Blue Earth County
Blue Earth County, Minnesota: solar permitting grade C (score 43/100, Elevated Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | C · Elevated Risk · Score 43/100 |
| Population | 67,653 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Blue Earth County carries elevated permitting risk. Developers should budget additional time for ordinance review, public hearing preparation, and community engagement. Minnesota's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
On file: energy-related meetings
- 2026-09-08SolarCounty paid various bills and expenses. · agenda
- 2026-08-25Data CenterBlue Earth County temporarily prohibits data center establishment, expansion, or permitting to allow for evaluation of performance standards and zoning… · agenda
- 2026-08-11SolarCounty paid various vendors for services and fees related to a solar project · agenda
Cities, towns & townships
Local governments in Blue Earth County. An incorporated city, town or village can adopt its own zoning, separate from the county’s.
- Amboy city
- Eagle Lake city
- Good Thunder city
- Lake Crystal city
- Madison Lake city
- Mankato city
- Mapleton city
- Minnesota Lake city
- North Mankato city
- Pemberton city
- Skyline city
- St. Clair city
- Vernon Center city
- Beauford township
- Butternut Valley township
- Cambria township
- Ceresco township
- Danville township
- Decoria township
- Garden City township
- Jamestown township
- Judson township
- Le Ray township
- Lime township
Show all
- Lincoln township
- Lyra township
- Mankato township
- Mapleton township
- McPherson township
- Medo township
- Pleasant Mound township
- Rapidan township
- Shelby township
- South Bend township
- Sterling township
- Vernon Center township
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and county subdivisions with an active government.
Nearby counties
- Waseca County · ≈24 miB36—
- Nicollet County · ≈24 miD55—
- Faribault County · ≈26 miC47—
- Watonwan County · ≈28 miB36—
- Le Sueur County · ≈28 miD55—
- Martin County · ≈34 miB40—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Blue Earth County ranks #71 of 87 ranked Minnesota counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Minnesota: Ramsey County (A · 26), Hennepin County (A · 27), Rock County (A · 28). See all Minnesota county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.