Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Saving money will be a New Year's resolution for many Minnesotans, but reducing costs can also reduce the impact on the environment, saving the state additional money and resources on fewer cleanup projects. Here are seven ways that Minnesotans can save in 2009.

American Crystal Sugar has agreed to pay a $185,000 civil penalty and implement management strategies to prevent violations of Minnesota's hydrogen sulfide ambient air standards at its Moorhead, Crookston and East Grand Forks beet-processing factories. The stipulation agreement with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) also covers alleged violations of fine particle emission standards at the Moorhead and East Grand Forks locations.

Along with all the fun, festivities and gifts during the holiday season comes something else: more items for the trash bin. On an average day, a typical Minnesotan creates roughly six pounds of waste. But from Thanksgiving to New Years Day, household waste increases by more than 25 percent. Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons - it all adds up to an additional 1 million tons a week to the nation's garbage piles. In fact, 38,000 miles of ribbon alone is thrown out each year - enough to tie a bow around the Earth!

The Hibbing Taconite Company will pay a $24,000 civil penalty for alleged air quality violations and will return the facility to compliance within the next two years, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced today.

Hill Wood Products Inc., recently paid an $11,550 civil penalty for alleged air quality violations and returned the facility to compliance, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced today.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has added the city of Rochester to its air pollution forecasting service. Rochester joins the Twin Cities as the only two state metro areas covered by the MPCA's air pollution forecasting service, which includes microscopic fine particle pollution year round and ozone from April through September.

The Minnesota Pollution Control (MPCA) is proposing revisions to a rule so that materials from buildings being renovated or demolished do not end up in a solid waste management facility that is prohibited from accepting such materials. A notice regarding the proposal was published in the Dec. 1 State Register.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is seeking comments on a water quality improvement report for Long and Farquar lakes in Dakota County. The report, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), focuses on pollution caused by excess nutrients. A public comment period begins Nov. 24, and continues through Dec. 24, 2008.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is seeking comments on a water quality improvement report for Crystal Lake in Hennepin County. The report, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), focuses on pollution caused by excess nutrients. A public comment period begins Nov. 24, and continues through Dec. 24, 2008.

The end of the 2008 water monitoring season marks an important date for the Citizen Lake Monitoring Program -- it is the program's 35th anniversary. The CLMP is the longest running volunteer lake program in the nation.

Ernest Zelinka, C.L. Preserve LLC, North Pine Aggregate Inc., and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency have reached an agreement that requires the three parties to pay the MPCA $25,000 for alleged stormwater violations. The violations occurred at a 35-acre housing development construction site near Pine City, Minn.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20 at the Fillmore County Office Building in Preston to discuss challenges in reducing the turbidity, or the lack of clarity, in the Root River and its tributaries. An informal open house from 6 to 7 p.m. will provide opportunities for people to ask questions in advance of the meeting. The Fillmore County Office Building is located at 902 Houston St. N.W. in Preston.

Liberty Paper Inc., and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) have reached an agreement that requires the company to pay $14,000 for alleged air quality violations at its cardboard reprocessing facility near Becker, Minn.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is seeking comments on an Environmental Assessment Worksheet that has been prepared for proposed construction of a new, fenced rail yard for Marathon Petroleum Company LLC. The draft EAW is open for public comment until 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2008.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air pollution health alert for the Twin Cities and an advisory for Southeastern MN including Rochester, due to fine particle pollution for Tuesday November 4, 2008.

Valley Creek, one of the better trout-producing streams in Minnesota, is getting a facelift with the help of some federal funds and neighborhood support.

Tuohy Furniture Corp., a manufacturer of office furniture in Chatfield, Minn., has paid a civil penalty of $21,000 to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for alleged air-quality violations.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) concluded 39 enforcement cases totaling $857,564 in penalties during the third quarter of 2008. The cases occurred at facilities in 33 counties throughout Minnesota.

Silverstreak Dairy LLC, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) have reached an agreement that requires the company to pay $11,700 for alleged feedlot violations at its facility near Buckman, Minn., in southern Morrison County.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has prepared an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for a proposed swine facility expansion about 10 miles northeast of Worthington in Section 28 of Graham Lake Township in Nobles County. The EAW, which describes potential impacts on land use, water quality and air quality, is open for public review and comment Oct. 6 through Nov. 5, 2008.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the U.S. Steel Corporation reached an agreement that resolved the company's alleged past failure to comply with state air and water quality permits at its Minntac facility in Mountain Iron, Minn. As a result, the company has agreed to pay a $119,544 civil penalty and submit air and water quality equipment compliance plans.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has completed its clean-up decision for the affected Highway 96 Dump Superfund Site properties located on the west side of Gilfillian Lake in North Oaks, 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.

The Recycle MORE Minnesota campaign has been named the 2008 recipient of the National Recycling Coalition's (NRC) "Outstanding Public Education Award." A joint venture between the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Recycling Association of Minnesota, the Recycle MORE Minnesota campaign is a statewide effort to increase recycling at home, at work and on the go.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is seeking preliminary applications for grants to be used in the development of environmentally sustainable practices that prevent pollution and conserve resources. Both public and private organizations and partnerships are eligible. Preliminary applications are due Oct. 27, 2008.