MPCA completes 78 enforcement cases in third quarter of 2012

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For release: Oct. 22, 2012

Contact: Stephen Mikkelson, 218-316 -3887 or 800-657-3864

Note to editors, news directors: Cases listed below are from these counties: Anoka, Becker, Benton, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Faribault, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Kanabec, Koochiching, Le Sueur, Martin, Mille Lacs, Mower, Olmsted, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Scott, Sherburne, St. Louis, Stearns, Todd, Wabasha, Wilkin, Winona, Wright and Yellow Medicine.


MPCA completes 78 enforcement cases in third quarter of 2012

St. Paul -- In its ongoing efforts to promote environmental compliance, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) concluded 78 enforcement cases in 35 counties throughout Minnesota during the third quarter of 2012.

More than a quarter of these cases were for stormwater violations. Improper stormwater management, during or after construction projects, can cause erosion and allow sediment-laden runoff to enter lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands. In addition to monetary penalties, stormwater-related cases usually require a series of corrective actions to bring projects back into compliance with state rules and regulations.

Penalties from all 78 cases totaled just over $540,000. Imposing monetary penalties is only part of the MPCA’s enforcement process. Agency staff also provide assistance, support and information on the steps and tools necessary to achieve compliance for any company or local government that requests it.

The following is a brief summary of all 78 cases completed during the third quarter of 2012:
• Minnesota Department of Transportation and Knife River Materials, Inc., St. Louis County, for stormwater violations - $235,170.
• Minn-Dak Cooperative, Inc., Campbell, for water quality violations - $70,261.
• Lunda Construction Co., Princeton, for stormwater violations - $17,500.
• U.S. Postal Service, Eagan, for air quality violations - $13,000.
• Dulas Excavating, Inc. and Doris Gutt, Walters, for solid waste violations - $10,000.
• Mark and Michelle Melberg, Hector, for solid waste violations - $10,000.
• Gilbert wastewater treatment plant, Gilbert, for water quality violations - $6,998.
• Paul Ulwelling, Dexter, for solid waste violations - $5,407.
• Donald Tschudi, dba Bad Medicine Resort, Ponsford, for solid waste violations - $5,120.
• Independent School District 709, Duluth, for stormwater violations - $5,000.
• Veit Companies LLC, Duluth, for stormwater violations - $5,000.
• Triple J Family Farms, Buffalo Lake, for solid waste violations - $4,850.
• Joe Ebel, dba Ebel’s Voyageur Houseboats, Inc., Orr, for individual septic treatment system violations - $4,700.
• Independent School District 2142, Alborn, for stormwater violations - $4,650.
• DPC Industries, Inc., Rosemount, for above-ground storage tank violations - $4,500.
• A-1 Recycling, Anoka, for stormwater violations - $4,300.
• Riviana Foods, Inc., Clearbrook, for stormwater violations - $4,300.
• Winnebago Manufacturing, Blue Earth, for stormwater violations - $4,300.
• Hoffco, Inc., Wood Lake, for hazardous waste violations - $4,118.
• Roger Engler, Winona, for solid waste violations - $3,915.
• Austin Ready Mix, Austin, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Azcon Corp. Division of Blue Tee Corp., Duluth, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• ConAgra Foods-Phoenix Packaging, Maple Grove, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Dover Ready Mix, Dover, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Goodrich Sensors & Integrated Systems, Burnsville, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Goodrich Sensors & Integrated Systems, Eagan, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Hasbargen Logging, Inc., Birchdale, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• J-n-J’s Recycling, Mora, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Nystrom, Inc., Brooklyn Park, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Quali Tech, Inc.-Food Division, Chaska, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Rochester Ready Mix, Rochester, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Stewartville Ready Mix, Stewartville, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Twin City Refuse Recycling & Transfer, St. Paul, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Vector Engineering Co., Inc., Chaska, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Zumbrota Ready Mix, Zumbrota, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Lauderdale Collection System, Lauderdale, for water quality violations - $3,500.
• TMT Green Acres, Inc., Morgan, for feedlot violations - $3,500.
• Wagner Construction, Inc. and Independent School District 2142, Alborn, for stormwater violations - $3,150.
• KTB, Inc., dba Atlas Auto Parts, St. Paul, for stormwater violations - $2,550.
• Advanced Onsite, Inc., New Prague, for individual septic treatment system violations - $2,500.
• Great River Energy of Dickinson, Buffalo, for water quality violations - $2,500.
• Leprechaun Septic Service, Andover, for individual septic treatment system violations - $2,400.
• Audubon Mobile Home Park, Audubon, for water quality violations - $2,100.
• Northern Metal Recycling, Minneapolis, for water quality violations - $2,100.
• Matejka Recycling, Inc., dba Red Box, Winona, for solid waste violations - $1,875.
• Burnsville Auto Body, Burnsville, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Nordquist Holdings LLC, dba Nordquist Sign Co., Minneapolis, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Stommes Construction, Inc., St. Cloud, for air quality violations - $1,624.
• Collision Connection LLC, Lake City, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Coon Rapids Collision, Inc., Coon Rapids, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Lehman’s-Downtown, Minneapolis, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Lehman’s-Eagan, Eagan, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Lehman’s-Eden Prairie, Eden Prairie, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Lehman’s-Minneapolis, Minneapolis, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Lehman’s-Savage, Savage, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• MAACO Auto Painting, Minneapolis, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Moeller Body & Paint, Porter, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Minnesota Department of Human Services, Brainerd, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Superior Truck Auto & Marine, Minnesota City, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Lehman’s-Bloomington, Bloomington, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Lanesboro wastewater treatment plant, Lanesboro, for water quality violations - $1,323.
• Cecil and Verna Bahl, Faribault, for solid waste violations - $1,000.
• Garth Carlson Farm, Truman, for feedlot violations - $750.
• Douglas Pastian, dba Pastian Construction, Sauk Centre, for individual septic treatment system violations - $700.
• Korblick Excavating, Clarissa, for individual septic treatment system violations - $700.
• RA MacGlover Construction LLC, Ham Lake, for individual septic treatment system violations - $700.
• Fredric Rasmussen, Jr., Evan, for solid waste violations - $600.
• Andrew Dahl Farm-East Chain Site, Granada, for feedlot violations - $500.
• Andrew Dahl Farm-Huntley Site, Granada, for feedlot violations - $500.
• Cottonwood County Sanitary Landfill, Windom, for solid waste violations - $500.
• Dennis Janssen Farm, Dunnell, for feedlot violations - $500.
• Eric Helget Farm, Sleepy Eye, for feedlot violations - $500.
• Feist Livestock LLC, Wells, for feedlot violations - $500.
• Noy Farms, Inc.-Roelof Site, Vernon Center, for feedlot violations - $500.
• Noy Farms, Inc.-Wakefield Site, Vernon Center, for feedlot violations - $500.
• Robert Fitzsimmons Farm, Mapleton, for feedlot violations - $500.
• Trevor Eisenmenger Farm, Welcome, for feedlot violations - $500.
• Donald Baird and Schoening Excavating, Inc., Maple Plain, for individual septic treatment system violations.

A complete summary of environmental enforcement actions and news releases can be found on the MPCA News Media Center webpage. For questions on specific enforcement cases, call Stephen Mikkelson, Information Officer, at 218-316-3887 or 800-657-3864.

Broadcast version:

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency completed 78 enforcement cases in 35 Minnesota counties during the second quarter of 2012. The penalties totaled just over 540-thousand dollars.

More than a quarter of the cases were for stormwater violations, which can pose a threat to lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands.

A complete list of all enforcement actions can be found on the M-P-C-A website at www.pca.state.mn.us.

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The mission of the MPCA is to work with Minnesotans to protect, conserve and improve our environment and enhance our quality of life.

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www.pca.state.mn.us Toll-free and TDD 800-657-3864