St. Paul MN (2/6/20200 – O’Day Equipment LLC, a storage tank service and supply company based in Fargo, N.D., has agreed to pay a $14,000 civil penalty to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for violations related to installing, repairing, removing, and testing underground storage tanks. The violations occurred at locations in Mountain Iron, Two Harbors, Cloquet, Grand Rapids, Bemidji, and Duluth.

In addition to the civil penalty, O’Day Equipment has also agreed to corrective actions, including increased training for its employees.

Contractors that install, remove, or service underground storage tanks that hold petroleum products or other chemicals must follow specific rules and standards to ensure tank equipment functions properly and does not release harmful substances into the environment.

The MPCA cited O’Day for violations that include failing to install automatic shutoff overfill devices and secondary containment, and removing a tank without oversight from properly certified personnel. The company also provided the MPCA with test results from testing equipment that was not repaired by a qualified technician. The company failed to provide required notifications to the MPCA on multiple occasions.

When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violations affected the environment, whether they were first-time or repeat violations, and how promptly the violations were reported to authorities. The agency also attempts to recover the calculated economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.

Contact: Lucie Amundsen, 218-302-6600