Stickney Hill Dairy will pay a nearly $15,000 fine and take corrective steps for improperly discharging industrial waste into a city curb and gutter stormwater system in Nicollet County, according to a settlement reached between Stickney Hill Dairy and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). An MPCA investigation found that the dairy discharged an undetermined amount of raw goat milk product on April 11, 2023, and May 19, 2023.
An MPCA staff inspection in 2023 confirmed other alleged violations including:
- Failure to immediately notify the MPCA of the discharge.
- Failure to minimize discharge and recovery of the goat milk product as rapidly as possible.
In addition to paying the $14,292 civil penalty, Stickney Hill Dairy will complete corrective actions including:
- Submitting a permit application for industrial stormwater coverage.
- Submitting a plan for MPCA review that details procedures to eliminate the possibility of reoccurrence.
- Submitting a report that details the procedures that the dairy has in place to notify the Minnesota Duty Officer and explains how the dairy will recover and limit pollution to waters of the state.
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.
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