S.M. Hentges & Sons, a Jordan-based construction company, paid $13,078 for construction stormwater violations for a project in Chaska. A Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) investigation in May 2025 found that the company discharged soil-laden stormwater into a ravine that drains into McKnight Lake. The company also failed to protect soil on the construction site from stormwater runoff.
The company completed the following corrective actions:
- immediately stopped the discharge of soil-laden stormwater into the ravine
- installed silt fences to protect soil from running off into the ravine
- removed soil piles from curb and gutter to prevent soil stormwater from running off into the ravine
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.