Indiana Auto Parts Distributor Will Pay $7.4 Million for Clean Air Act Violations
Meyer Distributing will pay $7.4 million and fund a $1.2 million clean air project after selling illegal emissions defeat devices.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Jan 14, 2025
Meyer Distributing, an Indiana-based auto parts distributor, has agreed to pay $7.4 million in civil penalties for violating the Clean Air Act by selling over 90,000 emissions defeat devices. These devices bypass emissions control systems in vehicles, leading to increased air pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the settlement on Jan. 13, 2025.
“Meyer sold tens of thousands of illegal devices that undermine the public health protections provided for in the Clean Air Act,” Acting Assistant Administrator Cecil Rodrigues for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance said in a statement. “Today’s announcement demonstrates EPA’s commitment to hold companies like Meyer accountable for the harm they cause to our air and health.”
The EPA’s complaint alleges that from 2018 to 2020, Meyer Distributing sold devices such as exhaust gas recirculation blockers and pipes that replace pollution treatment components. According to the EPA, pollution caused by these devices equals adding 700,000 vehicles to U.S. roads, releasing excessive nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter and other pollutants.
In addition, Meyer Distributing will fund a $1.2 million project to replace a 1976 tugboat with a cleaner, modern vessel equipped with advanced emission controls. The new tugboat is expected to prevent the release of 1,484 tons of NOx and 19 tons of particulate matter over the next 20 years. The settlement, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, includes a 30-day public comment period before final court approval.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor for Environmental Protection.