The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) fined CHS, Inc. $11,325 for violations of its aboveground storage tank permit at its facility in Mankato.
On Feb. 12, 2026, CHS informed the MPCA that the floor of an aboveground storage tank used to store vegetable oil had been removed and replaced. The facility’s permit requires CHS to notify the MPCA prior to any significant modification of the tank.
In addition to paying the fine, CHS applied for a permit modification for the updated tank.
The MPCA is committed to protecting human health and the environment by enforcing rules and regulations and limiting pollution and discharges from facilities. When facilities do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment. Since 2019, the MPCA has issued 8,580 enforcement actions amounting to nearly $25 million in penalties. Penalty payments go into the state’s environmental fund, which is appropriated by the Legislature and enables the MPCA to protect communities and the environment from harmful pollution.
When calculating penalties, the MPCA considers a number of factors including the seriousness of the violation, the potential for harm to human health or the environment, history of noncompliance, and the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws.