Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Stephen Mikkelson, 218-316-3887 or 1-800-657-3864

St. Paul, Minn. — In its ongoing efforts to promote environmental compliance, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) concluded 64 enforcement cases in 39 counties throughout Minnesota during the fourth quarter of 2012.

Penalties from all 64 cases totaled just over $730,000. For all of 2012 the MPCA completed 214 cases totaling more than $2.7 million. Nearly 10 percent of that total was spent toward the completion of supplemental environmental projects (SEPs), which are often included in enforcement actions. SEPs are intended to provide extra environmental and public health benefits. They are projects that regulated parties agree to do in settling enforcement actions, but are not otherwise legally required to complete.

Imposing monetary penalties is only part of the MPCA’s enforcement process. Agency staff continue to provide assistance, support and information on the steps and tools necessary to achieve compliance for any company or local government that requests it.

The following is a brief summary of all 64 cases completed during the fourth quarter of 2012:

• Northshore Mining Co., Silver Bay, for solid and hazardous waste violations - $292,973 (this includes $50,000 toward a SEP).
• Winona Lighting, Winona, for air quality violations - $99,500.
• Bongards Creameries Inc., Perham, for water quality violations - $79,069.
• American Crystal Sugar, East Grand Forks, for air quality violations - $24,943.
• Superior Industries LLC, Morris, for air quality violations - $20,000.
• Craig and Carly Benedix Farm, Mantorville, for feedlot violations - $14,000.
• Fibrominn Biomass Power Plant, Benson, for air quality violations - $14,000.
• Floyd Johnson, Underwood, for solid waste violations - $10,000.
• Master Transfer Co. Inc., Brooklyn Park, for emergency response violations - $10,000.
• Road Master Fleet Services Inc., Brooklyn Park, for emergency response violations - $10,000.
• Thomas Altergott, dba Tom’s Sewer Service, Deerwood, for individual septic treatment system violations - $8,256.
• Crown Cork and Seal Co., Faribault, for air quality violations - $7,500.
• B&H Contractors Inc., Lake Benton, for solid waste violations - $6,750.
• L&E Farm Drainage, West Concord, for solid waste violations - $5,722.
• Barthold Farm, St. Francis, for feedlot violations - $5,561.
• Kangas Enterprises Inc., McGregor, for individual septic treatment system violations - $5,360.
• Sparboe Farms Inc., Litchfield, for solid waste violations - $5,175.
• Merle Vold, Faribault, for solid waste and air quality violations - $5,025.
• Thompson Rental, Duluth, for individual septic treatment system violations - $4,950.
• Salonek Concrete and Construction Inc., Springfield, for solid waste violations - $4,817.
• Hartel’s/DBJ Disposal LLC, Proctor, for solid waste and stormwater violations - $4,300.
• Adrian Bus Co., Adrian, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Alaska Airlines, St. Paul, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• CNH America LLC, Benson, for water quality violations - $3,900.
• Detroit Lakes Airport, Detroit Lakes, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Edwin E. Thoreson Inc., Grand Marais, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Erickson Timber Products Inc., Baudette, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Hallock Municipal Airport, Hallock, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Kandiyohi County Sanitary Landfill, New London, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• North American Salt Co., Duluth, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Wilkens Industries Inc., Morris, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Lunda Construction Co., Mower County, for stormwater violations - $3,750.
• Minnesota Department of Transportation, Mower County, for stormwater violations - $3,750.
• Orv Dressen, dba Orv’s Plumbing & Heating, Ellsworth, for solid waste violations - $3,700.
• Mackereth Excavating Inc., Litchfield, for solid waste violations - $3,450.
• Keith Johnson, dba Johnny on the Spot, LLC, Faribault, for individual septic treatment system violations - $3,000.
• Ben Brockton, Northfield, for solid waste violations - $2,390.
• Thomas L. Burris, dba Burris Septic Service, Cook, for individual septic treatment system violations - $2,000.
• Curtis Dubbeldee, dba Dubbeldee Repair, Marshall, for solid waste violations - $1,825.
• Acme Foundry Co., Minneapolis, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Ben’s Tool and Iron, Waite Park, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Commercial Millwork Solutions, Rosemount, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Prairie Agra Fuels, Bagley, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Robert B. Hill Co., St. Louis Park, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• SMI and Hydraulics Inc., Porter, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Minneapolis, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Basset Cultured Marble and Granite, LLC, Shakopee, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• ISD 719, Prior Lake High School, Prior Lake, for air quality violations - $1,624.
• Limeinator, Olivia, for air quality violations - $1,624.
• Modern Metals Products, Owatonna, for air quality violations - $1,624.
• Polar Tank Trailer Inc., Holdingford, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Retailer Services Corp., Anoka, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• St. Francis Medical Center, Breckenridge, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, St. Peter, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Warrior Mfg., LLC, Redwood Falls, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Brian and Cynthia Herbst, Kasson, for asbestos violations - $1,150.
• Andrew Albrecht, Williams, for asbestos violations - $1,000.
• Great Outdoors Excavating LLC, Alborn, for individual septic treatment system violations - $920.
• Dale Anderson, dba 3B’s Construction, Cohasset, for individual septic treatment system violations - $750.
• Waln Excavating and Blacktopping, Inc., Wadena, for individual septic treatment system violations - $649.
• Keith Weber, Evan Auto Repair, Evan, for solid waste violations - $600.
• Kenneth Koch and Karen Ristau-Koch, Fountain, for solid waste violations - $600.
• Titan Machinery Inc., Marshall, for solid waste violations - $525.
• New Horizon Farms-BMB, Pipestone, for feedlot violations - $500.
• New Horizon Farms-Research Facilities, Verdi, for feedlot violations - $500.

A complete summary of environmental enforcement actions and news releases can be found on the MPCA’s News Media Center webpage. For questions on specific enforcement cases, call Stephen Mikkelson, Information Officer, at 218-316-3887 or toll free at 1-800-657-3864.