The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has been given new powers to crackdown on severe polluters following recent cases where regulators felt their hands were tied by existing laws. The agency can now take action if a company has falsified records, violated settlement terms, had chronic violations of permits, or operated without a permit. This change, effective from July 1, aims to protect communities and hold polluters accountable.
Recent cases involving companies like Water Gremlin and Smith Foundry prompted the need for stronger enforcement measures. Water Gremlin was fined for air pollution violations dating back to 2002, while Smith Foundry faced complaints of pollution and bad smells, ultimately leading to a settlement to shut down its operations.
The law change has granted broad authority to the agency commissioner, but it remains to be seen how it will be used. MPCA must still gather evidence before taking action against polluters. The funding of over $5 million for new air pollution monitoring equipment and additional staff will help the agency in this effort.
However, there are concerns that the revised law may lead to litigation and waste time and money for both private companies and the state. Regardless, the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy sees the funding as a positive step to address the backlog of environmental cases. The legislation is poised to have a significant impact on how severely the state penalizes companies that pollute.
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