Oak Park Heights gets grant to help cover financial losses after power plant closes

The city plans to use the $440,000 state grant to work on cleaning up the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) discovered in two city wells earlier this year.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
September 20, 2024 at 3:00PM
The Allen S. King Generating Station in Oak Park Heights will close in 2028. (Kyndell Harkness/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The state Department of Employment and Economic Development has announced a $440,000 grant to Oak Park Heights that the city plans to begin cleaning city water of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) discovered in two city wells earlier this year.

The grant was one of six Community Energy Transition Grants awarded to communities with power plants that have closed or are scheduled to close due to the state’s conversion to 100% clean electricity by 2040.

The Allen S. King power plant will close in 2028, taking with it about a third of Oak Park Heights’ tax collections. Oak Park Heights Mayor Mary McComber said in a statement that the city will use the grant for a feasibility study and pre-design work to construct a new water treatment facility to remove PFAS contaminants from city water.

“We are grateful for DEED’s partnership and continued support,” McComber said. The six Community Energy Transition Grants announced this week totaled $5.21 million in funding for Oak Park Heights, Monticello, Red Wing, Cook County, Becker, and Sherburne County.

about the writer

Matt McKinney

Reporter

Matt McKinney is a reporter on the Star Tribune's state team. In 15 years at the Star Tribune, he has covered business, agriculture and crime. 

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The city plans to use the $440,000 state grant to work on cleaning up the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) discovered in two city wells earlier this year.