Minnesota ethanol plant fined again for pollution violations

A south-central Minnesota ethanol plant has been fined again for environmental violations.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says the Corn Plus plant in Winnebago has agreed to take a series of corrective actions and pay a $39,450 penalty after regulators found several violations of the plant's stormwater permit.

The permit sets conditions to ensure that the facility's runoff doesn't pollute lakes, streams or groundwater. The MPCA said in a statement Tuesday that some of the violations involve management of water in the plant's stormwater ponds.

Since 2009, state and federal regulators have fined Corn Plus more than $1.1 million for air and water quality violations. As part of a 2010 case, the company agreed to spend nearly $700,000 on environmental upgrades at the plant.

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