Green Bay Reporter

The Neighborhood Investment Fund Grant program awarded statewide over $212.9 million to communities for “long-term investments and economic recovery projects,” and the Pulliam Power Plant project was among recipients.

The power plant is located near Fox River’s mouth.

“Brown County will also receive a $15 million grant to redevelop facilities at the old Pulliam Power Plant site to allow for the long-awaited relocation of the C. Reiss coal pile,” an office of the governor press release stated. “Brown County has already committed to buy the Pulliam site with the help of a $500,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.”

The City of Green Bay received a $5 million grant to relocate the coal piles from downtown Green Bay to the mouth of the Fox River to aid in the redevelopment of the downtown riverfront property, its Facebook page said.

Among benefits of the coal piles removal are improvement of air and water quality and help in removing a barrier to neighborhood revitalization. Infrastructure improvements at the site “will provide a positive economic benefit to the area,” the press release said.

Dean Haen, director of Brown County Port and Resource Recovery Department, told Fox 11 News that the port’s goal is to generate more economic activity and create more jobs using the waterway. Redevelopment of the former power plant property would expand the port.

“We’ve described it as a once in a lifetime opportunity. To have 40 acres on the water, it just doesn’t happen very often right?" Haen told Fox 11. "That water is there, it’s basically free infrastructure to float your vessel.”

Brown County plans to hire a consulting firm to design the area, Fox 11 said. Bidding the project out will help with cost estimates for budgeting, but federal grants will be pursued.