New Ulm Steel was fined $13,850 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for noise and dust violations. In October 2023, New Ulm Steel failed a noise test at its facility. New Ulm Steel was also fined for dust escaping the facility and settling on a public road.
New Ulm Steel took corrective actions that included installing sound walls and adding noise absorbing panels in November 2024. The facility passed a retest in January 2025. The company also agreed to find the source of the escaped dust and fix it within a specified timeline.
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.