# Oakdale, Minnesota *City in Washington County, Minnesota; site of one of the four East Metro 3M disposal locations named in the State's PFAS litigation.* Oakdale lies in [[Washington County, Minnesota]], on the eastern side of the Twin Cities metropolitan area next to Saint Paul. The 2020 census recorded 28,303 residents, which makes it the state's 36th-largest city.[^1] In the State's environmental record, Oakdale is the location of the 3M [[Oakdale Disposal Site]], one of four sites named in the complaint in *State of Minnesota v. 3M Company*, [[Hennepin County District Court]] No. 27-CV-10-28862.[^2] The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) says the East Metro contamination from those sites covers "more than 150 square miles" and affects the drinking water of "more than 140,000 Minnesotans."[^3] The State's own documents about Oakdale sit beside one another in the record. A February 2018 [[Minnesota Department of Health]] (MDH) report found a 56% excess of childhood cancer in Oakdale for ages 0–19 from 1999 to 2014. The same report states that its findings "cannot be used to either identify or refute potential adverse health effects from environmental contaminants."[^4] MPCA's settlement working group recorded in fall 2025 that Oakdale's drinking water was still on temporary treatment systems. The same notes record a capital shortfall of about $26 million.[^5] ## Where The city covers 11.29 square miles. Of that, 10.95 square miles is land and 0.34 square miles is water.[^1] Four roads mark its edges: Highway 120 on the west, County Road 13 on the east, Interstate 694 on the north, and [[Interstate 94]] on the south.[^1] The 45th parallel crosses the city roughly along Upper 35th Street North.[^1] Oakdale Township was organized in 1858. The present city formed in the 1970s when Oakdale and Northdale townships consolidated.[^1] MPCA lists four disposal sites in the East Metro: 3M Oakdale, 3M Woodbury, 3M Cottage Grove (Chemolite), and the [[Washington County Landfill]]. MPCA says disposal at these sites occurred "from the 1950s through the early 1970s." The county landfill is handled under the state Closed Landfill Program rather than Superfund.[^3] A 3M disposal-locations document, entered as State's trial exhibit PTX1872, gives years of use of 1956–1960 for Oakdale and 1960–1965 for [[Woodbury]].[^6] Separately, the Oakdale Dump is listed as a [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] Superfund site because residential wells were contaminated with volatile organic compounds and heavy metals. After cleanup, the site became a city park.[^1] The [[Metro Transit]] [[Gold Line]] runs 10 miles from downtown Saint Paul through Oakdale to [[Woodbury]]. It has 16 stations and about 70% dedicated bus-only lanes, and service began March 22, 2025.[^7] Wikipedia's article on the line gives 12 stations; the agency's figure of 16 is used here. The same article reports that Oakdale residents opposed the project.[^8] ## When - **June 25, 1979:** 3M wrote to MPCA in response to a request for information on disposal at Oakdale (exhibit PTX1211).[^9] - **June 5, 1980:** MPCA wrote to 3M asking for a detailed breakdown of the 3M wastes that were, or were likely, disposed at the Oakdale dumpsite (exhibit PTX1232).[^10] - **2002–2004:** MDH records that 3M disclosed the PFAS disposal locations to MPCA in this period. They were "the former Washington county Landfill, the 3M-Woodbury Disposal Site, and the 3M-Oakdale Disposal Site."[^11] - **2004:** Seven wells in [[Lake Elmo]] near the former county landfill tested positive for PFOA.[^11] - **2006:** Oakdale's water filtration began. MDH biomonitoring treats this as the dividing line for long-term residents' exposure.[^12] - **2008:** MDH's biomonitoring pilot detected PFCs in 100% of participants.[^12] - **February 2018:** MDH issued its cancer-occurrence update for East Metro communities. Minnesota Reformer reports that the update came out days before trial.[^4][^13] - **January 1, 2025:** Minn. Stat. § 116.943 took effect for eleven product categories.[^14] - **Second half of calendar year 2027:** This is MPCA's estimate for when drinking-water work will move back from settlement funding to the 2007 Consent Order.[^5] ## What The State sued as trustee under Minn. Stat. § 115B.04.[^2] Its complaint pleads six counts: MERLA, the Minnesota Water Pollution Control Act, trespass, common-law nuisance, statutory nuisance, and negligence. The complaint alleges contamination at four sites, Oakdale among them, by four chemicals: PFOA, PFOS, PFBA, and PFBS.[^2] The Attorney General's office keeps the case record and trial exhibits online.[^15] The State's retained expert, Sunding, prepared a 2017 report for the State on health outcomes in Oakdale. Minnesota Reformer reports that the State settled before a jury heard that report.[^13] Payments to communities now run through the settlement program. MPCA's settlement FAQ explains what happens if that money runs out: the [[2007 Consent Order]] remains, but it "only covers costs for wells that meet or exceed MDH's established health index." Settlement funds treat wells at 0.5 of that index. The FAQ also states that 3M remains obligated to keep investigating groundwater contamination at the Oakdale site.[^16] MDH's health-based value for PFOA has changed over time. It was 7 µg/L in 2002 and 0.0000079 µg/L in January 2024.[^11] The PFAS statute, Minn. Stat. § 116.943, is popularly called [[Amara's Law]]. It banned intentionally added PFAS in eleven product categories from January 1, 2025. In 2032 it extends the ban to all such products except "currently unavoidable uses."[^14] Minnesota Reformer's coverage of Oakdale includes accounts from Tartan High School students, among them [[Amara Strande]], the law's namesake.[^13] ## How much The fall 2025 notes of the MPCA / 3M Settlement Working Group record the following:[^5] - cumulative capital commitments of $515 million; - an estimated need of $575 million by the end of fiscal year 2026; - a capital shortfall of about $26 million; - about $137 million projected to be unobligated at the end of fiscal year 2026. The same notes list [[Cottage Grove]] and Oakdale as on temporary systems, and [[Woodbury]] and [[Hastings]] as under construction and over budget.[^5] The Gold Line cost $505.3 million in total. The shares were:[^7] - Federal Transit Administration, 45%; - Ramsey County, 26%; - Washington County, 26%; - [[Counties Transit Improvement Board]], 1.5%; - Federal Highway Administration, 1%; - State of Minnesota, 0.5%. ## How many The 2020 census counted 28,303 residents, 11,304 households, and a median age of 39.4. The 2010 census had counted 27,378 residents.[^1] MDH's 2018 update covered eight East Metro communities. It reported female breast cancer 12% elevated in Oakdale. Of 12 childhood-cancer comparisons, one was significant: the 56% excess in Oakdale.[^4] MDH's 2014 biomonitoring round tested blood from more than 300 residents of Oakdale, Lake Elmo, and Cottage Grove. Long-term residents exposed before the 2006 filtration showed levels that were declining but still elevated.[^12] As reported by Minnesota Reformer, Sunding's report made the following findings for Oakdale for 2003–2015:[^13] - children who died were 171% more likely to have had cancer; - persons who died were 19% more likely to have had cancer; - low-birth-weight and premature births were over 30% more likely before the 2006 filtration; - fertility was 16% lower. ## In the at-issue record Three at-issue pairs name Oakdale. 1. **MDH's finding against MDH's caveat.** The 2018 report found the 56% childhood-cancer excess. The same document also says its findings cannot identify or refute environmental health effects.[^4] Minnesota Reformer reports leaked emails that called the analysis "rushed" and its data "weak." It also reports that Swanson, the former Attorney General, called it a "flawed, rudimentary analysis."[^13] 2. **The State's expert against the State's settlement.** The State's own expert produced the Oakdale mortality and birth-outcome findings. The State then resolved the case before a jury heard them.[^13][^16] 3. **The statute.** Minn. Stat. § 116.943, named for an Oakdale student, takes effect in stages in 2025 and 2032.[^14] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Oakdale, Minnesota* (rev. 1373591791, retrieved 2026-10-27) — 2020 census population, households and median age; 2010 population; area; boundary routes; 45th parallel; 1858 township and 1970s consolidation; Oakdale Dump Superfund listing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakdale,_Minnesota [^2]: Hennepin County District Court, *State of Minnesota v. 3M Company*, Complaint, No. 27-CV-10-28862 — six counts; State suing as trustee under Minn. Stat. § 115B.04; four sites including the 3M Oakdale Disposal Site; four chemicals. https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Cases/3M/docs/Complaint.pdf [^3]: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, *East Metro 3M PFAS contamination* — the four sites; area and population affected; disposal period; county landfill under the Closed Landfill Program. https://www.pca.state.mn.us/local-sites-and-projects/east-metro-3m-pfas-contamination [^4]: Minnesota Department of Health, *Brief Update on Cancer Occurrence in East Metro Communities* (Feb. 2018) — eight communities; 56% childhood-cancer excess, ages 0–19, 1999–2014, in Oakdale; one of 12 comparisons significant; breast cancer 12% elevated in Oakdale; the report's caveat. https://www.health.state.mn.us/data/mcrs/docs/rpteastmetro.pdf [^5]: MPCA / 3M Settlement Working Group, *Fall 2025 Notes* (Dec. 2025) — $515 million committed; $575 million need; ~$26 million shortfall; ~$137 million unobligated; Oakdale on temporary systems; return to the 2007 Consent Order estimated for the second half of 2027. https://3msettlement.state.mn.us/sites/3msettlement/files/2025-12/Fall%202025%20-%20Notes.pdf [^6]: 3M, *Off-Site Waste Disposal Locations — 3M Cottage Grove*, State's trial exhibit PTX1872 (corporate document produced in litigation) — Oakdale 1956–1960; Woodbury 1960–1965. https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Cases/3M/docs/PTX/PTX1872.pdf [^7]: Metro Transit, *Gold Line facts* — $505.3 million cost and funding shares; 10 miles, 16 stations; route via Oakdale; bus-only lanes; service began March 22, 2025. https://www.metrotransit.org/gold-line-facts [^8]: Wikipedia, *Metro Gold Line (Minnesota)* — station count of 12 (conflicting with the agency figure); Oakdale residents' opposition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Gold_Line_(Minnesota [^9]: 3M (M. Santoro) to MPCA (J. Harthum), trial exhibit PTX1211 (June 25, 1979) — response to a request for information on Oakdale disposal. https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Cases/3M/docs/PTX/PTX1211.pdf [^10]: MPCA (Michael B. Ayers) to 3M (Russell H. Susag), trial exhibit PTX1232 (June 5, 1980) — request for a detailed breakdown of 3M wastes disposed at the Oakdale dumpsite. https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Cases/3M/docs/PTX/PTX1232.pdf [^11]: Minnesota Department of Health, *History of MDH PFAS activities* — 2002–2004 disclosure of disposal locations; 2004 Lake Elmo well results; PFOA health-based values, 2002 to January 2024. https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/topics/history.html [^12]: Minnesota Department of Health, *East Metro biomonitoring* — projects beginning 2008; 2008 pilot detecting PFCs in 100% of participants; 2014 round of more than 300 residents; pre-2006-filtration residents' levels. https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/biomonitoring/projects/pfas.html [^13]: Minnesota Reformer, *There must be something in the water* (Dec. 14, 2022) — Sunding's 2017 expert report and its Oakdale findings; MDH report released days before trial; leaked emails; Swanson's characterization; Tartan High School accounts including Amara Strande. https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/12/14/there-must-be-something-in-the-water/ [^14]: Revisor of Statutes, *Minn. Stat. § 116.943* — PFAS prohibitions in eleven product categories effective January 1, 2025; 2032 prohibition except "currently unavoidable uses." https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/116.943 [^15]: Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, *State of Minnesota v. 3M Company* case page — case record and trial exhibits. https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Cases/3M/ [^16]: MPCA, *Priority 1 Frequently Asked Questions* — settlement funds versus the 2007 Consent Order; health-index thresholds; 3M's continuing obligation at the Oakdale site. https://3msettlement.state.mn.us/about/priority-1-frequently-asked-questions