St. Paul The Minnesota Department of Transportation has paid a $30,000 fine for damaging a trout stream and several lakes while rebuilding a section of U.S. 169 near Grand Rapids two years ago.

The department also agreed to hold environmental workshops
costing $80,000 as part of the deal with the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency.

MnDOT failed to prevent work site sediment from getting into
fish habitat and spawning beds in Smith Creek, one of the region’s
premier trout streams, and nearby lakes, according to the MPCA.

The transportation department also failed to conduct required
maintenance inspections, seek approval to build temporary river
channel diversions, properly install culverts for fish migration or
get a lake bed modifications permit.