A Michigan beet sugar company will pay $562,500 in fines and environmental restoration costs for air and water pollution violations under a deal with the state Department of Environmental Quality.
The agreement settles a lawsuit the DEQ filed against Michigan Sugar Co. in August 2017.
Department Director Liesl Eichler Clark said Tuesday the agreement is "an important milestone in addressing nuisance odor and water quality violations" at the company's Bay City processing facility.
In addition to complying with its wastewater discharge permit, installing odor-control equipment and reducing trucking debris on nearby roads, the company will restore two rock reefs in Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay, creating habitat for walleye and whitefish.
Michigan Sugar Co. also will plant more than 100 trees to create a dust and noise barrier near its factory.