BNSF fined $20,000 for stormwater and wastewater violations at Minnesota rail facility

BNSF Railway Company has paid a $20,000 penalty to resolve industrial stormwater and wastewater permit violations at its Willmar, Minnesota, rail facility, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

An MPCA investigation conducted in September 2023 found that the facility failed to implement proper erosion control best management practices, resulting in eroded soil being discharged into the City of Willmar’s stormwater system and along the shoreline of Foot Lake. Regulators also cited the company for incomplete stormwater compliance documentation, including missing monthly inspection records and facility maps that did not identify all storm sewer drains. In addition, wastewater ponds at the site were not properly maintained.

To return to compliance, BNSF completed a series of corrective actions. These included recovering eroded soils from Foot Lake, rerouting stormwater away from the municipal stormwater system, updating stormwater inspection records and facility mapping, and removing accumulated soils from wastewater ponds.

The MPCA said enforcement actions are intended to protect human health and the environment by limiting pollution and discharges from regulated facilities. When assessing penalties, the agency considers the severity of environmental impacts, whether violations are repeat offenses, and any economic benefit gained through delayed compliance.