Harley-Davidson agreed to pay $15 million to settle the
Environmental Protection Agency’s claims that the company’s motorcycles violated air-pollution laws, reports
The Wall Street Journal. The $15 million settlement breaks down to $12 million as a civil penalty and $3 million towards environmental efforts.
The motorcycle company manufactured and sold roughly 340,000
“super tuner” devices under its Screamin’ Eagle brand that improved engine performance, but also increased emissions to levels that were beyond what the company had certified with regulators, states a
c
onsent decree and
complaint filed Thursday by the
Justice Department on behalf of the EPA.
The Wall Street Journal also reports that Harley-Davidson allegedly sold roughly 13,000 motorcycles between 2006 and 2008 that didn’t meet the EPA’s emissions requirements.
As part of the settlement, Harley-Davidson will stop selling super tuner devices by August 23 and agreed to buy back and destroy any of the devices that it still has in stock. The settlement may sound similar to
Volkswagen’s ongoing emissions scandal, but
The Washington Postreports that Harley-Davidson sold the super tuners as components for track bikes only and were not intended for use on public roads. The issue, then, is more aligned with the
new regulations proposed by the EPA that would prohibit modifying certain vehicles that were manufactured for road use.
Harley’s massive parts catalog is full of aftermarket pieces that are sold for off-road use only, including exhausts pipes. In a statement, the company said it “will continue to offer a broad range of industry-leading, compliant performance products that enable customization and performance enhancements that meet all emissions requirements and maintain the company’s vehicle warranty.”
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