Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Stephen Mikkelson, 218-855-5001 Toll-free: 1-800-657-3864 Brainerd, Minn. - The American Iron and Steel Company has agreed to pay a $26,700 civil penalty to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for alleged air quality violations at its metal shredding facility in St. Cloud, Minn. The violations included exceeding air opacity and particulate matter emission levels in November 2005. The company also made unauthorized equipment modifications that led to more emissions than allowed by their permit in 2005 and 2006. In addition to paying the civil penalty, the company has also corrected the problems that led to the violations in the agreement. When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violation affected the environment, whether it is a first time or repeat violation, and how promptly the violation was reported to appropriate authorities. It also attempts to recover the calculated economic benefit gained by failure to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner. For a comprehensive list of enforcement actions by the MPCA, go to the agency Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/newscenter/enforcement.html.