Caterpillar recalls 590,000 Acert engines
$2.55M penalty part of Clean Air Act settlement
Caterpillar agreed to pay a $2.55 million penalty – $2.04 million to the United States and $510,000 to the state of California – as part of a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged Clean Air Act violations. The Peoria, Ill.-based company allegedly shipped more than 590,000 Acert highway and non-road diesel engines without correct emissions controls, according to EPA. Caterpillar also allegedly failed to comply with emissions control reporting and engine labeling requirements.
The settlement announced July 28 requires Cat to recall the known defective engines, install the correct ATDs – devices that control engine exhaust emissions once the emissions have exited the engine and entered the exhaust system – and reprogram the fuel injector and fuel map settings. The recall will continue until all engines with incorrect catalysts, fuel injectors or fuel map settlings have been addressed or until Dec. 31, whichever is earlier, according to EPA.
In addition to the recall, Caterpillar will mitigate excess emissions through permanent retirement of banked emissions credits, according to the settlement. Within 30 days of entry of the consent decree, Caterpillar agreed to retire credits equivalent to the lifetime excess emissions from the 925 engines that did not receive the correct ATD or that were programmed with incorrect fuel injector or fuel map settings. The credits will come from Caterpillar’s highway averaging, banking and trading account, as well as purchase of credits on the open market through a licensed broker.
Bridget Young, a media relations representative from Cat’s corporate affairs department, says Caterpillar cooperated fully with EPA, the California Air Resources Board and Department of Justice. Young says Caterpillar denies any wrongdoing but did agree that the decree represents a good-faith effort between the parties to resolve their differences and avoid potentially lengthy litigation. “Caterpillar is committed to following the terms of the decree,” she says.
IN BRIEF
* Zonar announced a strategic agreement with Daimler Trucks North America to provide Virtual Technician as standard equipment on model year 2012 Freightliner vehicles equipped with Detroit Diesel engines.
* Mitchell 1 updated its Tractor-Trailer.net, Medium-Duty.net and Repair-Connect.net online portals to now include all information necessary to service Cummins ISB, ISC, ISL, ISX 11.9 and ISX 15 engines, as well as Detroit Diesel DD13, DD15 and DD16 engines and 2010 Volvo, Mack and MaxxForce engines.
* The warranties of four Dunlop brand commercial truck tire casings were extended from four to six years. The casings include the SP193 FM, SP384 FM, SP456 FM and SP464 in sizes 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 285/75R24.5 and 295/75R22.5.
* SAF-Holland strengthened its business in the Middle East as well as North and Central Africa through the founding of a Dubai subsidiary.
Bill seeks fair permitting of trucks up to 100,000 pounds
Pending legislation would address government regulations permitting six-axle trucks weighing up to 100,000 pounds to travel on some states’ interstate highways and not others. “When it comes to trucks on our interstates, the Department of Transportation has created an inequitable system where some states, including Maine, must seek individual exemptions from year to year, while 27 states benefit from permanent exemptions,” says U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), who introduced the Commercial Truck Safety Act.
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