Rock Valley, Iowa — A Rock Valley company has agreed to a civil penalty for allegedly selling illegal devices, in violation of the federal Clean Air Act.
According to information released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), D&K Repair, LLC, of Rock Valley has agreed to pay $90,000 for allegedly selling “defeat devices” designed to render automobile emission controls inoperative.
As part of the settlement, the EPA says the company has agreed to demolish their inventory of defeat device components and certify that they have stopped selling devices that disable vehicle emission controls.
Tampering with vehicle engines, including installation of aftermarket defeat devices intended to bypass manufacturer emission controls, results in significantly higher releases of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, both of which contribute to serious public health problems in the United States, according to the EPA. These problems include premature mortality, aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, aggravation of existing asthma, acute respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis, and decreased lung function. Numerous studies also link diesel exhaust to increased incidence of lung cancer.
