St. Louis County and Resource Renew negotiate landfill agreement

St. Louis County and the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, publicly known as Resource Renew, have negotiated an agreement for Resource Renew to dispose of municipal solid waste (MSW) at the St. Louis County Regional Landfill in Virginia.

St. Louis County Commissioners today approved a 10-year contract with Resource Renew, which would begin in July of 2026. The agreement still needs approval from the WLSSD Board, which will discuss the matter on May 19.

Resource Renew currently disposes of its municipal solid waste (MSW) at the Moccasin Mike landfill in Superior. With that landfill set to close in 2026, Resource Renew issued a request for proposals last September seeking a new disposal location.

“This partnership offers a long-term solution that aligns with regional planning and environmental goals,” said Brandon Kohlts, Director of Planning and Technical Services at Resource Renew. “It’s a practical step forward for maintaining reliable, responsible solid waste services for our region.”

St. Louis County owns and operates the Regional Landfill in Virginia, which has been in operation since 1993 and is the only Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill in Northeast Minnesota. Through recent landfill planning efforts and upgrades to the onsite leachate treatment facility, what was once a projected life of 20 years at current fill rates will likely increase to more than 70 years with future planned expansions. This has provided the opportunity for the first time to take MSW from neighboring partners outside the county’s solid waste district boundaries.

“We are excited to strengthen our partnership with Resource Renew and open up our landfill to serve all of St. Louis County,” said County Board Chair Annie Harala.

“This is good news for our entire county,” said Commissioner Keith Nelson. “Residents served by Resource Renew can know their waste will continue to be handled in an environmentally responsible way. And for our existing customers, we are analyzing this new revenue stream and its potential to reduce our current tipping fees.”

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) recently approved the first regional Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) for the seven-county area of northeastern Minnesota, which also includes WLSSD. This contract between Resource Renew and St. Louis County is consistent with that plan’s recommendations that multi-jurisdictional cooperation and sharing of resources would ensure pricing stability, reduce costs and provide long-term, environmentally protective disposal.

In addition, the development of an Integrated Waste Management Facility near Canyon has been identified in the SWMP as a future site to manage solid waste and treat landfill leachate generated in the region. This site will be designed to include a large, lined landfill footprint for MSW and legacy wastes, which includes old area dumps and landfills. The Canyon site could be used concurrently with the Virginia Landfill to extend the life of both sites, depending on when it comes online. The County is currently pursuing gravel pit development as a first phase at the site.

St. Louis County Environmental Services serves all of St. Louis County outside the Resource Renew boundaries, operating the Regional Landfill and mixed recycling processing center in Virginia, two household hazardous waste collection facilities in Virginia and Hibbing, and numerous canister sites and transfer stations throughout the County.

-- Press release