Ardent Mills LLC, a flour mill in Lake City, paid $10,200 for air permit violations. Results of performance tests conducted by the company on one of its air purifiers from June 10-17, 2025, showed two types of air particulate emissions — PM 2.5 and PM 10 — over permitted limits.
High levels of particulates are known to cause environmental harm and health problems.
As a corrective action, the company conducted a retest on its filters for both types of air particulates. The retest showed that Ardent Mills LLC PM 2.5 and PM 10 emissions have returned to compliance with their permitted limits.
The MPCA remains committed to protecting human health and the environment by enforcing rules and regulations and 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.