Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Stephen Mikkelson, 218-855-5001 Toll free: 1-800-657-3864 EDITOR'S NOTE: Cases listed below are from the following counties: Benton, Chippewa, Chisago, Cook, Dakota, Fillmore, Hennepin, Lake, Morrison, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Ramsey, St. Louis, Stearns and Wright. St. Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) concluded 20 enforcement cases totaling $150,751 in penalties during the fourth quarter of 2005. The cases occurred at facilities in 15 counties throughout Minnesota. For all of 2005, MPCA enforcement staff completed 95 cases with a total penalty amount of slightly more than $2.6 million. These cases occurred at facilities in 40 of Minnesota's 87 counties. Nearly half of last year's penalty amount was from the first quarter. The following is a brief summary of the 20 cases completed during the fourth quarter of 2005:
· $37,750, Northshore Mining Co., Silver Bay Power Co., and Cleveland Cliffs Inc., Silver Bay -- water quality violations.
· $13,000, Northshore Mining Co., Silver Bay Power Co., and Cleveland Cliffs Inc., Silver Bay -- air quality violations.
· $12,500, Spring Valley Ponds LLC, Spring Valley -- stormwater violations.
· $11,550, Gresser Companies Inc., Eagan -- hazardous waste violations.
· $9,735, Con Agra Grain Processing Co., Hastings -- air quality violations.
· $9,000, Stearns County Highway Department, near Kimball -- stormwater violations.
· $7,500, Northshore Mining Co., Silver Bay Power Co., and Cleveland Cliffs Inc., Silver Bay -- stormwater violations.
· $7,500, Ramsey County Public Works, St. Paul -- stormwater violations.
· $6,000, Jeff Holmers, and Doboszenski & Sons, Wayzata -- stormwater violations.
· $5,699, Rapid Plating Inc., Sauk Rapids -- hazardous waste violations.
· $4,818, Hardrives Inc., Waite Park -- air quality violations.
· $4,550, Vern Reynolds Construction Co. Inc., dba Windego Golf Course, Grand Marais -- solid waste violations.
· $3,575, Marksman Metals Co., Inc., St. Michael -- hazardous waste violations.
· $3,250, Tri-City Paving Inc., Little Falls -- air quality violations.
· $3,000, Wild Mountain Ski; Dan Radke, Taylors Falls -- stormwater violations.
· $2,800, Journey Developing Inc., Oronoco -- water quality violations.
· $2,700, U.S. Steel Corporation, Minnesota Ore Operations, Mountain Iron -- air quality violations.
· $2,358, Interstate Fuel and Food, Fergus Falls -- water quality violations.
· $2,153, Northwoods Body Shop, Hibbing -- hazardous waste violations.
· $1,313, Tostenson's & Minnesota Army National Guard Montevideo Training & Community Center, Montevideo -- multimedia violations.
A complete summary of environmental enforcement actions and news releases can be found on the MPCA's News Media Center Web page at hhref="/newscenter/index.html. For questions on specific enforcement cases, please contact Stephen Mikkelson, Information Officer at 218-855-5001, or toll free at 1-800-657-3864.