Iowa DNR reaches consent agreement with Walz Energy for Monona plant

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has agreed to a consent order under which Walz Energy will pay an administrative penalty of $10,000 for multiple illegal water discharges at the Walz Energy plant on Highway 18 east of Monona.  The consent order means Walz neither admits nor denies the DNR's charges.

The 11-page consent order lists DNR complaints involving practices at the Highway 18 facility from August of 2018 through June of 2019.  The order says Walz was made aware of the DNR's concerns in April of 2017, but "failed to implement the proper storm water controls and multiple illegal discharges occurred."

The consent order says a notice of violation was sent to Walz Energy on June 11th of this year.  A follow-up DNR site visit on June 26th said a DNR inspector "observed improvement in compliance" since the previous month.  The agreement between Walz Energy and the Iowa DNR obligates Walz Energy to cease all illegal discharges to nearby water and to comply with the MPDES permit and with the consent order.