Winnebago ethanol plant fined over
water pollution allegation
Southern Minnesota ethanol plant to
pay pollution fine
Last update: January 29, 2010 – 9:30 PM
One of Minnesota’s earliest corn ethanol
plants will pay an $891,000 penalty for
alleged water pollution, according to an
agreement announced Friday by the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Corn Plus in Winnebago dumped wastewater
from a cooling tower illegally into pipes that
discharged it into a county ditch and then
into Rice Lake, according to the complaint.
The alleged violations occurred between
2006 and 2008.
The problems came to light when citizens in
the southern Minnesota community
complained about the odorous and
discolored discharges and alerted state
inspectors.
Under terms of the settlement, Corn Plus
agreed to pay a $200,000 civil penalty and at
least $691,000 to correct the problems by
September.
It must install a closed-loop system to use
less water and discharge it only to a licensed
wastewater treatment plant.
Company officials could not be reached for
comment.
Last fall Corn Plus paid $150,000 to resolve a
criminal water quality charge by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
The ethanol plant was constructed in 1993,
and produces about 50 million gallons of
ethanol annually.
TOM MEERSMAN
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