Solid waste fees included in Cook County tax statements, funds contribute to new transfer stations

Tax statements began arriving in Cook County property owners’ mailboxes this week, and the statements include a new solid waste assessment fee.

Residential properties, including vacant land, will see a $50 assessment, while commercial or industrial properties will see a $100 assessment on their tax statements.

The special assessment fees will assist the county in covering the cost of construction for the transfer station in Grand Marais and improvements for the transfer sites in Hovland and Tofte.

“These improvements are necessary to provide efficient movement of waste to the landfill located in the Duluth area and to protect groundwater at the three transfer sites,” said Braidy Powers, Cook County Auditor-Treasurer, in a Friday county announcement.

The transfer station project is a joint effort between the county and North Shore Waste. Over the past two years, county officials have been working to secure funding for the construction of the transfer station. Under the current plan, the transfer station will be constructed, owned, and maintained by the county, while North Shore Waste will conduct solid waste management operations.

Discussions between Cook County and North Shore Waste began several years ago, following pressure from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to move North Shore Waste’s operations indoors to mitigate environmental issues. Furthermore, the costs of transporting waste over 200 miles to Duluth with inadequate long-distance-hauling trucks were becoming unsustainable, Powers said.

“The county recognized its overall responsibility for management of waste generated within the county to ensure that it is disposed of in an efficient and environmentally sound manner,” Powers said.

At the beginning of 2025, the county held two public hearings to gather input on the potential fee changes and the special solid waste assessment fee to cover transfer station costs.

The expected cost of the Grand Marais transfer station is nearly $8 million. With the county involved in the project, additional funding sources, including state aid programs, became available. The project received $3.25 million in funding through a state Mineral Tax Bill. Additional funding for the project was secured through the Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) and the Iron Range Rehabilitation and Resources Board (IRRRB).

In 2025, Cook County issued $6.2 million in solid waste bonds for construction costs. The collection of the solid waste assessment fees from Cook County property owners will be applied to the $450,000 annual payment on the solid waste bonds, Powers said.

While the new special assessment fees will go toward construction costs, the county said it will not cover the facility’s operational costs.

“These fees are not for costs related to trash collection, hauling, or operation of the facility,” said Powers.

Eventually, the new transfer station facility will also take over recycling operations.

Kalli Hawkins April 3, 2026