MN Pollution Control Agency Issues Fines for Violations in Ironton, Itasca Co., Motley

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has announced it completed 68 enforcement cases for water quality, air quality, hazardous waste, stormwater, and wastewater violations in the first half of 2025.

Environmental enforcement investigations often take several months, or in some cases more than a year, to be completed and have final enforcement documents and fines issued to regulated parties. Several fines were issued for violations in the Lakeland viewing area.

According to an MPCA investigation, Crow Wing Recycling, Inc., doing business as Nordic Metals, a metal recycler in Brainerd, constructed and operated a metal shredder in Ironton without obtaining an air permit and under-reported the amount of volatile organic compounds they emitted in 2022. Nordic Metals was fined $14,775 for these violations.

David Heinonen of Grand Rapids filled in 3,200 sq. ft. of wetland near Horsehead Lake in Itasca County without prior approval and engaged in unpermitted construction activities on 1.57 acres on the shore of Horsehead Lake, according to an MPCA investigation. The violations occurred between 2021 and 2024. Heinonen was fined $13,750.

Additionally, Tri-County Stockyards, LLC in Motley was fined $9,457 for feedlot violations and Roger Heinonen was fined $8,625 for construction stormwater violations in Bigfork.

Imposing monetary penalties is only part of the MPCA’s enforcement process. The agency says its staff continue to provide assistance, support, and information on the steps and tools necessary to bring any company, individual, or local government back into compliance.

A list of the 68 completed enforcement cases can be found on the MPCA website.