Cottage Grove council decides formal stance on 3M proposal "premature"

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• Local leaders air opposition to 3M incinerator plan

Cottage Grove City Council members tabled a resolution Wednesday that could have publicly announced the city's formal position on 3M's proposal to burn third-party hazardous waste in its Cottage Grove incinerator.

A majority of the council members have stated they have misgivings with the permit amendments proposed by 3M. But after a Monday meeting between 3M officials, a pair of city council members and city staff, the council voted to hold off on responding to the proposal as a group until its May 20 meeting.

The two-week delay will allow city officials to bring 3M and city, county and state representatives to the table, along with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency officials, to further discuss local concerns over the plan that would allow 3M Cottage Grove to accept third-party waste from across the country for incineration in the facility's hazardous waste burner.

Currently, the facility is licensed to accept and burn 3M-produced and managed hazardous waste from 3M operations in North America.

"We're kind of in the middle of that process," said city administrator Ryan Schroeder. "So to take a position, or make extensive comments on (3M's proposal) may be premature."

Cottage Grove has no regulatory authority regarding the operation of the facility; that power lies with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

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