MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) -- Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced a judgment on Thursday against Wisconsin Public Service Corporation to resolve allegations of state air pollution control permit violations.
WPSC allegedly submitted reports to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that it exceeded its volatile organic compounds and carbon monoxide limitations at the Rothschild-based Weston Coal Power Plant IV.
By exceeding the emissions limitations, WPSC allegedly violated its air pollution control permit.
WPSC also allegedly reported to the DNR that it exceeded its emissions limitation on sulfur dioxide on eight individual days between July 7, 2008 and April 25, 2009, at the same plant.
A civil complaint filed against WPSC also alleged that on several occasions WPSC operated facility processes without the compulsory pollution control device, potentially causing unregulated particulate matter emissions.
WPSC also allegedly violated its air pollution control permit when its emissions monitoring systems were not in operation for more than 5 percent of the time between July 2008 and September 2008 and October 2008 to December 2008.
Under the the terms of the judgment, WPSC must pay $80,000 in surcharges, court costs and forfeitures.
Companies with the potential to emit large quantities of pollutants must obtain an air pollution control permit from the DNR and minimize the emissions using abatement plans, preventative maintenance and control equipment.