L&L Constructors Inc. pays $52,378 for violating construction stormwater regulations in International Falls

According to a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) enforcement investigation, L&L Constructors Inc. started constructing a new workshop and laydown yard in the summer of 2021 without obtaining required construction stormwater permits at its facility in International Falls, Minn. A laydown yard is an area on a construction site where tools, materials, equipment, and vehicles are stored temporarily when they are not in use.

Other violations at the site included failing to:

• obtain the proper approvals and permits for potential wetland impacts, which and caused adverse impacts to nearly two acres of wetland.
• develop a required stormwater pollution prevention plan for the site.
• comply with all sediment and erosion control requirements of the construction stormwater permit.
• have a trained individual conduct the required inspections during and after construction.
• maintain sediment controls during and after construction.

Sediment and stormwater controls keep rain and snow melt from carrying sediment and other pollutants off construction sites and into nearby lakes, streams, rivers, and wetlands.

In addition to paying the $52,378 civil penalty, L&L Constructors agreed to complete a series of corrective actions including:

• ceasing all discharges to the wetland and providing written documentation of a plan to address the wetland impacts.
• training or hiring a trained individual to begin conducting the required site inspections.
• providing a written and signed statement that they will search out, apply for, and obtain all appropriate wetland permits prior to beginning any future construction activities.

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 takes into account 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.