Natural gas operator fined for Clean Air Act violation on Fort Berthold Reservation

Targa Badlands LLC was ordered Friday to pay a $500,000 fine and perform 500 hours of community service for a Clean Air Act violation that affected the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, according to North Dakota Monitor. The company pleaded guilty earlier this year in U.S. District Court in North Dakota after failing to install required hazardous air pollutant monitoring systems at the Johnson Compressor Station near Mandaree between 2018 and 2022. Combustion engines at the site produce pollutants such as benzene and formaldehyde, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan O’Konek said during the plea hearing.

Judge Daniel Traynor also imposed three years probation and a $400 fee. Prosecutors said Targa self-reported and installed monitoring equipment. MHA Nation Chair Mark Fox said in a statement quoted by North Dakota Monitor that tribal leaders appreciated the community service aspect of the sentence but were disappointed by the lack of consultation.