Contact: Cathy Rofshus, 507-206-2608
Oronoco, Minn. ― Oronoco Estates, a mobile home park four miles north of Rochester, has paid an $11,435 penalty to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for alleged wastewater and solid waste violations.
The mobile home park failed to operate its wastewater treatment facility according to permit requirements, failing to maintain the stabilization pond dikes, regulate the amount of wastewater in the ponds, submit timely reports, and monitor for bacteria and nitrogen while spraying wastewater on land as part of the treatment process, among other violations.
In addition, the mobile home park violated garbage laws by burning debris that included plastics and chemically treated materials.
As part of its stipulation agreement with the MPCA, Oronoco Estates is taking steps to adhere to its permit for wastewater treatment and maintain compliance with state and federal solid waste laws.
The stipulation agreement is one tool that 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 was a first time or repeat violation and how promptly the violation was reported to appropriate authorities. The agency also attempts to recover the calculated economic benefit gained by failure to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.
For more information, go to the MPCA website at www.pca.state.mn.us.
