Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Stephen Mikkelson, 218-316-3887 Brainerd, Minn. -- The city of Baxter and Tom's Backhoe Service, Inc., Brainerd, have paid the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) a combined civil penalty of $20,000 for alleged stormwater violations. The violations occurred at the Cedar Scenic Road water and sewer project in Baxter. Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District staff performed inspections from May through October 2007. The inspections revealed several stormwater violations during water and sewer line installation at a 13.7-acre site in Baxter's Cedar Scenic Road area. Violations included failing to maintain proper silt fencing, failing to stabilize ditches and ditch banks, and failing to properly dissipate dewatering outlets. These violations resulted in excess erosion and allowed sediment-laden stormwater to discharge into area wetlands. Minnesota law requires businesses and contractors to apply for a stormwater permit when construction projects disturb more than one acre of soil. The MPCA offers outreach and training to help contractors meet their permit requirements. For more information about stormwater permits, call Lisa Woog, MPCA compliance coordinator, at 218-316-3891 or toll-free at 800-657-3864. 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, refer to the agency Web site: /pyri3c4.