Legislative Priorities

Integrated Solid Waste Management Campus

Legislative Request: $6M 

County Match: $6M

St. Louis County's Integrated Solid Waste Management Campus aligns with the State's goal to protect ecosystem health, remediate PFAS (Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl substances) contaminated sites, and manage PFAS in waste by constructing an advanced leachate treatment facility in Canyon that will provide a solution for the entire Northeast region. This new facility will serve as a repository for leachate generated by landfills within the region as well as consolidate old landfills and dumps into a lined facility to contain PFAS-contaminated waste.

What is PFAS?

PFAS is a large family of man-made chemicals that are forever present in the environment due to frequent use since the 1930s. At certain levels they are toxic--causing adverse health effects in humans, fish, and wildlife.

Integrated Solid Waste Management Campus

St. Louis County Closed Dumps and Landfills Interactive Map

Courthouse Asset Renovation - St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth & St. Louis County Courthouse in Hibbing

Legislative Request: $2M

County Match: $2M

St. Louis County is home to two historic courthouses in need of critical infrastructure improvements.  Improvements are essential for both historic preservation and to improve the accessibility, functionality, and energy efficiency of buildings that support essential County services.

St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth 

The St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth, originally built in 1909, maintains its original elevators, which have reached the end of their useful life. The elevators require a complete rebuild to ensure life safety, energy efficiency, and extend the useful life of the building. The elevators are critical to the functionality of the building and providing accessibility to County residents who utilize the building and services.

St. Louis County Courthouse in Hibbing

A roof replacement at the St. Louis County Courthouse in Hibbing will meet Minnesota Building Energy Code requirements, improve the energy efficiency of the building, and extend the building’s useful life.

Courthouse Asset Preservation handout

Voyageur National Park Clean Water - Ash River Wastewater Treatment and Collection System

Legislative Request: $8M

This project is a part of a collaborative effort between St. Louis County, Koochiching County, U.S. Park Service, MPCA, Clean Water Council (and many others) to clean up the waters of the Voyageurs National Park.

The Ash River Sanitary District is made up of a mix of residential and commercial properties. Based on age of systems and inspection data from St. Louis County, existing septic systems on these properties have a 78% rate of non-conformance with county and state on-site system rules. This leads to pollution of groundwater and surface water systems, including Ash River and Lake Kabetogama - deemed Outstanding Resource Value Waters by MPCA, and part of the Voyageurs National Park system.

The proposed plan includes constructing a low-pressure collection system which conveys sewage to a wastewater treatment facility. Effluent from the treatment facility will be discharged in a subsurface treatment system, similar to aseptic system mound. The improvements will eliminate the need for individual septic systems on the properties within the district and improve groundwater and surface water quality.