The first proposals for spending a portion of $720 million from an environmental lawsuit mostly ask for the same thing: Plumbing.
Officials have released the applications for a $25-million piece of the 2018 settlement against the 3M Co. Most of the 18 applications are seeking connections to city water systems, so they can shut down privately-owned wells.
The applications include a $5 million water system for a building and a request from an Indian community for a well feasibility study in West Lakeland Township.
The applications are being collected by the state Pollution Control Agency and the Department of Natural Resources.
The two agencies are distributing the settlement money from the environmental damage lawsuit. In February 2018, 3M paid $850 million after the Attorney General sued for environmental damage caused by chemicals manufactured by 3M.
After legal expenses, the amount was reduced to $720 million. Officials said the money must be spent to improve water quality and natural resources.
Recently, the agencies set aside $25 million out of the $720 million for urgent expenses. The rest of the $720 million will be spent later, after two task forces complete the job of evaluating other long-term proposals.
These applications requested money for hookups to city water systems:
- Cottage Grove applied for $7.1 million for River Acres, a road along the Mississippi River; and $2 million along Granada Avenue.
- Lake Elmo applied for $3.6 million in the Stonegate development; $1.7 million at Hamlet on Sunfish Lake; and $459,000 for properties at 31st Street and Stillwater Boulevard.
- Lake Elmo resident James Blackford applied for $37,000 for the Blackford Municipal Water Service, and $110,000 for city hook-ups to his home.
- Woodbury requested $5.4 million for the Salem Meadows development and Erin Court.
- The Woodbury Church of Christ is asking for $380,000, and Julie and Gary LaValle, 9810 Dale Road, are applying for $35,000.
Some applications did not involve extending city water service, including:
- $5 million to St. Croix Water Solutions, Woodbury, for a “whole-premises water filtration system.”
- $150,000 for a Washington County well maintenance project.
- $143,000 in Oakdale for a study of different approaches to water treatment.
- $100,000 in Woodbury for a study of how to ease the impact of the 3M chemicals, and $569,000 for a program involving water filters.
- $53,000 to the Prairie Island Indian Community for a well feasibility study on its property at Interstate 94 and Manning Avenue in West Lakeland Township.
- $33,000 for a new well at the St. Croix Montessori School in Stillwater.
In total, the value of the applications was $2 million more than the $25 million allotted for the projects. The money will be distributed to the projects in several months.