Green Bay commits up to $2.2 M for coal piles relocation project

GREEN BAY, WI—(WGBW)— An agreement last week between Brown County and C. Reiss gets an official thumbs up from the City of Green Bay. At last night’s (Tuesday, June 10, 2025) Green Bay Common Council meeting, the alders agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to commit up to $2.2 million for coal piles relocation from the waterfront in Downtown Green Bay to the Fox River Terminal. 

The MOU agrees to help construct an asphalt pad at the former Pulliam Power Plant Site, to which salt from the Fox River Terminal will be moved.

Comments on coal piles agreement

Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich said the agreement, years in the making will be transformational for the community.

 ”We have proposed to contribute up to $2.2 million to facilitate the relocation of C. Reiss and to move those coal piles out of our near downtown,” said Genrich. “So, as many of us have said for many years, this would really be transformational for us as a community.”

Green Bay City Council President Brian Johnson was instrumental in the discussions between the county, C. Reiss, and the city.

“Really, this, at the end of the day, was a deal between the county and C. Reiss. And (the) City (of Green Bay), I think, initially was there really as moral support and to keep conversations on track and make sure that we are achieving our objective,” Johnson said. “I think this is the best path forward, you know, not only to achieve this longtime goal, but also for the city to really participate in a meaningful way that addresses our primary concern. That, quite frankly, isn’t the primary concern of the County. The County’s primary concern is port expansion. Ours was the relocation of coal. So this, to me, felt like a really good compromise.”

On behalf of the entire council, Alder Kathy Hinkfuss of District 12 thanked Genrich, Johnson, and Alder Bill Galvin for their dedication to negotiating a deal that would benefit all parties.

“ I just wanna thank you all for continuing to push this. And you made it happen, so it’s been a long time in coming. Thank you,” Hinkfuss said.

City Legal Counsel Lacey Cochart said the attorneys need to finalize a few details. The Common Council voted unanimously to accept the MOU pending their final approval.