MPCA Fines Carver Co and Valley Paving for Violations

Officials with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) report Carver County and Valley Paving Inc. failed to protect nearby waters and wetlands from erosion and runoff during a highway safety improvement project in the fall 2022 and spring 2023 near Watertown and have been fined $50,000.

Officials say the violations caused further damage to some waterways already classified as impaired.

MPCA staff confirmed that significant erosion along the four-mile project caused sediment-laden stormwater to flow into nearby Oak Lake, a pond, a wetland, and two unnamed streams.

They say the construction company failed to install erosion and sediment controls.

In addition to paying the $50,000 civil penalty, Carver County and Valley Paving corrected the issues to bring the construction area into compliance.