Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Contact: Anne Perry Moore, 218-723-2356 Toll-free: 1-800-657-3864 Duluth, Minn. - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Northland Constructors of Duluth have reached an agreement that resolves the company's alleged failure to follow the terms of a stormwater permit for its Boulder Ridge Apartments project in Duluth. As a result, the company paid a $23,940 penalty, returned the site's stormwater pond to its original design capacity and made other improvements to limit erosion at the site. Northland Constructors applied for and received a stormwater permit from the MPCA for construction-related activities in 2005. Under a joint powers agreement with the agency, South St. Louis County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) was authorized to conduct stormwater inspections at the Boulder Ridge site. During inspections conducted between September 2005 and June 2007, SWCD staff found various problems involving construction-related erosion and sediment leaving the site. As a result, sediment flowed off the site and into Brewery Creek and a nearby wetland. MPCA and SWCD inspectors worked together to address and resolve the violations with Northland Constructors' representatives from June 2007 to August 2008. 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 on stormwater permits, call Lisa Woog, MPCA compliance coordinator, at 218-855-5017 or toll-free at 1-800-657-3864. A stipulation agreement such as this 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 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, go to the agency Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/newscenter/enforcement.html.