MPCA fines ethanol plant for wastewater violations

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.