American Crystal Sugar Company has agreed to pay a 50,000-dollar civil penalty and take corrective actions to settle alleged violations of state environmental protection and reporting regulations at its facility in East Grand Forks, Minnesota.
According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, some of the alleged violations were associated with a rainstorm in May 2009 when runoff from company land application sites entered Grand Marais Creek. This led to complaints about odors and discoloration in the creek. The MPCA also alleged that the company failed to take necessary actions to minimize pollution to the creek once notified of the complaint. The company also had problems with monitoring and monitoring reports and inadequate quality assurance procedures to ensure compliance with state requirements.
In addition to agreeing to the 50,000-dollar penalty, American Crystal agreed to submit plans and update procedures to help ensure future compliance with regulations. For a comprehensive list of enforcement actions by the MPCA, go to the agency website at http://www.state.mn.us.
