Two LeRoy residents are among the 29 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency cases that led to fines in 24 counties.

The MPCA fined Donald and Helen Haug of LeRoy $1,000 for water quality violations. In total the MPCA’s penalties from all 29 cases totaled $116,115 throughout Minnesota during the third quarter of 2015, according to a press release.

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 29 recently completed cases, the MPCA also has 61 ongoing enforcement investigations, nine of which were opened as new cases during the third quarter of 2015.  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 or local government that requests it.

The 29 MPCA cases:

•Magnetation LLC, Grand Rapids, for wastewater violations, $15,500

•BNSF Railway Company, Hibbing, for stormwater violations, $13,250

•Pike Hills Dairy LLC, Menahga, for stormwater and hazardous waste violations, $8,600

•Creeks Run Limited Partnership, Chaska, for stormwater violations, $7,915

•Everwood Company LLC, Chaska, for stormwater violations, $7,915

•Xcel Energy-Red Wing Generating Plant, Red Wing, for air quality violations, $7,500

•Geislinger & Sons Inc., Chaska, for stormwater violations, $5,320

•Mervin Kirkhoff, Redwood Falls, for solid waste violations, $5,200

•Cenex Harvest States Inc., Long Prairie, for stormwater violations, $5,110

•Bongards Creameries, Perham, for wastewater violations, $4,606

•Robert Leibeg, Faribault, for solid waste and air quality violations, $4,375

•Schurman Farms and Grain Inc., Long Prairie, for stormwater violations, $4,090

•Brannt Valley Inc., Winona, for stormwater violations, $3,625

•City of Chaska, Chaska, for stormwater violations, $3,360

•Heron Lake BioEnergy LLC, Heron Lake, for air quality violations, $2,580

•Minnesota DNR-Soudan State Park, Soudan, for wastewater violations, $2,000

•Dean Berland, Lanesboro, for subsurface septic treatment system violations, $1,800

•Crenlo Cab Products Inc., Rochester, for hazardous waste violations, $1,725

•Ethanol 2000 LLP, dba POET Biorefining, Bingham Lake, for air quality violations, $1,500

•Myron Czech Farm, Little Falls, for feedlot violations, $1,500

•Sportsman’s Lodge Inc., Baudette, for solid waste violations, $1,500

•Accent Home & Kitchen Center Inc., Ramsey, for air quality violations, $1,320

•George and Jeanette Carlson, Richwood, for solid waste violations, $1,250

•Donald and Helen Haug, LeRoy, for water quality violations, $1,000

•Middle River wastewater treatment plant, Middle River, for wastewater violations, $949

•Adrian Karsky, Princeton, for solid waste violations, $825

•Buberl Black Dirt Inc., Stillwater, for solid waste violations, $750

•Wilk’s Plumbing LLC, Tracy, for subsurface septic treatment system violations, $550

•Ballard’s Resort Inc., Baudette, for solid waste violations, $500

A complete list of all enforcement actions can be found on the agency’s web site at www.pca.state.mn.us. 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.