Ethanol producer Agri-Energy exceeded air pollutant emissions and failed to keep required equipment testing and maintenance records, at the company’s ethanol production facility in Luverne, Minnesota, according to a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency investigation.

The bulk of the violations stem from failed emission stack tests in July 2019.

In addition to paying a $34,000 civil penalty to the MPCA, Agri-Energy has completed a series of corrective actions.

MPCA rules and regulations are designed to protect human health and the environment by limiting pollution emissions and discharges from facilities. When companies do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment.

When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account 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 with environmental laws in a timely manner.