Contact: Anne Perry Moore, 218-302-6605, 1-800-657-3864
Saint Paul, Minn. - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has announced that Central Sandblasting Co. recently paid a $19,500 civil penalty for alleged air-quality violations and has begun taking steps to return the facility to compliance.
The company owns and operates a sandblasting and metal-coating facility in Mounds View, Minn. The facility cleans, often by sandblasting, and then paints steel components and equipment. Many parts of the company’s processes generate air emissions and use equipment regulated by state permits.
The alleged violations included failing to obtain a permit before construction and operation of a paint booth, generating emissions that exceeded permitted levels for hazardous air pollutants and volatile organic compounds, failing to submit information about increased facility production, and failing to submit emissions inventory data.
In October 2007, Central Sandblasting began constructing a new paint booth without applying for, or receiving, a required state permit. MPCA staff received the permit application in October 2008 and issued a permit for the existing facility in March 2009. In May 2009, the agency was notified that the company had exceeded permit limits prior to receiving the air emission permit. Emission data submitted since June 2009 indicated the company is still out of compliance with the current permit limits.
The company has since corrected problems, including submitting emission data for facility painting operations that demonstrates compliance with federal hazardous air pollutant emission limits, and submitted the required 2007 and updated 2008 emission inventory reports.
Stipulation agreements are one of the tools the MPCA uses 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, visit the agency’s Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/newscenter/enforcement.html.
Minnesota law requires owners and operators of facilities with the potential to release air pollutants to have MPCA permits. They must also carefully monitor and maintain equipment because emissions exceeding state standards can degrade air quality. The MPCA offers outreach and training to help facilities meet their permit requirements. For more information on air-quality permits and emission standards, visit the agency’s Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us or call Brent Rohne, MPCA air quality inspector, at 651-757-2674. All MPCA staff can also be reached toll-free at 800-657-3864.
