Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Media Contact: Stephen Mikkelson, 218-855-5001 Technical Contact: Lisa Woog, 218-855-5017 Toll Free: 1-800-657-3864 Brainerd, Minn. -- Bauerly Brothers Inc., of Sauk Rapids, has agreed to pay a $29,000 penalty for alleged stormwater violations at three construction sites in central Minnesota. At two of the three sites, stormwater permits that are required when construction projects disturb one or more acres of land were not obtained from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). In addition, the company failed to properly maintain erosion and sediment control structures designed to prevent pollution of nearby water bodies. "Stormwater permits help companies prevent pollution that often occurs when water carries sediment and other pollutants off construction sites," said Lisa Woog, an MPCA stormwater specialist. The construction sites where the alleged violations occurred include the Autumn Ridge Development near Becker and the Aspen Hills Development near Big Lake, both in Sherburne County. The third site is near County Road 44, close to Lake Louisa in the southeast corner of Stearns County. In addition to Lake Louisa, other waterways affected by these violations were wetlands near the construction sites, the Elk River, and Tibbets, Theil and Fairhaven creeks. In addition to paying the civil penalty, the company has already obtained the required permits and all three construction sites are now using proper stormwater pollution prevention practices. The violations occurred between 2002 and 2004. 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. 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 at/newscenter/enforcement.html.