The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) closed 173 enforcement cases for water quality, air quality, waste, stormwater, and wastewater violations in the first half of 2023. Environmental enforcement investigations often take several months, in some cases more than a year, to complete the investigation and issue final enforcement documents to regulated parties. Penalties are calculated using several factors, including harm done or potential for harm to the environment, the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws, or how responsive and cooperative a regulated party was in correcting problems.
Imposing monetary penalties is only part of the MPCA’s enforcement process. Agency staff continue to provide assistance, support, and information on the steps and tools necessary to bring any company, individual, or local government back into compliance.
Enforcement cases (Jan - June 2023)
More details on all 173 cases completed during the first half of 2023 can be found on the MPCA’s Compliance and Enforcement web page.
Net penalty amounts of $5,000 or more
| Public date | Company or individual(s) | Violation location | Violation(s) | Net penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/18/2023 | DENCO II, LLC (Morris, MN) | Morris | Air quality & Industrial wastewater and stormwater: The company applied about 1.25 million gallons of wastewater to area agricultural fields without a required permit from 2017 to 2021. | $250,000 |
| 4/4/2023 | L&L Constructors (International Falls, MN) | International Falls | Construction stormwater: The company started constructing a new workshop and laydown yard in the summer of 2021 without obtaining required construction stormwater permits. | $52,378 |
| 4/7/2023 | Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Minneapolis, MN) | Minneapolis | Air quality: The company started construction at in early 2022 without first having appropriate permits in place. The investigation also confirmed that Abbott Northwestern certified in writing that construction had not started when, in fact, it had. | $50,000 |
| 3/9/2023 | Red Wing Shoes Co. - Plant 2 (Red Wing, MN) | Red Wing | Air quality: The company violated several air quality permit requirements during 2020 and 2021 at its two footwear production facilities. | $30,000 |
| 6/28/2023 | Pump and Meter Service, Inc (Hopkins, MN); EcoStat Consulting, LLC (Boerne, TX) | Elgin | Industrial wastewater: The companies discharged 10,000 gallons of petroleum-contaminated water into a storm sewer during an underground tank installation at the Elgin Cenex station in Elgin, Minn., earlier this year. The companies failed to properly treat the water and failed to obtain a water quality permit prior to beginning work, though the MPCA had informed them of this requirement in advance. | $28,640 |
| 6/12/2023 | Green Plains Fairmont LLC (Fairmont, MN) | Fairmont | Industrial wastewater: The company violated its water quality permit by releasing wastewater and byproduct to the environment on numerous occasions between 2014 and 2022. The company also failed to adequately respond to the releases as required. | $20,000 |
| 2/24/2023 | Plainview Milk Products Cooperative (Plainview, MN) | Plainview | Industrial wastewater: The company allowed milk-laden industrial wastewater to drain from its facility and into a nearby unnamed creek on two separate occasions in 2022. The creek drains directly to the North Fork of the Whitewater River, which is a designated trout stream. | $17,820 |
| 2/15/2023 | Hibbing Public Utilities Commission (Hibbing, MN) | Hibbing | Air quality: The PUC exceeded its permitted carbon monoxide emissions limits and submitted several emissions testing reports up to 300 days late. Some actions are repeat violations from previous enforcement cases. | $17,245 |
| 3/23/2023 | American Crystal Sugar Company (Moorhead, MN) | Crookston | Industrial wastewater: The company violated industrial wastewater regulations last year at its Crookston and East Grand Forks facilities that impacted the Red Lake River and Red River of the North. | $14,150 |
| 1/6/2023 | City of Litchfield (Litchfield, MN) | Litchfield | Municipal wastewater | $13,600 |
| 3/2/2023 | Gold Coast of Bemidji LLC (Bemidji, MN) | Bemidji | Municipal wastewater: The resort discharged sewage to the ground and failed to notify the Minnesota Duty Officer and MPCA during the summer and fall of 2022. | $13,000 |
| 4/14/2023 | Central Specialties, Inc. (Alexandria, MN) | Gordon Township | Construction stormwater: The company violated construction stormwater regulations by failing to properly manage sediment and control erosion during a 2022 road construction project in Todd County. | $12,352 |
| 4/11/2023 | American Crystal Sugar Company (Moorhead, MN) | East Grand Forks | Industrial wastewater: The company violated industrial wastewater regulations last year at its Crookston and East Grand Forks facilities that impacted the Red Lake River and Red River of the North. | $11,685 |
| 4/14/2023 | Minnesota Department of Transportation (Saint Paul, MN) | Gordon Township | Construction stormwater: The agency's construction contractor violated construction stormwater regulations by failing to properly manage sediment and control erosion during a 2022 road construction project in Todd County. | $11,082 |
| 6/9/2023 | Darin Meyer (Caledonia, MN) | Mabel | Feedlots: The farm applied liquid manure on frozen and snow-covered fields located near protected surface waters. | $10,000 |
| 3/16/2023 | City of Virginia (Virginia, MN) | Virginia | Air quality: The facility was emitting mercury at a rate 48% greater than the permitted limit. | $9,850 |
| 3/27/2023 | SM Hentges & Sons, Inc (Jordan, MN) | Saint Peter | Construction stormwater: The company caused nuisance conditions to waters of the state by discharging sediment and paint into Robart's Creek. | $9,828 |
| 3/16/2023 | American Crystal Sugar Company (Moorhead, MN) | Moorhead | Air quality: On-site and file inspections confirmed that the facility had exceeded permitted limits for emitting very small particulates several times during 2020 and 2021. Violations of this agreement resulted in the total penalty amount to being $15,000. | $9,670 |
| 1/4/2023 | City of Fountain (Fountain, MN) | Fountain | Municipal wastewater: The facility exceeded permitted effluent limits and had several unauthorized or reported wastewater discharges. | $8,925 |
| 1/31/2023 | A-1 Concrete & Masonry, LLC (Grand Rapids, MN) | Grand Rapids | Construction stormwater: The company failed to inspect and maintain sediment and erosion controls during construction on Hwy. 169 near Grand Rapids which created potential for pollution to run through storm sewers and into nearby Lake Pokegama. | $8,600 |
| 2/17/2023 | City of Lewiston (Lewiston, MN) | Lewiston | Municipal wastewater: The facility exceeded permitted effluent limits for phosphorus, nitrogen, pH, and ammonia on 20 occasions during 2021-22. | $8,550 |
| 3/29/2023 | Duininck Concrete, LLC (Willmar, MN) | Willmar | Industrial wastewater: Outdoor used oil storage tanks leaked into a concrete containment area that had cracks in it, allowing oil and other pollutants to spill on area soils. | $8,015 |
| 5/17/2023 | Iracore International, LLC (Hibbing, MN) | Hibbing | Air quality: The facility exceeded permit air emissions limits several times during 2019 and 2020 and failed to submit permit applications on time. | $7,550 |
| 1/25/2023 | Randy & Angela Green (Gary, MN) and Roger Hennen (Shelly, MN) | Gary | Solid waste: The parties demolished, burned, and buried a barn without obtaining required solid waste and burning permits to authorize the activities. | $7,260 |
| 1/31/2023 | Ims Contracting, LLC | Bridgewater Township | Construction stormwater: The company caused nuisance conditions to waters of the state by discharging sediment to a receiving water that then drains to Wolf Creek. The company also failed to meet construction-related erosion and sediment control requirements. | $6,575 |
| 2/28/2023 | Rice County | Bridgewater Township | Construction stormwater: The county caused nuisance conditions to waters of the state by discharging sediment to a receiving water that then drains to Wolf Creek. The county also failed to meet construction related erosion and sediment control requirements. | $6,575 |
| 6/6/2023 | Polaris Industries Inc (Medina, MN) | Roseau | Air quality: The company began construction and modifications at its emissions facility in June 2022, 123 days prior to receiving its Title V air permit major amendment from the agency. | $6,480 |
| 6/30/2023 | Steven Utke (Enderlin, ND) | Detroit Lakes | Solid waste: The party openly burned prohibited materials including tires, appliances, trash, and other prohibited materials, and also failed to operate the facility to minimize contamination by burying solid waste. | $6,450 |
| 1/3/2023 | Northshore Mining Co. (Silver Bay, MN) | Silver Bay and Babbitt | Industrial wastewater: Construction at the facility resulted in coarse aggregate being deposited into approximately 0.26 acres of wetlands. The prohibited discharge to wetlands caused pollution and nuisance conditions in receiving waters. | $6,375 |
| 1/31/2023 | Pan-O-Gold Baking Co. (Saint Cloud, MN) | Saint Cloud | Air quality: The company failed to keep required maintenance records for a period of five years and was nearly 500 days late in testing and inspecting emissions equipment. | $6,375 |
| 1/24/2023 | Duininck Inc. | Hutchinson | Construction stormwater: The company violated construction stormwater regulations by failing to follow erosion and sediment control BMP requirements. | $6,240 |
| 6/26/2023 | City of Rochester Public Utilities Westside Energy Station (Rochester, MN) | Rochester | Air quality: Air emission tests confirmed the facility had exceeded its permitted limit for volatile organic compounds on several occasions in 2020. | $6,000 |
| 6/13/2023 | City of Dodge Center (Dodge Center, MN) | Dodge Center | Municipal wastewater: The facility exceeded permitted effluent limits for phosphorus, nitrogen, ammonia, and solids on nearly 50 occasions, dating back to March 2018. | $6,000 |
| 2/7/2023 | Donald Schindler (Thief River Falls, MN) | Thief River Falls | Solid waste: The party failed to obtain a permit for the burning and disposal of solid waste, failed to operate a facility to prevent groundwater and surface water pollution and to minimize the contamination of soils from solid waste with the unpermitted disposal methods. | $5,900 |
| 3/24/2023 | US Steel Corporation (Pittsburgh, PA) | Mountain Iron | Industrial wastewater: The company discharged fill material without prior authorization to a nearby wetland, resulting in pollution and conditions potentially harmful to aquatic life. | $5,880 |
| 2/9/2023 | Best Oil, LLC (Brainerd, MN) | Brainerd | Hazardous waste: Approximately 500 gallons of diesel fuel spilled at the facility owned by Best Oil, LLC, in 2019. The discharge occurred when a tanker truck overfilled an aboveground storage tank at the facility. | $5,850 |
| 1/31/2023 | Select Genetics, LLC (Willmar, MN) | Kandiyohi | Feedlots: The facility tore down four total confinement barns with clay floors and constructed five new total confinement barns with concrete floors in the same place, without properly removing and land applying the manure contaminated soils and prior to contacting the MPCA for authorization. | $5,700 |
| 3/9/2023 | Snow Contracting, LLC (Byron, MN) | Byron | Municipal wastewater: During a sanitary sewer project in Austin, Minn., the company pumped 15,000 gallons of untreated sewage to the ground surface while trying to mitigate a failure in the existing sanitary sewer pipe during excavation of the pipe for replacement. | $5,610 |
| 5/5/2023 | Sherick Properties, LLC (Finlayson, MN) | Sandstone | Solid waste: The company failed to obtain a permit for the burning and disposal of solid waste, failed to operate a facility to prevent groundwater and surface water pollution and to minimize the contamination of soils from solid waste, and satisfactorily collect and transport solid waste to a facility authorized to accept the waste. | $5,400 |
| 3/14/2023 | Minnesota Department of Transportation (Saint Paul, MN) | Saint Peter | Construction stormwater: The agency's contractor caused nuisance conditions to waters of the state by discharging sediment and paint into Robart's Creek. | $5,096 |
| 5/11/2023 | USG Interiors LLC Cloquet (Cloquet, MN) | Cloquet | Air quality: The facility emitted small and very small particulates to the air above permitted limits in 2020. | $5,055 |
Enforcement cases with net penalty amounts of less than $5,000
- Valmont Industries Inc., for industrial stormwater violations in Farmington, $4,800.
- Dyno Nobel Inc., for industrial stormwater violations in Biwabik, $4,788.
- Federal Cartridge Co., for air quality violations in Anoka, $4,560
- Hibbing Taconite Co., for industrial wastewater violations in Hibbing, $4,500.
- Rick Johnson, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Perham, $4,315.
- Chad Boehnke, dba Boehnke’s Waste Handling, for feedlot violations in Marietta, $4,200.
- Ash Grove Dairy LLP, for feedlot violations in Lake Benton, $3,960.
- Little Falls Machine Inc., for hazardous waste violations in Little Falls, $3,600.
- Septic Check, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Milaca, $3,600.
- Cemstone Products Co., for air quality violations in Minneapolis, $3,600.
- City of Roscoe, for municipal wastewater violations in Roscoe, $3,308.
- Northland Dirt Inc., for construction stormwater violations in Princeton Township, $3,275.
- Totalcareplumbing Inc., for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Grand Forks, ND, $3,200.
- West Central Ag, for air quality violations in Beltrami, $3,137.
- NorFarm Seeds Inc., for air quality violations in Roseau, $2,940.
- American Peat Technology LLC, for air quality violations in Aitkin, $2,833.
- Badger Foundry Co., for industrial wastewater violations in Winona, $2,792.
- City of Lexington, for municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) violations in Lexington, $2,790.
- City of Eagle Lake, for municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) violations in Eagle Lake, $2,730.
- AGCO Corporation of Delaware, for hazardous waste violations in Jackson, $2,675.
- Friend’s Recycling LLC, for solid waste violations in International Falls, $2,520.
- Keith Bunkowske, for construction stormwater violations in Vergas, $2,425.
- Fairmont Foods Inc., for industrial wastewater violations in Fairmont, $2,375.
- Anderson Recycling, for industrial stormwater violations in Sandstone, $2,350.
- City of Rushford, for industrial stormwater violations in Peterson, $2,350.
- Headquarters Machine & Restoration, for industrial stormwater violations in New Hope, $2,350.
- J&B Wholesale Distributing Inc., for industrial stormwater violations in Albert Lea, $2,350.
- Mike’s Auto Salvage & Auto Body Repair, for industrial stormwater violations in Laporte, $2,350.
- Staples World, for industrial stormwater violations in Staples, $2,350.
- Twin City Pallet, for industrial stormwater violations in South St. Paul, $2,350.
- Potty Shacks, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Park Rapids, $2,310.
- RMK LLC, dba Chuck’s Body Shop, for air quality violations in Eagle Lake, $2,287.
- KBCB Properties LLC, for construction stormwater violations in Park Rapids, $2,280.
- Krain Creek Fabrication Inc., for industrial stormwater violations in Long Prairie, $2,260.
- Dan Stall, for construction stormwater violations in Detroit Lakes, $2,250.
- Jesse McCollum, for construction stormwater violations in Detroit Lakes, $2,250.
- Patrick and Patty Ploog, for feedlot violations in Lakeville, $2,200.
- Northland Aluminum Products Inc., for air quality violations in St. Louis Park, $2,189.
- The Dotson Company Inc., for air quality violations in Mankato, $2,100.
- Scott’s Septic Services LLC, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Ashby, $2,100.
- Moritz Septic Services LLC, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Osakis, $2,075.
- Tony Truesdell, for feedlot violations in Sherburn, $2,000.
- Trevor Fluit, for solid waste violations in Edgerton, $2,000.
- Acme Foundry Co., for air quality violations in Minneapolis, $1,887.
- Fame Hot Rods LLC, for air quality violations in Minneapolis, $1,887.
- M&J Construction of Holt Inc., for air quality violations in Newfolden, $1,887.
- Winchester Interconnect Hermetics LLC, for industrial wastewater violations in Fridley, $1,876.
- J&B Wholesale Distributing Inc., for hazardous waste violations in St. Michael, $1,697.
- Steven Rensvold, dba Lloyd’s 75 Service, for hazardous waste violations in Breckenridge, $1,697.
- Minnesota Timber & Millwork Inc., and Rajala Mill Co., for air quality violations in Big Fork, $1,687.
- Anova Furnishings Inc., for hazardous waste violations in Winona, $1,574.
- Metropolitan Gravel Co. Inc., for hazardous waste violations in Elk River, $1,574.
- North Woods Finishing LLC, for hazardous waste violations in Isanti, $1,574.
- Rihm Leasing Inc., for hazardous waste violations in Cloquet, $1,574.
- Saint Francis Medical Center, for hazardous waste violations in Breckenridge, $1,574.
- Dura-Supreme LLC, for hazardous waste violations in Howard Lake, $1,550.
- Howards Driveway Inc., for industrial stormwater violations in Menahga, $1,545.
- Werner Auction Group Inc., for hazardous waste violations in Elk River, $1,523.
- Bursch Bros. Inc., for air quality violations in Hanover, $1,485.
- City of Holdingford, for municipal wastewater violations in Holdingford, $1,485.
- Inline Automotive Inc., for hazardous waste violations in Cloquet, $1,274.
- Eric Dressel, for feedlot violations in Kenyon, $1,200.
- Nicholas Hanson, for feedlot violations in Kenyon, $1,200.
- Thomas Dressel, for feedlot violations in Medford, $1,200.
- Bruce Bucknell Construction Inc., for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Racine, $1,100.
- Ende Septic Service LLC, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Rogers, $1,100.
- Equipment Rental Co., for hazardous waste violations in Duluth, $1,050.
- Chad Ragan, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Eagle Lake, $1,004.
- Chance Langford, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Blue Earth, $1,000.
- Ronald Osmundson, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Delevan, $1,000.
- Ryan Stevemer, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Bricelyn, $1,000.
- Julian Johnson Construction Corp., for solid waste violations in Becker, $1,000.
- Northern Resources Cooperative, for solid waste violations in Roseau, $1,000.
- Preferred Management Service Inc., for solid waste violations in St. Paul, $1,000.
- R&Q Trucking Inc., for solid waste violations in Roseau, $1,000.
- SF Excavating & Septic Systems Inc., for solid waste violations in Dalton, $1,000.
- Avicenna Technology Inc., for hazardous waste violations in Montevideo, $969.
- CT Corporation Systems Inc., for hazardous waste violations in Hermantown, $969.
- CWI LLC, dba Camping World, for hazardous waste violations in Baxter, $969.
- Electro Industries Inc., for hazardous waste violations in Monticello, $969.
- Linda Hansen, for hazardous waste violations in Wayzata, $531.
- Bradley Stenzel, for feedlot violations in New Richland, $500.
- Julie Riegel, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Blue Earth, $500.
- Whitney Fritzmeier and Charles Stoops, for subsurface sewage treatment system violations in Welcome, $500.
- City of Maplewood, for construction stormwater violations in Maplewood, $473.
- Park Construction Co., for construction stormwater violations in Maplewood, $403.
- St. Jude Medical LLC, dba Abbott Medical, for hazardous waste violations in Little Canada, $400.
- Eriah and Katherine Hayes, for solid waste violations in La Crescent, $350.
- Ideal Township, for solid waste violations in Pine River, $350.
- Keith Sharer, for hazardous waste violations in Sauk Rapids, $350.
- Big Deal Consignments LLC, for hazardous waste violations in Pequot Lakes, $300.
- Thunderbolt Ranch Development LLC, for construction stormwater violations in Lake Park, $150.
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