There is current interest in producing ethanol from cellulosic biomass to reduce U.S. reliance on imported fossil fuel. Corn (Zea mays L.) residues remaining after grain harvest are an abundant source of cellulosic biomass in the Midwestern U.S. Since corn residues promote corn diseases, autotoxicity, and N immobilization, corn residue removal may preferentially occur in fields where corn is grown continuously. Experiments were established in 2006 at four locations in Illinois to investigate how residue removal affects the response of continuous corn to N fertilizer and to determine whether there is an interaction with tillage. Nitrogen rates ranged from 67 to 269 kg N ha^-1. At DeKalb and Urbana, precipitation during the growing season was near normal and the quadratic response of grain yield to N fertilizer was not affected by residue removal or tillage system. However, yields at these locations were greater with the chisel plow tillage system than with no-till, especially when residues were returned to the soil. Under much drier conditions at Monmouth and Perry, there was no response to N fertilizer and yields at Monmouth were 6% greater with tillage. On the low organic matter soil at Perry, returning residues to the soil with no-till conserved soil moisture and produced yields that were 10 to 20% greater than those with the other residue and tillage combinations. These results indicate that residue removal may not consistently affect the response of continuous corn to N fertilizer, and that residue along with no-till may increase yields when soil moisture is limiting. Results from 2007 will also be presented. While it appears that removal of some residue might be possible without compromising yield, the decision on whether to harvest residues should also consider the potential for increased soil erosion and possible loss of soil organic matter.