The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) fined Duluth-area property owner Peter Walkowiak $15,100 for conducting a house demolition and burning without obtaining a permit for the disposal of solid waste.
On Sept. 30, 2024, MPCA staff received an enforcement referral from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office regarding a house demolition and burning at a property in Saginaw, located west of Duluth. Deputies and fire personnel documented the property owner’s admission that he had demolished a house and burned prohibited materials, including materials containing asbestos, without a permit for the disposal of solid waste. Walkowiak also buried waste from the demolition and burning on his property. Burning prohibited materials and failing to properly dispose of solid waste can result in dangerous contaminants being released into the environment.
In addition to paying the fine, Walkowiak was required to immediately stop all demolition and burning at his property and to submit documentation to the MPCA proving that all solid waste and ash had been disposed of at an appropriate waste management facility.
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 or people do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment. Since 2019, the MPCA has issued 8,419 enforcement actions amounting to more than $24 million in penalties. Penalty payments go into the MPCA's general fund, which 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.