WASHINGTON – Meyer Distributing, a major auto parts distributor based in Indiana, has reached a settlement agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and will pay a $7.4 million civil penalty for violating the Clean Air Act. The violation stems from the company’s sale of aftermarket devices designed to bypass or disable crucial Car Emission Parts and systems in vehicles. The settlement, filed by the Department of Justice on January 6th, highlights the EPA’s ongoing efforts to enforce emission control regulations and protect public health from harmful air pollutants.
The EPA’s complaint details how Meyer Distributing illegally sold over 90,000 defeat devices between January 2018 and September 2020 across the United States. These devices, designed to circumvent factory-installed car emission parts, included components like exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system block-off plates and pipes intended to replace essential pollution treatment devices in vehicle exhaust systems. Texas was identified as the state with the highest volume of these illegal aftermarket car emission part sales.
The use of such defeat devices directly undermines the effectiveness of crucial car emission parts like catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters, and NOx sensors. These original equipment components are designed to significantly reduce harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and non-methane hydrocarbons from vehicle exhaust. By disabling or removing these vital car emission parts, vehicles release significantly higher levels of pollutants into the atmosphere. Diesel exhaust, in particular, is classified as an air toxic and poses serious cancer and non-cancer health risks.
The EPA estimates the excess pollution generated by the defeat devices sold by Meyer Distributing is equivalent to adding 700,000 extra vehicles to the nation’s roads. This substantial increase in emissions directly impacts air quality and public health, increasing respiratory problems and contributing to smog and other environmental issues. Acting Assistant Administrator Cecil Rodrigues of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance emphasized the severity of the violation, stating, “Meyer sold tens of thousands of illegal devices that undermine the public health protections provided for in the Clean Air Act. Today’s announcement demonstrates EPA’s commitment to hold companies like Meyer accountable for the harm they cause to our air and health.”
In addition to the significant financial penalty, Meyer Distributing is mandated to invest $1.2 million in an environmental mitigation project. This project involves retiring and replacing a 1976 tugboat operating in the Gulf Coast region with a new vessel equipped with advanced emission control technology. The older tugboat, powered by two outdated diesel engines lacking modern car emission parts for pollution control, will be replaced by a new tugboat featuring two state-of-the-art engines. These updated engines incorporate contemporary emission control systems, significantly reducing the release of NOx and particulate matter. Over a 20-year period, this upgrade is projected to prevent approximately 1,484 tons of NOx and 19 tons of particulate matter emissions.
The consent decree, officially lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, is now subject to a 30-day public comment period before final court approval. Further details about submitting public comments and accessing the complete settlement agreement can be found on the Justice Department’s Proposed Consent Decree webpage. Additional information regarding the settlement is also available on the EPA’s Meyer Distributing Clean Air Act Settlement Summary page. This case underscores the EPA’s dedication to enforcing the Clean Air Act and ensuring that companies comply with regulations designed to protect air quality and public health by maintaining the integrity of car emission parts and systems.
