St. Louis County board approves 10‑year intergovernmental waste agreement with Koochiching County

St. Louis County commissioners voted Oct. 14 to authorize county officials to enter into a 10‑year intergovernmental agreement to accept solid waste from Koochiching County’s solid waste management area.

Administrator Gray and Finance and Budget Chair Nelson said the agreement aligns with a regional plan overseen by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and follows recent shifts in regional disposal capacity, including the impending termination of other local landfill options. The action authorizes county officials to finalize a contract that will allow Koochiching County to deliver waste to St. Louis County facilities.

Speakers described planned infrastructure upgrades at the county landfill, including a leachate treatment system upgrade and use of reverse osmosis, which county officials said will reduce concentrations of per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in landfill leachate. Administrator Gray said the system is expected to produce leachate effluent that will be cleaner than rainfall on the landfill surface.

Commissioner Nelson said the agreement produces cost and transportation benefits for Koochiching County and noted the agreement was attractive in part because of the county’s leachate treatment improvements. Nelson and Commissioner Boyle urged that the project be included in state bonding conversations; they said the agreement will have material budgetary impact for Koochiching County (Nelson noted it represents a significant portion of that county’s budget).

The board approved the agreement by voice vote; the resolution authorizes county staff to execute the intergovernmental contract and continue coordination with regional partners including Resource Renew and other local solid‑waste organizations. No detailed finance figures were read into the record during the session.