St. Paul MN (7/26/2016) – In its ongoing efforts to promote environmental compliance, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency concluded 44 enforcement cases in 32 counties throughout Minnesota during the second quarter of 2016. Penalties from all 44 cases totaled just over $480,000.

Environmental enforcement investigations often take several months, and in highly complex cases more than a year. Although, in rare instances, they can involve courts, they are most often negotiated settlements where the goal is compliance with environmental rules. Fines issued are targeted to match the environmental harm, economic advantage gained or environmental corrective actions.

In addition to these 44 recently completed cases, the MPCA also has 67 ongoing enforcement investigations, 17 of which were opened as new cases during the second quarter of 2016. Not all investigations lead to fines or other official action.

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, individual, or local government that requests it.

The following is a brief summary of all 44 cases completed during the second quarter of 2016:

Spectro Alloys Corp., Rosemount, for hazardous waste and industrial stormwater violations, $161,000
United Taconite-Fairlane plant, Virginia, for air quality violations, $50,000
Corn Plus, Winnebago, for wastewater violations, $39,450
Landmark of Arden Hills LLC, Andover, for stormwater violations, $18,390
Frattalone Companies, Inc., Little Canada, for stormwater violations, $18,657
St. Paul Regional Water Services, Maplewood, for air quality violations, $15,000
Strategic Materials, Inc., St. Paul, for air quality violations, $14,750
CHS Hallock, Kennedy, for air quality violations, $14,625
Koda Energy LLC, Shakopee, for wastewater violations, $11,850
Associated Milk Producers, Inc., Rochester, for wastewater violations, $9,600
Saputo Diary Foods USA LLC, White Bear Lake, for wastewater violations, $9,015
Kwong Tung Foods, Inc., Minneapolis, for wastewater violations, $7,600
Belgrade Pullets LLC, North Mankato, for feedlot violations, $7,500
Automotive Concepts, New Hope, for air quality violations, $6,600
Valley Paving, Inc., Shakopee, for stormwater violations, $5,525
City of Wyoming, Wyoming, for stormwater violations, $5,175
A-1 Excavating, Inc., Argyle, for stormwater violations, $5,175
U.S. Steel Corp. Minnesota-Minntac, Mountain Iron, for wastewater violations, $4,800
City of Arden Hills, Arden Hills, for stormwater violations, $4,625
District Energy St. Paul, Inc., Ever-Green Energy LLC, and St. Paul Cogeneration LLC, St. Paul, for air quality violations, $4,600
Boomerang Laboratories, Inc., Spring Park, for wastewater and stormwater violations, $4,555
Ethanol 2000 LLP, dba POET Biorefining, Bingham Lake, for air quality violations, $4,400
Minnesota Soybean Processors, Brewster, for air quality violations, $4,400
Steve Lindstrom, Goodhue, for solid waste violations, $4,400
Industrial Finishing, Inc., Delano, for hazardous waste violations, $4,400
Barthold Family Farms, Inc., St. Francis, for solid waste violations, $4,350
Chippewa Valley Ethanol Co., LLP, Benson, for air quality violations, $4,284
Gillespie Family Partnership, Elbow Lake, for stormwater violations, $4,000
Silgan Containers Mfg. Corp., Savage, for air quality violations, $3,500
RCP Transit LLC, Comfrey, for wastewater violations, $3,131
Brian Schlupp, Verndale, for solid waste violations, $3,000
Chuck?s Body Shop, Eagle Lake, for air quality violations, $2,700
Grede LLC, St. Cloud, for air quality violations, $2,500
Security Band & Trust Co., Glencoe, for stormwater violations, $2,388
Alex Zuhlsdorf, Winnebago, for solid waste violations, $2,200
Bluegrass Dairy & Food, Inc., Dawson, for air quality violations, $2,000
Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc., Willmar, for wastewater violations, $2,000
City of Brainerd, Brainerd, for wastewater violations, $2,000
Duluth Ready Mix, Inc., Saginaw, for wastewater violations, $1,750
Green Plains Fairmont LLC, and Cargill, Inc., Omaha, Neb., and Wayzata, $1,500
West Central Environmental Consultants, Inc., Morris, for hazardous waste violations, $1,500
St. Paul Park Refining Co., LLC, St. Paul Park, air quality violations, $1,250
Martin Jedlicki, Mayer, for stormwater violations, $882
Whitewater Milling LLC, Utica, for air quality violations, $275

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