Sell unclean engines, pay a fine: EPA issued $2 million penalty to PowerTrain

Autoblog Green ^ | 02-24-2011 | Sebastian Blanco

[Red Badger]

What is it with companies thinking they can get around the Clean Air Act? Earlier this year, the second-largest refinery in the U.S. was fined $5.3 million (and required to upgrade pollution control systems for $700 million) for CAA violations. Before that, companies like Pep Boys, Cummins and Mercedes (among others) were all forced to pay fines for selling products that are just plain dirtier than they should be.

Today, the EPA announced that PowerTrain is the latest to be hit with a CAA-violation fine. The company settled the case and will now have to pay $2 million because, between 2002 and 2007, it allegedly imported:

at least 79,830 nonroad engines or pieces of equipment containing nonroad engines that were not covered by certificates of conformity, and in most cases, could not be certified because they exceeded the emission standards.

These dirty machines, the EPA says, caused 152 tons of excess emissions of HC+NOx, which contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone, and an excess of 4,533 tons of carbon monoxide. PowerTrain is a Mississippi-based company that is connected to Wood Sales Inc. and Tool Mart Inc.

[Red Badger]

Link to EPA Enforcement data:

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/caa/powertrain.html

[Captain PJ]

EPA is a new way to spell NAZI, defund!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I’ve seen these Chinese junk motors on more and more outdoor power equipment. Buyer beware...

[Crim]

De-fund.

[hattend]

What is it with companies thinking they can get around the Clean Air Act?

I can think of 702 million reasons.

[Red Badger]

Yes, and a tip:

Don’t buy power equipment from people who have these “Tool Shows” at local fairgrounds or VFW Halls...........

[fella]

This sort of EPA BS is why Caterpillar has pulled out of the American over the road truck market and moved to China where they can operate in a free market.

[Yo-Yo]

Pep Boys?

[Mr Rogers]

I’m trying to imagine the Founder’s reaction to something like this. I’d guess it would have something to do with riots.

[Red Badger]

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/05/14/pep-boys-agrees-to-pay-5m-fine-for-selling-chinese-made-atvs-m/

Selling Chines Junk............

[Dead Corpse]

It’d have a lot to do with tar/feathers and possible lead shot.

[screaminsunshine]

Employment Prevention Agency

[Yo-Yo]

Read the fine article, and learned that Pep Boys were selling Chinese imported ATVs. I think that the claims of CO₂ and CO emissions were vastly overstated, because there is no way that those cheap Chinese ATVs would be able to run that long.

[Yo-Yo]

Thanks!

[Red Badger]

We don’t have a PepBoys here. The nearest one is in Pensacola, 40+ miles away..........

[Jack of all Trades]

From the press release:

..The engines and equipment were sold to businesses and individuals through Wood Sales Company Inc. and Tool Mart, Inc. The engines and equipment were not covered by certificates of conformity because they were different models, had different power ratings, or were made by a different manufacturer than the listed on the certificate...

Betcha a dollar that the OE importers signed contracts for certified engines, and the suppliers shipped whatever they felt like that looked similar and fit. That's just a wild a$$ guess though. Definitely not saying that's SOP, or anything. Nope.

[Red Badger]

When you do business with the Chinese, you pays your dollars you takes your chances...............

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Actually, Cat pulled their motors out of the American semi truck market so they could introduce their own line of Caterpillar semi trucks. I just read about this development in the February issue of “Diesel Progress” magazine.
The Cat trucks are on the road in Australia, marketed by NC2, a 50-50 joint venture between Cat and Navistar.
After the roll out down under, the trucks will be sold in Brazil and South Africa and eventually here.
Check out:
http://australia.cat.com/on-highway-truck

[IYAS9YAS]

Pep Boys?

I often see fliers for Pep Boys advertising scooters and ATVs from China. I'm guessing those are the culprits.

[DAC21]

I’d guess those dirt cheap generators Pep Boys sells might be part of the problem as well.