Cottonwood County biofuel company fined more than $23,000 for air permit violations
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) fined POET Biorefining , a biofuel company with a facility in in Bingham Lake, $23,440 for violations of its air permit.
On Jan. 30, 2024, a report from POET Biorefining revealed that a replacement baghouse had not been properly connected to power during installation at the facility. As a result, the baghouse was not operating when the facility vented fine particle emissions to it from September 2023 through October 2023.
Additional document review revealed pressure drop deviations beyond those allowed in the air permit, instances of failing to properly vent emissions, and late performance testing.
In addition to paying the fine, POET Biorefining has completed the electrical installation of the new baghouse and established plans that ensure all control equipment is operated within ranges specified in the air permit.
The MPCA is committed to protecting human health and the environment by enforcing rules and regulations and limiting pollution and discharges from facilities. When facilities do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment. Since 2019, the MPCA has issued 8,580 enforcement actions amounting to nearly $25 million in penalties. Penalty payments go into the state’s environmental fund, which is appropriated by the Legislature and enables the MPCA to protect communities and the environment from harmful pollution.
When calculating penalties, the MPCA considers a number of factors including the seriousness of the violation, the potential for harm to human health or the environment, history of noncompliance, and the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws.
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