Abbott Northwestern Hospital penalized $50,000 for air quality violations, improper permits

Abbott Northwestern Hospital has been ordered by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to pay $50,000 for violating air quality regulations by beginning construction without the proper permits.

Throughout the course of an enforcement investigation, the MPCA found that the 2022 construction that Abbott did on its Minneapolis campus was done before securing the proper permits, according to the MPCA report.

Abbott was required to submit an application for an air emissions permit prior to construction, but the MPCA said they never received one. By the time construction began in 2022, the MPCA had received an application but had not issued the permit, which Abbott was required to have to begin construction.

The MPCA also confirmed in their investigation that Abbot certified in writing that construction had not started, when it had.

Abbott is facing a $50,000 penalty and is required to submit an updated and complete permit application, according to the MPCA report.