MN Companies With Biggest Pollution-Related Fines In 2023: LIST

ST. PAUL, MN — The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency closed nearly 300 enforcement cases for water quality, air quality, waste, stormwater, and wastewater violations in 2023.

"Environmental enforcement investigations often take several months, in some cases more than a year, to complete the investigation and issue final enforcement documents to regulated parties," the agency said in a news release last week.

The MPCA dishes out penalties based on harm done or potential for harm to the environment, the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws, or how responsive and cooperative a regulated party was in correcting problems.

"Imposing monetary penalties is only part of the MPCA’s enforcement process," officials said. "Agency staff continue to provide assistance, support, and information on the steps and tools necessary to bring any company, individual, or local government back into compliance."

The company that received the biggest fine in 2023 was ConAgra Foods Packaged Foods in Waseca.

They were penalized $1,250,000 plus $7,000,000 toward supplemental environmental projects because the company "released hydrogen sulfide (H2S) at higher than allowable levels on more than 2,500 occasions between 2020 and 2022 at its fruit and vegetable processing facility in Waseca."

Below are some of the other biggest fines handed out to companies in 2023, and their reported violations, according to the MPCA: