Minnesota Power to pay for state park improvements

Minnesota Power has agreed to make $53,000 in improvements at Jay Cooke State Park instead of paying a penalty for stormwater violations.

The MPCA says Minnesota Power hired a contractor in 2012 to do excavation work near the utility's boat launch on the Island Lake reservoir in Duluth. But the MPCA says they didn't have a proper state permit and failed to take the proper precautions to prevent sediment from flowing into the reservoir, a popular fishing and recreation spot. They later took corrective actions.

In lieu of a penalty, Minnesota Power will make at least $53,000 in improvements at Jay Cooke State Park near Carlton. The work is intended to stabilize ongoing erosion on a hillside near a scenic overlook that was caused by a major flood in 2012.