GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Discussion has resumed to relocate the downtown Green Bay coal piles after it had seemed like that possibility was over as the result of a county board vote last month.
There have been decades of desire to move the coal piles off the riverfront property where they’ve been for more than 100 years. A study found the current coal piles property could garner about $150 in new development.
“I’m confident that one way or another the coal piles are going to get moved,” said Brown County Board Chair Pat Buckley.
Last month, C. Reiss Company CEO Keith Haselhoff told Brown County’s board of supervisors it had to approve certain lease terms for the coal piles to be relocated. The board, instead, approved different terms.
Haselhoff released an updated statement on Wednesday.
C. Reiss continues to work with stakeholders on potential options to relocate the coal piles, an effort we’ve been engaged on for the past two years. Last month, the County Board rejected the agreement C. Reiss negotiated in good faith with the County Administration, placing at risk some $25 million in state and federal grants awarded to the county to move the coal piles.
“I’m confident a resolution will be put together that everybody can be satisfied with,” said Buckley.
Part of the equation is a $15 million grant the state awarded the effort two years ago. The lack of a deal to move the coal piles has put the money into question.
However, Governor Tony Evers announced Wednesday a new $2 million grant to help build the port where the coal piles would relocate — bringing the project’s total in grants to about $33 million.
Buckley says the new grant is a good sign for the $15 million grant in question.
The county board was going to vote on a resolution that laid out why it feels it should keep the $15 million grant. The board voted to remove the agenda off its agenda with Buckley saying it isn’t necessary based on current negotiations.
Buckley says the county is still planning to find out what other companies would be willing to pay to use the new port site. He says some have already expressed interest.
The coal piles would only take up about a third of the site.
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