MPCA fines ethanol plant for wastewater violations
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A southern Minnesota ethanol plant will pay a nearly $900,000 penalty for wastewater violations.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says the Corn Plus ethanol plant was illegally sending wastewater through a county ditch into Rice Lake, near the town of Winnebago.
The company will pay a $200,000 fine and make up the rest of the penalty with a nearly $700,000 water improvement project.
Corn Plus will also install a system designed to reduce water use at the plant by nearly 10 million gallons a year. Earlier, Corn Plus paid a $150,000 federal penalty over the same issue.
Corn Plus produces almost 50 million gallons of ethanol a year.
Last year, ethanol plants in Atwater and Buffalo Lake were also sanctioned. The Buffalo Lake plant paid a $1.2 million penalty.
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