Indiana auto parts distributor to pay $7.4 million for selling 90K emissions defeat devices, EPA says

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a multi-million dollar civil penalty against an Indiana automotive parts distributor for selling illegal aftermarket emissions tampering devices.

On January 13, the EPA announced that Meyer Distributing agreed to pay $7.4 million in civil penalties to settle allegations that the company violated Clean Air Act emission controls requirements by selling “defeat” devices bypass the emissions control systems on cars and trucks.

Authorities say that between  January 1, 2018, through September 16, 2020, the company sold more than 90,000 aftermarket defeat devices throughout the United States, with most of devices sold in Texas.

In addition to the civil penalty, the EPA will also require that Meyer Distributing spend $1.2 million on a project to retire and replace a 1976 tugboat operating in the Gulf Coast region with a new tugboat has two up-to-date engines with modern emission control systems.

“Meyer sold tens of thousands of illegal devices that undermine the public health protections provided for in the Clean Air Act,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Cecil Rodrigues for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s announcement demonstrates EPA’s commitment to hold companies like Meyer accountable for the harm they cause to our air and health.”