State fund helps Oak Park Heights plan for PFAS treatment

A state fund created to help cities that are losing a power plant is helping Oak Park Heights pay for design work on a anticipated future water restoration facility to remove PFAS from the city s two wells In Oak Park Heights will lose its largest taxpayer when Xcel Resource shutters the Allen S King power plant The plant which employs people provides percent of the city s tax base or about million in noted Jacob Rife city administrator At the same time the city requirements million to design a feasible new water medication facility that would be located somewhere near Oak Park Heights City Hall City agents learned last year that both of the city s drinking water wells tested above state guidelines for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances The current numbers however remain within federal guidelines and no action is required as of yet Rife revealed However we are taking a very proactive approach in that our numbers could change or the state could make their numbers enforceable so we want to be ready to go he reported The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Growth this week awarded Oak Park Heights a second Public Capacity Transition grant this one for to help pay for plans for the facility Last year the city received a Area Vigor Transition grant for a feasibility inquiry and pre-design work for the new cure facility This year s grant will be used to evaluate content from the earlier studies and determine the process equipment remedy plant building design and project cost estimates according to DEED The agency s Capacity Transition Office supports cities undergoing or preparing for power-plant closures in their efforts to maintain vitality and diversify their economies commented DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek Communities can face vital uncertainty when a power plant closes Through these grants we re partnering with local authorities to help ease that transition The city is contracting with Stantec for preliminary design work to help answer questions such as where a foreseen new remedy facility would be sited size of the facility costs and construction schedules Rife noted The grant funds will get the city s design plans to approximately percent for water cure at Wells and and city agents tentatively expect to get to percent design by summer of he stated Related Articles St Paul Park Police chief is fourth department head in city to resign since January Norwegian group will host Syttende Mai celebration in Stillwater Gammelg rden opens for season on May restoration of Pastor s House is planned MN Strength Department updates fish consumption guidelines for PFAS Oakdale middle school guide charged with criminal sexual conduct with minor The city will use from its own water funds to pay for the design work but is still seeking grants and state bonding to cover the rest Rife announced The city also anticipates receiving funds from a national class-action settlement regarding PFAS in drinking water supplies Rife announced The chemical company DuPont last year agreed to pay billion to constituents water systems across the U S that detect PFAS chemicals in their drinking water supplies I m not sure of where that number will land Rife commented We have selected ballpark estimates right now but we just won t know until that comes in so we re trying to get the majority of the design work to be funded through grants and outside money so we re being very aggressive in pursuing grants Mayor Mary McComber stated the city has to be proactive If something happens to one of our wells and we need to shut it down well we only have two wells and that s it she reported We need more water supply