Harley-Davidson Settles with EPA for $12 Million Dollars
Harley-Davidson has been accused of selling illegal “Super Tuners” that modified a motorcycle’s stock performance outside of the parameters originally approved by the EPA.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a settlement with Harley-Davidson. According to official documents, the Milwaukee-based manufacturer has committed to stop selling, and to buy back and destroy illegal tuning devices that increase air pollution from various motorcycles models.
Besides the huge operational repercussions of a massive product recall, Harley will have to pay a $12 million dollar civil penalty, and spend $3 million on a project to mitigate air pollution through a project to replace conventional woodstoves with cleaner-burning stoves in local communities. Talk about a big blow for the iconic motorcycle builder.
According to the EPA, Harley-Davidson violated the Clean Air Act by manufacturing and selling about 340,000 devices, known as tuners, that allow users to change how a motorcycle’s engine functions. Such tuning programs caused the motorcycles to produce higher amounts of air pollutants than their original EPA-certified configuration. The Department of Justice also alleges that Harley-Davidson manufactured and sold more than 12,000 motorcycles that the EPA did not properly certify to ensure they meet federal clean air standards.
These news come at a time when the manufacturer announced several layoffs to take place at various of their factories across Wisconsin. The company’s official spokesperson said, “To that end, we are adjusting our production plan to align with 2016 guidance and we are making the necessary changes to right-size the company.”
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Story via: [WSJ]
Photos via: [HD]
