Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Fines Cold Spring Brewing

COLD SPRING (WJON News) -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has fined Cold Spring Brewing Company for wastewater and stormwater violations.

Cold Spring Brewing Company has been forced to pay $16,721 and take corrective action on a handful of items. The MPCA says Cold Spring Brewing allowed an estimated 2,000 gallons of industrial wastewater and stormwater to run into nearby Brewery Creek last winter. The company also failed to notify state officials or recover the released pollution.

The MPCA says Cold Spring Brewing has completed a series of corrective actions including submitting detailed plans on how wastewater ponds will be measured to avoid runoff during heavy rains or snow melt.

They will also maintain the facility to eliminate the chances of future pollution, agree to monthly inspections, collect stormwater samples for study, and notify the Minnesota Duty Officer while immediately recovering and future releases.

When calculating the penalties, the MPCA says it takes into account how serious the violations are, whether the offending company is a repeat offender, and whether the violations could impact the environment.

The agency also looks to recover any economic benefit from the violations.

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