Harley-Davidson to pay $12 million fine
Motorcycle emissions polluted air since 2008
A settlement reached between Harley-Davidson Inc resolves government allegations that Harley sold roughly 340 000 “super tuners” enabling motorcycles since 2008 to pollute the air at levels greater than what the Milwaukee-based company certified to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Harley did not admit liability, and said in a statement it disagrees with the government’s position arguing that the devices were designed and sold to be used in “competition only.” However they agreed to pay a fine of $12 million.
The company said the settlement represents “a good faith compromise with the EPA on areas of law we interpret differently, particularly EPA’s assertion that it is illegal for anyone to modify a certified vehicle even if it will be used solely for off-road/closed-course competition.”
An EPA spokesman said that the vast majority of these tuners were used on public roads.
According to the government, the sale of such “defeat devices” violates the federal Clean Air Act. Harley was also accused of selling more than 12 600 motorcycles that were not covered by an EPA certification governing clean air compliance.
The settlement calls for Harley to stop selling the super tuners by Aug. 23, and buy back and destroy all such tuners in stock at its dealerships. EPA said the modified settings increase power and performance, but also increase the motorcycles’ emissions of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides.
Harley must also deny warranty claims if owners continue to use the devices. An EPA spokesman said the company’s dealers are not part of this action, but “if they are tampering or selling defeat devices on their own, then they could be investigated independently in the future.”
Harley will also spend $3 million on an unrelated project to reduce air pollution, the Justice Department said.
“Given Harley-Davidson’s prominence in the industry, this is a very significant step toward our goal of stopping the sale of illegal after-market defeat devices that cause harmful pollution on our roads and in our communities,” John Cruden, head of the Justice Department’s environmental and natural resources division, said. The announcement comes amid greater scrutiny on emissions and “defeat devices” by U.S. regulators after Volkswagen AG admitted to using illegal software to evade U.S. emissions standards in nearly 600 000 U.S. vehicles.
“This settlement immediately stops the sale of illegal after-market defeat devices used on public roads that threaten the air we breathe,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
- Nampa/Reuters
Harley did not admit liability, and said in a statement it disagrees with the government’s position arguing that the devices were designed and sold to be used in “competition only.” However they agreed to pay a fine of $12 million.
The company said the settlement represents “a good faith compromise with the EPA on areas of law we interpret differently, particularly EPA’s assertion that it is illegal for anyone to modify a certified vehicle even if it will be used solely for off-road/closed-course competition.”
An EPA spokesman said that the vast majority of these tuners were used on public roads.
According to the government, the sale of such “defeat devices” violates the federal Clean Air Act. Harley was also accused of selling more than 12 600 motorcycles that were not covered by an EPA certification governing clean air compliance.
The settlement calls for Harley to stop selling the super tuners by Aug. 23, and buy back and destroy all such tuners in stock at its dealerships. EPA said the modified settings increase power and performance, but also increase the motorcycles’ emissions of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides.
Harley must also deny warranty claims if owners continue to use the devices. An EPA spokesman said the company’s dealers are not part of this action, but “if they are tampering or selling defeat devices on their own, then they could be investigated independently in the future.”
Harley will also spend $3 million on an unrelated project to reduce air pollution, the Justice Department said.
“Given Harley-Davidson’s prominence in the industry, this is a very significant step toward our goal of stopping the sale of illegal after-market defeat devices that cause harmful pollution on our roads and in our communities,” John Cruden, head of the Justice Department’s environmental and natural resources division, said. The announcement comes amid greater scrutiny on emissions and “defeat devices” by U.S. regulators after Volkswagen AG admitted to using illegal software to evade U.S. emissions standards in nearly 600 000 U.S. vehicles.
“This settlement immediately stops the sale of illegal after-market defeat devices used on public roads that threaten the air we breathe,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
- Nampa/Reuters
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