Heartland Corn Products fined $53,000 by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

In Minnesota, Heartland Corn Products, an ethanol producer in Winthrop, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $53,000 to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for a variety of environmental violations at its facility. The violations came to light when the company conducted its own environmental audit in 2018 after a change in management. In addition to paying the penalty, the company will also correct the violations it identified and fully comply with its various permits going forward.

The audit found the facility had not been doing proper recordkeeping, performance testing, and reporting to the MPCA on the operation and maintenance of its pollution control equipment. In addition, Heartland had not fulfilled requirements around managing stormwater and dust on its property and handling hazardous wastes and used oil.