Heartland Corn Products, a southern Minnesota ethanol producer, has agreed to pay a $53,000 fine for a number of state environmental violations, reports the Star Tribune.
The violations were discovered when Heartland conducted its own environmental audit in 2018 after a change in management at the Winthrop co-op, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
The plant had not been doing proper performance testing, record keeping and reporting on the operation and maintenance of its pollution control equipment.
Also, Heartland had not fulfilled requirements for managing stormwater and dust on its property, as well as for handling hazardous waste and used oil, the MPCA said.
