A pile of sand taken from a mining operation. (File photo: WSAU)
A Trempealeau County frac-sand mine will be paying a major fine to the state for environmental violations.
The Department of Justice says Arcadia Sand LLC violated their storm water pollution permit in May of 2013 when the berm at their storage facility failed during a major storm. When the berm failed, a large amount of sediment flowed into a nearby stream.
Officials say the company failed to properly install that berm and ensure that plants were growing on the hillside in order to keep it stable in case of a storm. The company settled with the state this week for $60,000.
Updates and repairs to their berm have already been completed and the company is back in compliance with the state.
WSAU