Cummins will pay a $2.1 million penalty and recall 405 engines after a settlement was reached over alleged violations of the Clean Air Act.
From 1998-2006, Cummins shipped more than 570,000 heavy duty diesel engines to vehicle equipment manufacturers without after-treatment devices (ATDs) that are required to control exhaust emissions after exiting the engine. In most vehicles, a catalytic converter or diesel particulate filter handles this job.
Cummins said it tested the engines with ATDs but removed them before shipping to the customer, with the assumption that the customer would install the ATD. However, the government said this violates the Clean Air Act's prohibition on sales of engines not covered by certificates of conformity.
About 405 engines reached ultimate consumers without the correct ATDs, according to a press release.
As part of the settlement, Cummins will account for 200 tons worth of emissions credits, or about the amount of excess emissions the EPA estimates would have resulted over the lifetime of the 405 non-conforming engines.
The settlement, lodged Feb. 22 at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is subject to 30 days of public comment.
View the consent decree here.
