MPCA completes 64 enforcement cases in fourth quarter of 2012

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency sent this bulletin at 02/01/2013 07:30 AM CST

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For release: Feb. 1, 2013

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

MPCA completes 64 enforcement cases in fourth quarter of 2012

St. Paul, Minn. -- In its ongoing efforts to promote environmental compliance, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) concluded 64 enforcement cases in 39 counties throughout Minnesota during the fourth quarter of 2012.

Penalties from all 64 cases totaled just over $730,000. For all of 2012 the MPCA completed 214 cases totaling just over $2.7 million. Nearly 10 percent of that total was spent toward the completion of supplemental environmental projects (SEPs), which are often included in enforcement actions. SEPs are intended to provide extra environmental and public health benefits. They are projects that regulated parties agree to do in settling enforcement actions, but are not otherwise legally required to complete.

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 achieve compliance for any company or local government that requests it.

The following is a brief summary of all 64 cases completed during the fourth quarter of 2012:
• Northshore Mining Co., Silver Bay, for solid and hazardous waste violations - $292,973 (this includes $50,000 toward a SEP).
• Winona Lighting, Winona, for air quality violations - $99,500.
• Bongards Creameries, Inc., Perham, for water quality violations - $79,069.
• American Crystal Sugar, East Grand Forks, for air quality violations - $24,943.
• Superior Industries, LLC, Morris, for air quality violations - $20,000.
• Craig & Carly Benedix Farm, Mantorville, for feedlot violations - $14,000.
• Fibrominn Biomass Power Plant, Benson, for air quality violations - $14,000.
• Floyd Johnson, Underwood, for solid waste violations - $10,000.
• Master Transfer Co., Inc., Brooklyn Park, for emergency response violations - $10,000.
• Road Master Fleet Services, Inc., Brooklyn Park, for emergency response violations - $10,000.
• Thomas Altergott, dba Tom’s Sewer Service, Deerwood, for individual septic treatment system violations - $8,256.
• Crown Cork & Seal Co., Faribault, for air quality violations - $7,500.
• B&H Contractors, Inc., Lake Benton, for solid waste violations - $6,750.
• L&E Farm Drainage, West Concord, for solid waste violations - $5,722.
• Barthold Farm, St. Francis, for feedlot violations - $5,561.
• Kangas Enterprises, Inc., McGregor, for individual septic treatment system violations - $5,360.
• Sparboe Farms, Inc., Litchfield, for solid waste violations - $5,175.
• Merle Vold, Faribault, for solid waste and air quality violations - $5,025.
• Thompson Rental, Duluth, for individual septic treatment system violations - $4,950.
• Salonek Concrete & Construction, Inc., Springfield, for solid waste violations - $4,817.
• Hartel’s/DBJ Disposal, LLC, Proctor, for solid waste and stormwater violations - $4,300.
• Adrian Bus Co., Adrian, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Alaska Airlines, St. Paul, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• CNH America, LLC, Benson, for water quality violations - $3,900.
• Detroit Lakes Airport, Detroit Lakes, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Edwin E. Thoreson, Inc., Grand Marais, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Erickson Timber Products, Inc., Baudette, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Hallock Municipal Airport, Hallock, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Kandiyohi County Sanitary Landfill, New London, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• North American Salt Co., Duluth, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Wilkens Industries, Inc., Morris, for stormwater violations - $3,900.
• Lunda Construction Co., Mower County, for stormwater violations - $3,750.
• Minnesota Department of Transportation, Mower County, for stormwater violations - $3,750.
• Orv Dressen, dba Orv’s Plumbing & Heating, Ellsworth, for solid waste violations - $3,700.
• Mackereth Excavating, Inc., Litchfield, for solid waste violations - $3,450.
• Keith Johnson, dba Johnny on the Spot, LLC, Faribault, for individual septic treatment system violations - $3,000.
• Ben Brockton, Northfield, for solid waste violations - $2,390.
• Thomas L. Burris, dba Burris Septic Service, Cook, for individual septic treatment system violations - $2,000.
• Curtis Dubbeldee, dba Dubbeldee Repair, Marshall, for solid waste violations - $1,825.
• Acme Foundry Co., Minneapolis, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Ben’s Tool & Iron, Waite Park, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Commercial Millwork Solutions, Rosemount, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Prairie Agra Fuels, Bagley, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Robert B. Hill Co., St. Louis Park, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• SMI & Hydraulics, Inc., Porter, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Minneapolis, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• Basset Cultured Marble & Granite, LLC, Shakopee, for air quality violations - $1,687.
• ISD 719, Prior Lake High School, Prior Lake, for air quality violations - $1,624.
• Limeinator, Olivia, for air quality violations - $1,624.
• Modern Metals Products, Owatonna, for air quality violations - $1,624.
• Polar Tank Trailer, Inc., Holdingford, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Retailer Services Corp., Anoka, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• St. Francis Medical Center, Breckenridge, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, St. Peter, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Warrior Mfg., LLC, Redwood Falls, for air quality violations - $1,562.
• Brian & Cynthia Herbst, Kasson, for asbestos violations - $1,150.
• Andrew Albrecht, Williams, for asbestos violations - $1,000.
• Great Outdoors Excavating, LLC, Alborn, for individual septic treatment system violations - $920.
• Dale Anderson, dba 3B’s Construction, Cohasset, for individual septic treatment system violations - $750.
• Waln Excavating & Blacktopping, Inc., Wadena, for individual septic treatment system violations - $649.
• Keith Weber, Evan Auto Repair, Evan, for solid waste violations - $600.
• Kenneth Koch & Karen Ristau-Koch, Fountain, for solid waste violations - $600.
• Titan Machinery, Inc., Marshall, for solid waste violations - $525.
• New Horizon Farms-BMB, Pipestone, for feedlot violations - $500.
• New Horizon Farms-Research Facilities, Verdi, for feedlot violations - $500.

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

Broadcast version:

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency completed 64 enforcement cases in 39 Minnesota counties during the fourth quarter of 2012.  These penalties totaled just over 730-thousand dollars.

For all of 2012, the M-P-C-A completed 214 cases totaling just over two-point-seven-million dollars.  Nearly 10 percent of that money was spent toward the completion of supplemental environmental projects.

A complete list of all enforcement actions can be found on the agency’s web site 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