MnDOT, Stahl Construction fined for dumping sediment-laden water in creek

The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Stahl Construction have both been fined more than $17,000 for discharging sediment-rich water into Nine Mile Creek, according to a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) press release.

MnDOT and Stahl Construction have done this on two separate occasions, according to an MPCA investigation. The discharges happened during the construction of the MnDOT truck facility in Eden Prairie.

MnDOT was fined $19,022 and Stahl Construction was fined $17,520, according to officials.

During the investigation, it was found that failure to maintain best management practices, an absence of those practices for erosion and sediment control and a lack of inspections contributed to the pollution of the creek.

Corrective actions have taken place, including vacuuming sediment out of the creek and implementing best practices to prevent erosion and sediment from entering the creek.

MnDOT provided a statement about the incident:

“MnDOT has worked with the contractor and agency staff to make improvements in processes and training to avoid future problems. We are confident our changes will help prevent this from occurring in the future.”