Will County Center for Economic Development and devoting resources to researching and screening potential sites.

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