Heron Lake BioEnergy LLC, an ethanol plant in Jackson County, paid $18,445 in fines for violations of its air permit. A Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) investigation found that Heron Lake BioEnergy exceeded its permitted limits of particulate matter (PM) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Prolonged exposure to PM less than 10 micrometers in diameter can cause aggravated asthma, increased respiratory symptoms such as irritation of the airways or difficulty breathing, and nonfatal heart attacks. Prolonged exposure to HAPs are suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects.
The facility took the following corrective actions to return to compliance:
- replaced sodium bisulfite with ammonium-based additives
- reduced production to reduce the facility’s HAP emissions
- developed a performance plan, approved by the MPCA, to ensure the facility stays in compliance with its permit
- scheduled performance testing to ensure compliance with its permit
- submitted performance testing to MPCA
MPCA rules and regulations are designed to protect human health and the environment by 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.