Contact: Stephen Mikkelson, 218-316-3887 Toll free: 1-800-657-3864
EDITOR’S NOTE: Cases listed below are from the following counties: Aitkin, Anoka, Beltrami, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Crow Wing, Dakota, Goodhue, Hennepin, Itasca, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Martin, McLeod, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pine, Pipestone, Ramsey, Renville, Rice, Scott, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, St. Louis, Swift, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wright and Yellow Medicine.
St. Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) concluded 56 enforcement cases totaling $2,010,744 in penalties during the fourth quarter of 2009. The cases occurred at facilities in 36 counties throughout Minnesota. For all of 2009, 229 cases were concluded totaling $3,974,422 in penalties.
The following is a brief summary of all 56 cases completed during the fourth quarter of 2009:
-- $1,150,000 – Minnesota Energy, Buffalo Lake, for air and water quality violations.
-- $425,000 – Bushmills Ethanol, Atwater, for air and water quality violations.
-- $145,000 – Fibrominn Biomass Power Plant, Benson, for air quality violations.
-- $60,000 – Virginia Public Utilities, Virginia, for air and water quality violations.
-- $33,000 – Hibbing Public Utilities, Hibbing, for air quality violations.
-- $24,500 – Johnson Oil Bulk Plant, Hallock, for above ground storage tank violations.
-- $14,250 –Surfside Development, Tofte, for stormwater violations.
-- $10,000 – Federal Cartridge Company, Anoka, for hazardous waste violations.
-- $10,000 – Rice County Landfill, Dundas, for solid waste violations.
-- $10,000 – City of Butterfield, for water quality violations.
-- $8,650 – Multek Flexible Circuits Inc., Northfield, for air quality violations.
-- $8,417 – Central Livestock Association Inc., Zumbrota, for feedlot violations.
-- $7,375 – Willmar Poultry Co., Willmar, for stormwater violations.
-- $5,750 – Heartland Corn Products, Winthrop, for air quality violations.
-- $5,700 – Birds Eye Foods, Waseca, for hazardous waste violations.
-- $5,500 – JRO Properties, Nisswa Pole Barns, Nisswa, for stormwater violations.
-- $5,000 – City of St. Michael, for asbestos violations.
-- $4,975 – Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch, Stewartville, for solid waste violations.
-- $4,911 – Jake’s Carpet & Bedding, Fairmont, for solid waste violations.
-- $4,800 – Meyers Cozy Corner Campground Inc., Richmond, for individual septic treatment system violations.
-- $4,375 – Federal-Mogul Corp., Powertrain Systems, Lake City, for air quality violations.
-- $3,800 – Medallion Cabinetry Inc., Waconia, for air quality violations.
-- $3,500 – MAACO Auto Painting and Body Works, Osseo, for air quality violations.
-- $2,990 – Anchor Glass Container Corp., Shakopee, for air quality violations.
-- $2,908 – ABA Water Systems Inc., Plainview, for water quality violations.
-- $2,890 – Lund Boat Company, New York Mills, for hazardous waste violations.
-- $2,670 – White Bear Township water treatment plant, White Bear Lake, for water quality violations.
-- $2,500 – Potlatch Land & Lumber LLC, Bemidji, for air quality violations.
-- $2,200 – Dale Eiffler, dba American Septic Service, Hinckley, for individual septic treatment system violations.
-- $2,188 – Betker Builders, Hutchinson, for stormwater violations.
-- $1,750 – City of Oak Park Heights, Jorgenson Construction Inc., Oak Park Heights, for stormwater violations.
-- $1,750 – Jorgenson Construction, Inc., Oak Park Heights, for stormwater violations.
-- $1,687 – Itasca County Courhouse, Grand Rapids, for air quality violations.
-- $1,687 – Martin Luther College, New Ulm, for air quality violations.
-- $1,255 – Kevin Nowicki Farm, Fairmont, for feedlot violations.
-- $1,000 – Aaron Heyn, Mankato, for individual septic treatment system violations.
-- $885 – James Smith, Bingham Lake, for individual septic treatment system violations.
-- $550 – Hancock wastewater treatment plant, Hancock, for water quality violations.
-- $500 – Brent DeRuyter, dba DeRuyter Pallets, Ruthton, for solid waste violations.
The penalties for the following cases are all forgivable:
-- $4,600 – Cemstone Products, Minneapolis, for air quality violations.
-- $2,700 – Bursch Brothers Inc., Hanover, for air quality violations.
-- $2,250 – Harlen Muller, Cass Lake, for solid waste violations.
-- $1,687 – Berggren Steel Fabricating Inc., Ham Lake, for air quality violations.
-- $1,687 – Minnesota Supercomputer Center, Minneapolis, for air quality violations.
-- $1,687 – Tri-County Aggregate Inc., Medford, for air quality violations.
-- $1,624 – Sandy Lake Sand and Gravel, McGregor, for air quality violations.
-- $1,562 – MCF, Moose Lake, for air quality violations.
-- $1,562 – Rochester Ford Body Shop, Rochester, for air quality violations.
-- $1,562 – Bloomington Chrysler Jeep, Bloomington, for air quality violations.
-- $1,000 – City of Anoka, for stormwater violations.
-- $1,000 – City of Gem Lake, Gem Lake, for water quality violations.
-- $1,000 – Hibbing wastewater treatment plant, Hibbing, for water quality violations.
-- $810 – Automotive Concepts, New Hope, for air quality violations.
-- $780 – Target Financial Services, Minneapolis, for air quality violations.
-- $720 – D’s Sanitation, Pipestone, for solid waste violations.
-- $600 – Walton Bean Growers Coop, George Lorincz, Clarkfield, for solid waste violations.
A complete summary of environmental enforcement actions and news releases can be found on the MPCA’s News Media Center Web page at www.pca.state.mn.us/newscenter/index.html. For questions on specific enforcement cases, please contact Stephen Mikkelson, Information Officer at 218-316-3887, or toll-free at 1-800-657-3864.
