Several area residents were cited among 65 enforcement cases done by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency during the third quarter of 2014.

Veryl Lord, of Austin, was fined $500 for water quality violations. Patrick Quandt and Sheilah Quandt, both of Grand Meadow, were also fined $500 each for water quality violations. Duane and Denise Hoeft, of Grand Meadow, was fined $1,500 for water quality violations.

In addition, the Blooming Prairie wastewater treatment plant was fined $2,506 for water quality violations.

Environmental enforcement investigations often take several months, and in highly complex cases more than a year. Although, in rare instances, they can involve courts, they are most often negotiated settlements where the goal is compliance with environmental rules. Fines issued are targeted to match the environmental harm, economic advantage gained or environmental corrective actions.

Penalties from all 65 cases totaled $281,960.