Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Dan Olson, 218-846-7390 Toll-free: 1-800-657-3864 Bemidji, Minn. -- As part of an agreement with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Northern Township has paid a civil penalty of $11,758 and taken actions to eliminate surface water discharges from a wastewater treatment facility the township operates in the Waville area near Lake Bemidji. Under a permit issued by Beltrami County, the facility is allowed to discharge some wastewater to the soil. However, onsite MPCA inspections in 2004 and 2005 showed the facility was allegedly discharging partially treated wastewater to a nearby wetland during power failures, periods of heavy use and other times. In April, Northern Township provided the MPCA with a report that includes monitoring and other information showing the facility is operating in accordance with the terms outlined in the agreement. The MPCA provides training on a number of topics for wastewater treatment plant operators. People who operate wastewater treatment facilities must be certified to ensure they have a thorough understanding of a system's basic operation and maintenance. 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 at www.pca.state.mn.us/newscenter/enforcement.html.