MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Ethanol producer Corn Plus, LLLP, has completed a three-year probationary sentence following a 2009 conviction for negligently polluting Minnesota’s Rice Lake. The case, stemming from discharges occurring between 2005 and 2007, highlights ongoing concerns regarding industrial compliance with environmental regulations and the potential for significant ecological damage.
Federal prosecutors brought charges against Corn Plus on August 4, 2009, alleging violations of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The company ultimately pled guilty to one count of violating the CWA’s effluent limitation standards, admitting that wastewater containing biological oxygen demand (BOD) was discharged from its facility into a drain that emptied directly into Rice Lake. This negligent discharge significantly impacted the lake’s water quality.
Court documents reveal that Corn Plus failed to exercise due and reasonable care in preventing the release of pollutants. The company’s internal procedures were apparently insufficient to contain the wastewater, resulting in consistent and prolonged contamination of the lake. Investigators determined the discharges weren’t isolated incidents but a pattern of negligence extending over two years.
The sentencing, handed down on October 27, 2009, by the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, included a $100,000 federal fine. Beyond the financial penalty, Corn Plus was placed on three years of probation and ordered to contribute a $50,000 community service payment to an environmental organization dedicated to the restoration and benefit of Rice Lake. This additional payment aimed to mitigate the damage caused by the pollution and support ongoing ecological recovery efforts.
Legal Ramifications
The prosecution was based on violations of 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(1)(A) of the Clean Water Act, which addresses negligent violations of effluent limitation standards. The CWA aims to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. The penalty reflects the seriousness of the offense and serves as a deterrent to other industrial facilities.
Industry Scrutiny
This case adds to a growing list of enforcement actions against ethanol producers for environmental violations. While renewable energy sources are often promoted as environmentally friendly, the production process can generate significant waste streams if not properly managed. The GrimyTimes will continue to investigate environmental compliance within the ethanol industry and report on any further legal developments.
Key Facts
- Defendant: Corn Plus, LLLP
- Crime: Negligent Discharge of Pollutants (Violation of Clean Water Act)
- Location: Rice Lake, Minnesota
- Years of Discharges: 2005 – August 10, 2007
- Statute Violated: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(1)(A)
- Penalties: $100,000 Fine, 3 years Probation, $50,000 Community Service Payment
- Pollutant: Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)
GrimyTimes staff writer, Anya Petrova, contributed to this report.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
Related Federal Cases
- Corn Plus, Environmental Crime, MN 2012 · Minnesota
- Continental Engineering Manufacturing, Pollution, MN 2004 · Minnesota
- Dale Waler Cich, Wetland Pollution, MN 2003 · Minnesota
- Robert Allen Steinmetz, Pollution, MN 2005 · Minnesota
- Eco Finishing, Pollution, MN 2009 · Minnesota
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