Six communities receive $5M for ‘transitioning from fossil fuels’

Six communities will receive a combined $5.21 million in grant funding to “drive economic development and community sustainability” where power plants are scheduled to close or recently closed.

The grants will support “research, planning and implementation activities” surrounding energy transitions. The City of Becker, Cook County, City of Monticello, City of Oak Park Heights, City of Red Wing, and Sherburne County are the grant recipients.

“DEED’s Energy Transition Office helps our communities maintain economic vitality as their legacy power plants close,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “Minnesota is the second state in the country with a strategic, coordinated program to support these communities and we are proud to be a leader in energy transition planning as we move toward our goal of 100% clean electricity by 2040.”

The city of Red Wing will receive $1 million to support planning for the retirement of the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant. The city of Oak Park Heights will spend its $440,000 to conduct studies of a new water treatment facility to remove PFAS contaminants. Other communities are spending funds on transportation and interchange enhancements in an attempt to attract business.

It’s a shame that a forced energy transition may have so many victims — from the power plant workers whose jobs and wages will disappear, to the communities that will lose a substantial part of their tax bases.