Circle K, Holiday Fined for Storage Tank Violations

ST. PAUL (WJON News) -- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has fined two companies for violations at five gas stations.

They say an enforcement investigation of Circle K Stores Inc. of Charlotte, North Carolina and Holiday Stationstores of Bloomington, Minnesota indicates they failed to properly test, report, and fix or replace corrosion protection equipment between 2019 and 2022 at five Minnesota gas station convenience stores owned by the companies.

The stores are located in Northfield, Owatonna, Pine City, Rochester, and Walker. MPCA staff inspections in 2022 confirmed that each location documented between one and six failed tests that were not reported and that the equipment was not repaired.

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In addition to paying a $200,000 civil penalty, a settlement agreement requires the companies to spend at least $3.25 million to replace underground tanks at five other locations including Beaver Bay, Crosby, Duluth, Forest Lake, and Ortonville by the end of 2024. The MPCA selected those locations based on their proximity to nearby bodies of water and the age of their systems.

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