Wastewater Woes as Cold Spring Brewing Company Hit with $16,000 Fine by the MPCA

(KNSI) — Cold Spring Brewing Company has been slapped with a hefty fine and ordered to make corrections for wastewater and stormwater violations.

An environmental investigation by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency alleges the company allowed an estimated 2,000 gallons of industrial wastewater and stormwater to run into nearby Brewery Creek last winter and failed to notify state officials or recover the release. While Brewery Creek is not included on the state’s impaired waters list, the release created the potential for harming aquatic life by reducing available oxygen and adding phosphorus, according to the MPCA.

Other violations were observed, including failure to collect and submit stormwater monitoring data and maintain a required three feet of freeboard (or available space) at the top of its wastewater ponds. Agency officials say freeboard is important to protect against unexpected heavy rain or spring melting that could otherwise cause a pond to overflow.

Cold Spring Brewing also stands accused of failing to conduct industrial stormwater inspections on its property to manage runoff.

In addition to paying the $16,721 civil penalty, the company has completed a series of corrective actions, including:

Submitting plans detailing how wastewater ponds will be measured to maintain required freeboard.
Conducting monthly stormwater inspections and submitting data and annual reports on time.
Maintaining the facility to eliminate the chances of wastewater combining with stormwater.
Collecting required stormwater samples during and after runoff events (heavy rain or snowmelt).
Notifying the Minnesota duty officer and immediately recovering any future unauthorized releases.

When calculating penalties, the MPCA considers how seriously the violations affected or could have affected the environment and whether they were first-time or repeat violations. The agency also attempts to recover the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply promptly with environmental laws.

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