Huge Missouri & Iowa Truck Stops Just Fined Nearly $400,000

The world's largest truck stop in Iowa and another in Missouri were just handed down massive fines totaling nearly $400,000 for violations.

There's a press release just shared this week by the Environmental Protection Agency announcing huge fines for two truck stops in our region. They shared the following:

"Iowa 80, advertised as “the world’s largest truck stop,” and Joplin 44 – agreed to pay a combined $390,784 to resolve alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act."

The EPA fines have to do with protecting water bodies from petroleum discharges and both sites were investigated in 2023 and found to be in violation which led to these massive fines.

“This settlement represents the federal government’s commitment to protecting our nation’s waterways and creating a level playing field for businesses who are complying with the law,” said EPA Region 7 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division Director David Cozad.

This begins a 30-day period where residents can comment on the agreed to fines. If you have something to say about the Iowa 80 situation, you can comment through their online portal. There's a separate online portal for the Joplin 44 for those who are concerned about the settlement.

The press release says repairs have been made at both the Missouri and Iowa stops to make sure issues have been resolved.