While reconstructing County Highway 13 in 2024, Blue Earth County and Mathiowetz Construction Co. discharged construction sediment into the Blue Earth River and a county ditch according to a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) investigation.
The violations included:
- failure to stabilize drainage ditches near the construction site
- failure to provide proper sediment control
- failure to provide sediment controls when working near surface waters
- discharge of sediment into the Blue Earth River
These violations led to Blue Earth County and Mathiowetz Construction Co. paying fines of $15,036 and $20,050 respectively.
MPCA rules and regulations are designed to protect human health and the environment by limiting pollution emissions and discharges from facilities. When regulated parties 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.