American Crystal Sugar has been fined $350,000 for air quality violations at its facility in East Grand Forks, Minnesota.
Stephen Mikkelson is a spokesman for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. He says American Crystal Sugar was found to have violated several conditions, including releasing more hydrogen sulfide and particulate matter into the air than is allowed.
The violations took place between 2020 and 2022.
"Some of the exceedances were fairly significant in February of 2022, as well as at different times throughout that stretch of two or three years. And also, some violations around failing to properly operate multiple components of their pollution control equipment and dust control systems, so those have a potential for harm. All of those encompassed together, a series of violations like that where there's actual emissions violations, and then potential for harm, led to coming up with a settlement of $350,000."
Mikkelson says in the meantime, American Crystal Sugar has taken steps to correct these issues, and has paid the fine in full.