WASHINGTON – In a significant move to enforce the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached a settlement with Meyer Distributing, Inc., a major auto parts distributor based in Indiana. The agreement, formalized in court filings this January, requires Meyer Distributing to pay a substantial $7.4 million penalty. This action comes as a result of the company’s sale of aftermarket devices specifically designed to bypass or disable vehicle emissions control systems.
These so-called “defeat devices,” when installed, allow vehicles, particularly cars and trucks, to release significantly higher levels of harmful pollutants. The EPA’s investigation revealed that Meyer Distributing sold over 90,000 of these illegal devices across the United States between January 2018 and September 2020. These parts included components like exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) block plates and pipes intended to replace essential pollution treatment systems in vehicle exhausts. Texas was identified as the state with the highest volume of these sales.
“Selling illegal defeat devices undermines the very purpose of the Clean Air Act, which is to protect public health,” stated Acting Assistant Administrator Cecil Rodrigues of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This settlement underscores the EPA’s firm commitment to holding Car Distributor Parts companies and others accountable for actions that compromise air quality and endanger public health.”
The environmental impact of these defeat devices is substantial. By removing or disabling emissions controls, vehicles emit dramatically increased levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and non-methane hydrocarbons. Diesel exhaust, in particular, is classified as an air toxic and carries significant cancer and non-cancer health risks. The EPA estimates that the excess pollution generated by the defeat devices sold by Meyer Distributing is equivalent to adding 700,000 additional vehicles to the nation’s roadways.
In addition to the hefty fine, 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, including Texas. The old tugboat, powered by two outdated diesel engines lacking modern emission controls, will be replaced with a new tugboat equipped with state-of-the-art, cleaner engines. This upgrade is projected to prevent the release of approximately 1,484 tons of NOx and 19 tons of particulate matter emissions over the next 20 years.
The consent decree, officially lodged with 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. Public access to the settlement agreement and information on submitting comments is available through the Department of Justice’s Proposed Consent Decree webpage. Further details about the settlement are also available on the EPA’s Meyer Distributing Clean Air Act Settlement Summary page. This case highlights the EPA’s ongoing efforts to ensure that car distributor parts companies adhere to environmental regulations and contribute to cleaner air for all.
