Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Nancy Miller, 507-280-3590 Rochester, Minn. -- Le Sueur Incorporated, an aluminum foundry in Le Sueur, has paid $35,000 for alleged violations of the facility's air emissions permit. In addition, the company has made several changes in its operation to ensure future compliance with environmental regulations. During a July 2006 review of the facility's 2005 emission inventory, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) staff documented several violations of the facility's air emissions permit. Specifically, the company failed to obtain required approvals before making changes to existing pollution control equipment. In addition, the facility violated maintenance and record-keeping requirements outlined in its permit. Le Sueur Incorporated has completed all actions required to bring the facility back into compliance with its existing air emissions permit. The company submitted the appropriate permit modification application and provided documentation certifying proper maintenance and record-keeping procedures. The settlement, known as a stipulation agreement, is one of the tools used to achieve compliance with environmental laws. When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violation affected the environment, whether it was a first time or repeat violation and how promptly the violation was reported to appropriate authorities. The agency 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, visit the agency Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/newscenter/enforcement.html.