The below Oct. 13, 2022 news release is from the California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) reached a settlement agreement with FCA US LLC (FCA) of Auburn Hills, Mich. for $5,601,090 for violations of CARB’s air quality regulations. This is the second enforcement action against FCA in the past four years.
The FCA vehicles and model years (MY) involved in the settlement include MY 2012 through 2018 RAM 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles, equipped with 5.7L gasoline engines. This engine configuration was found to not comply with certification emission standards when it was tested by CARB. More than 30,000 vehicles were involved.
“This case is a perfect example of why CARB’s compliance testing is so important in protecting the state’s air quality and public health. CARB staff work every day to identify violations and hold companies accountable for meeting our strict emissions standards,” said CARB Executive Officer Dr. Steven Cliff. “I want to commend CARB staff for their diligence in identifying the violations.”
FCA cooperated with CARB to resolve all allegations of violating Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Devices regulations. FCA’s settlement includes a $2.8 million civil penalty that will go to CARB’s Air Pollution Control Fund, which provides funding for projects and research to improve California’s air quality. The remaining $2.8 million will fund a Supplemental Environment Project (SEP) – Cleaner Air for Kids – Zero Emission School Bus Funding – that will help bring more electric school buses to schools in the South Coast Air Basin.
Previously, in January 2019, CARB entered a joint settlement with FCA for allegations that the company violated environmental and consumer protection laws by using “defeat device software” to circumvent emissions testing on more than 100,000 vehicles nationwide. California received more than $78 million of the $500 million settlement.
For more information, see: “CARB settles with FCA for $5.6 million for violations of air quality regulations on certain gasoline engines,” Oct. 13, 2022 California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board news release.