The Environmental Protection Agency wasn’t kidding when it announced that it would be cracking down on vehicle companies in the wake of the Volkswagen car emissions scandal.
On Wednesday, the EPA announced that it caught an outdoor supply company in Texas for violating emission regulations under the Clean Air Act. The agency said the Tractor Supply Co., and its affiliates, will pay nearly $1 million in civil penalties, but no criminal charges will be filed.
“Emissions from vehicles and engines can cause serious health and environmental problems, so it’s imperative that importers and vendors ensure their products comply with federal clean air standards,” said Cynthia Giles, the EPA’s head of enforcement. “It is also critical that we ensure a level playing field for companies that follow the law — that is a cornerstone of our environmental enforcement programs.”
The EPA says Wednesday’s settlement with the company resolves allegations that the Tennesse-based outdoor supply company “imported and sold more than 28,000 all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles and engines that did not comply with federal Clean Air Act certification and emission information labeling requirements.”
The Justice Department said the company, in addition to a $775,000 fine, will have to take steps to ensure future imports and vehicle sales meet the Clean Air Act.
The violation comes amid a much larger violation of the Clean Air Act by auto giant Volkswagen earlier this month. The automaker said it designed software in its diesel cars to switch off their emission safeguards when they were being driven. The cars’ emissions controls would activate only when being tested for emissions compliance. The violation affects nearly half-a-million cars likely will cost the automaker billions of dollars in fines and penalties.
In the wake of the scandal, EPA said it would crack down on violators. Wednesday’s case was the agency’s first pinch since making the announcement about a week ago.
“We will take strong action to ensure that foreign-made vehicles and engines that are imported and sold in the U.S. comply with the same Clean Air Act requirements that apply to domestically made products,” said John C. Cruden, assistant attorney general with the Justice Department’s environment division.
