MPCA cites air violations at sugar beet plant

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has assessed a sugar beet plant a $50,400 civil penalty for air quality and storage tank violations.

The agency says from 2007 to 2009, the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative processing plant near Renville recorded 32 violations of air-quality standards for hydrogen sulfide -- and at times exceeded the limit on nitrous oxide emissions.

Inspectors also found violations of storage tank requirements. Those included late and missing tank inspections, corrosion on steel tanks and piping, and unreported leaks and spills of beet juice.

In an agreement with the MPCA, the plant's operators have corrected violations and are working on improvements.