Benson Municipal Utilities, which is owned and operated by the city of Benson, paid more than $14,000 in fines for air permit violations. A Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) investigation found that Benson Municipal Utilities failed to conduct required carbon monoxide tests within their permit deadline for their five generators providing emergency power services to the city. Carbon monoxide can cause health problems if present in sufficient amounts in the air.
The facility self-reported pressure-drop deviations for pieces of control equipment throughout 2023 and 2024 but did not take or document corrective measures. Pressure-drop deviations indicate problems with equipment that could result in excess emissions.
The facility took the following corrective actions to return to compliance:
- completed the required carbon monoxide tests
- submitted plans to ensure future carbon monoxide tests are submitted by deadline
- submitted plans to ensure control equipment is operated within pressure drop ranges
The MPCA remains committed to protecting human health and the environment by enforcing rules and regulations and limiting pollution emissions and discharges from facilities. When companies do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment.
When calculating penalties, the MPCA considers how seriously the violations affected or could have affected the environment, and whether they were first-time or repeat violations. The agency also attempts to recover the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.