Green Plains Fairmont, LLC, an ethanol plant in Fairmont, paid $14,175 for an ethanol spill that lasted four days and contaminated groundwater. A Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) inspection on Jan. 7, 2023, found the spill discharged to a containment area with a liner that did not prevent the ethanol from soaking into the soil and contaminating groundwater. The spill occurred on Jan. 2, 2023, and lasted until Jan. 6, 2023. The company didn’t notify the Minnesota Duty Officer of the spill until Jan. 6, 2023, and did not conduct cleanup operations in a reasonable amount of time.
The facility took several corrective actions to remedy the situation, including:
- recovery of 130,000 gallons of ethanol after the release
- installation of a containment liner that is thick enough to protect groundwater
- submitting an updated prevention and response plan for MPCA review and approval
The MPCA remains 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.
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.