GREEN BAY (NBC26) — The clock is ticking to lock down the crucial funds needed to move the coal piles away from what officials say is prime real estate.
The coal piles have sat near the downtown area for more than a century but discussions this week could keep hopes alive in moving them sooner than later.
- Video shows the coal piles located in Green Bay's downtown area that community members wanted relocated.
- Brown County and C. Reiss, the coal company managing the piles, have had multiple conversations regarding a lease agreement.
- Crucial funding for the port expansion at the former Pulliam Plant site is at risk if a lease agreement is not reached by the end of the year.
- A final vote of lease terms will be reviewed at Wednesday's County Board of Supervisors meeting.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
"For the first time, we really have a path forward to achieve that goal," City council president, Brian Johnson, said.
This week, Brown County leaders look to make a monumental decision on the coal piles located in downtown Green Bay.
Johnson said the city wants to use the land the coal sits on for mixed used developments.
That would require the piles of coal to be moved, but Johnson said that's not what's up for discussion at this time.
"At the end of the day, this is about port expansion," Johnson said. "That's kind of what's on the table here."
The land has been used to offload coal from ships for more than a century. The coal is piled up until it's moved again for operation.
Discussion on the future of site continues Monday night when the Brown County Planning and Development Transportation committee discusses lease agreement terms with C. Reiss Coal Company, the company in charge of the coal production.
The terms includes the company operating on the land home of the former Pulliam Plant.
"That site was established at a time when the city was really underdeveloped and in the last 100 years, we just think, the city looks different, it's developed differently," Johnson said.
On Tuesday, Johnson said he and the mayor plan on presenting a resolution to common council about supporting the project.
Wednesday will feature the county's Board of Supervisors voting on the recommendation given from the committee on lease terms.
Johnson said on social media that C. Reiss will have decreased motivation if its needs are not met in the lease.
"A bulk commodity storage is not the highest, best use on a site that is so critically important to the heart of our community," Johnson said.
Johnson said ultimately, negotiations will be between the county and the coal company.
The county has relied heavily on state and federal funding for the project at the port — totaling $30 million, which are in jeopardy of being taken away if a deal is not reached by the end of the year.
"If we do this right, we can not only expand port operations by adding a terminal, but we can get much better use on our waterfront in the core of our community," Johnson said.
The county board will need at least two-thirds of the vote for it pass.
I reached out to C. Reiss for comment and have not received a response back yet.
