THALL10326
The Champ
Been talk about EPA cracking down come 2010 on the dealers who alter equipment resulting in more emissions. Most all Stihl dealers have been notified of whats coming in 2010. Those that haven't or don't beleive it have a look see at what the EPA has been doing to the manufacturers in the past couple of years. I don't think most dealers could afford these types of fnes.
MTD and Jenn Feng Clean Air Act Settlement
(Washington, D.C. – April 24, 2008) A Taiwanese manufacturer and three American corporations will pay a $2 million civil penalty for allegedly importing and distributing approximately 200,000 chainsaws in the U.S. that failed to meet federal air pollution standards, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today. The companies also agreed to spend approximately $5 million on projects to reduce air pollution.
The settlement resolves alleged violations of the Clean Air Act by MTD Southwest of Tucson, Ariz., its parent company, MTD Products of Cleveland, Ohio, Jenn Feng Industrial Company of Taiwan, and its subsidiary, McCulloch Corp. of Santa Fe Springs, Calif. Jenn Feng manufactured the engines for sale in the U.S. and McCulloch obtained certificates of conformity from EPA for the engines. MTD Products/MTD Southwest purchased the engines from Jenn Feng and imported and distributed the engines to the U.S.
“EPA will continue to enforce the Clean Air Act and stop illegal imports,” said Granta Y. Nakayama, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Reliable and effective pollution control systems are essential to protect human health and the environment from harmful emissions from non-road engines.”
In addition to today’s settlement, EPA has imposed nearly $2.4 million in fines during the past 18 months between June 2006 and December 2007 against more than 58 importers for engines that failed to have required certification or emission controls. Without the proper controls, engines can emit 30 percent more pollution than allowable under EPA standards.
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HUSQVARNA OUTDOOR PRODUCTS AND SEARS SETTLES WITH ARB FOR $281,600
In March 2005, the ARB was contacted by a California citizen that had purchased a Husqvarna Outdoor Products (HOP), trimmer from Sears that was labeled "Not for sale in California" on the exterior box. That tip caused further investigation by ARB and it was determined that 49-State, EPA-certified, and EPA-labeled engines used to power Craftsman Wheeled Weed Trimmers were offered for sale and sold in California at Sears stores. The engines on these trimmers had an additional separate label indicating in red letters, "Not for sale in California."
HOP and Sears fully cooperated with ARB and together submitted documentation indicating there had been 2,816 of these mislabeled units sold in California. ARB determined that offering for sale and selling the 49-State, EPA-labeled units in California was unlawful and in violation of the California Code of Regulations, Title 13, Section 2404. By selling the mislabeled products in California, HOP did not comply with the requirements of Health and Safety Code Section 43212.
In this case, HOP did not notify Sears in advance that the 2816 engines/trimmer contained a 49-state EPA label, instead of an ARB emission label. Because Sears did not receive notice that would have enabled them to develop and implement plans to segregate the 49-State, EPA-labeled engines/trimmers from the ARB-labeled engines/trimmers, HOP assumed 100% of the responsibility. HOP paid a penalty in the amount of $281,600 to the California Air Pollution Control Fund in settlement of this case. This case was settled in July 2006.
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Come 2010 dealers will be held to the same standards concerning emissions. Dealers are the last piece of the puzzle of when the EPA can say the war on emissions has been won, by them of course, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
MTD and Jenn Feng Clean Air Act Settlement
(Washington, D.C. – April 24, 2008) A Taiwanese manufacturer and three American corporations will pay a $2 million civil penalty for allegedly importing and distributing approximately 200,000 chainsaws in the U.S. that failed to meet federal air pollution standards, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today. The companies also agreed to spend approximately $5 million on projects to reduce air pollution.
The settlement resolves alleged violations of the Clean Air Act by MTD Southwest of Tucson, Ariz., its parent company, MTD Products of Cleveland, Ohio, Jenn Feng Industrial Company of Taiwan, and its subsidiary, McCulloch Corp. of Santa Fe Springs, Calif. Jenn Feng manufactured the engines for sale in the U.S. and McCulloch obtained certificates of conformity from EPA for the engines. MTD Products/MTD Southwest purchased the engines from Jenn Feng and imported and distributed the engines to the U.S.
“EPA will continue to enforce the Clean Air Act and stop illegal imports,” said Granta Y. Nakayama, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Reliable and effective pollution control systems are essential to protect human health and the environment from harmful emissions from non-road engines.”
In addition to today’s settlement, EPA has imposed nearly $2.4 million in fines during the past 18 months between June 2006 and December 2007 against more than 58 importers for engines that failed to have required certification or emission controls. Without the proper controls, engines can emit 30 percent more pollution than allowable under EPA standards.
_______________________________________________________________
HUSQVARNA OUTDOOR PRODUCTS AND SEARS SETTLES WITH ARB FOR $281,600
In March 2005, the ARB was contacted by a California citizen that had purchased a Husqvarna Outdoor Products (HOP), trimmer from Sears that was labeled "Not for sale in California" on the exterior box. That tip caused further investigation by ARB and it was determined that 49-State, EPA-certified, and EPA-labeled engines used to power Craftsman Wheeled Weed Trimmers were offered for sale and sold in California at Sears stores. The engines on these trimmers had an additional separate label indicating in red letters, "Not for sale in California."
HOP and Sears fully cooperated with ARB and together submitted documentation indicating there had been 2,816 of these mislabeled units sold in California. ARB determined that offering for sale and selling the 49-State, EPA-labeled units in California was unlawful and in violation of the California Code of Regulations, Title 13, Section 2404. By selling the mislabeled products in California, HOP did not comply with the requirements of Health and Safety Code Section 43212.
In this case, HOP did not notify Sears in advance that the 2816 engines/trimmer contained a 49-state EPA label, instead of an ARB emission label. Because Sears did not receive notice that would have enabled them to develop and implement plans to segregate the 49-State, EPA-labeled engines/trimmers from the ARB-labeled engines/trimmers, HOP assumed 100% of the responsibility. HOP paid a penalty in the amount of $281,600 to the California Air Pollution Control Fund in settlement of this case. This case was settled in July 2006.
________________________________________________________________
Come 2010 dealers will be held to the same standards concerning emissions. Dealers are the last piece of the puzzle of when the EPA can say the war on emissions has been won, by them of course, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
