IN FOCUS: EPA Cracks Down on Companies in California, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington State for Selling Illegal Auto Parts that Avoid Pollution Controls.
Link Source: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-cracks-down-companies-california-new-jersey-oregon-and-washington-state-selling
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a series of settlements today with companies based in California, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington state that had illegally sold “defeat device” products throughout the United States that altered vehicle emissions control systems. These products are designed to “defeat” emissions controls, enabling increased emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, both of which contribute to serious public health issues. Distribution and sale of defeat devices are violations of the Clean Air Act.
“Defeat devices enable more air pollution from vehicles to the detriment of Americans’ health, and EPA is vigilant about holding accountable the entities that sell these illegal products,” said Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “These settlements demonstrate EPA’s commitment to enforcing critical environmental laws that protect clean air and public health.”
Settlement information:
Diamond Eye Manufacturing, Inc. (Athena, Ore.) sold 33,134 parts between 2017 and 2019 that allowed for the removal of a vehicle’s emission control components. As conditions of a settlement with EPA, Diamond Eye confirmed that it has destroyed its inventory of illegal parts and notified its customers of the settlement and that the company no longer provides technical support or honors warranty claims for the illegal parts. The company will post on its website for eight weeks an announcement of the settlement and pay a $265,000 penalty.
Competition Specialties, Inc. (Auburn, Wash.) sold 227 parts or components between 2018 and 2020 that allowed for the removal of a vehicle’s emission control components. The company paid a penalty of $225,368.
Maxon Auto Corp. (Chino, Calif.) sold 867 parts or components between 2018 and 2021 that allowed for the removal of a vehicle’s emission control components. The company paid a penalty of $120,000.
Maxon Performance Parts Corp. (Pennsauken, N.J.) sold 148 parts or components between 2019 and 2021 that allowed for the removal of a vehicle’s emission control components. The company paid a penalty of $30,000.
Remus Technology, Inc. (Emeryville, Calif.) sold over 900 aftermarket exhaust systems for motor vehicles from 2017 to 2018 that required the removal of catalytic converters. The company paid a $40,000 penalty.
SHJY Trading Corp. (Walnut, Calif.) sold 1,547 parts or components between 2018 and 2021 that allowed for the removal of a vehicle’s emission control components. The company paid a penalty of $15,000.
WX Trading Corp. (Walnut, Calif.) sold 1,391 parts or components between 2018 and 2021 that allowed for the removal of a vehicle’s emission control components. The company paid a penalty of $15,000.
Except for Competition Specialties, Inc., the companies each paid or will pay a reduced penalty because of a demonstrated inability to pay a higher amount.
Stopping the sale of aftermarket defeat devices for vehicles and engines is one of EPA’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives. According to a study by EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, known sales of defeat devices for certain diesel trucks after 2009 and before 2020 resulted in more than 570,000 tons of excess NOx and 5,000 tons of excess particulate matter over the lifetime of the trucks.
The Clean Air Act authorizes the EPA to set standards for emissions from a variety of types of vehicles and engines. Required emission controls often include filters and catalysts installed in the vehicles or engines’ exhaust systems, as well as calibrations that manage fueling strategy and other operations in the engines themselves. Federal law prohibits tampering with emissions controls, as well as manufacturing, selling, and installing aftermarket devices intended to defeat those controls.
The EPA has found numerous companies and individuals that have manufactured and sold both hardware and software specifically designed to defeat required emissions controls on vehicles and engines used on public roads as well as on nonroad vehicles and engines. Illegally modified vehicles and engines contribute substantial excess pollution that harms public health and impedes efforts by the EPA, tribes, states, and local agencies to plan for and attain air quality standards.
On August 1, Roseville, Calif.-based Sinister Mfg. Company, Inc., pleaded guilty to criminal charges in federal court in Sacramento, California, and agreed to pay a total of $1 million in criminal fines and civil penalties. The company also agreed to implement a compliance program and to not manufacture, sell or install any device that defeats a vehicle’s emissions controls. Additionally, an official for Fiat Chrysler corporation pled guilty to conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by misrepresenting information on vehicle emissions, fuel efficiency and compliance with U.S. emission standards.
IN FOCUS: Interior Department Finalizes Well Control Rule to Strengthen Offshore Safety Standards
Revisions to 2019 rule will help bolster safe and environmentally responsible energy operations.
WASHINGTON – The Department of the Interior today announced new measures to enhance worker safety and ensure offshore oil and gas operations on the Outer Continental Shelf are conducted with the utmost safety and oversight standards.
The final well control rule from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) builds upon the historic regulatory reforms implemented by the Department in the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and resulting oil spill that killed 11 people and caused billions of dollars in environmental damage and economic loss to coastal communities.
“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to the highest standards of worker safety and environmental protections,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “These improvements are necessary to ensure offshore operations, especially those related to well integrity and blowout prevention, are based on the best available, sound science. As our nation transitions to a clean energy economy, we will continue strengthening and modernizing offshore energy standards and oversight.”
“Finalizing this rule will enable BSEE to continue to put the lives and livelihoods of workers first, as well as the protection of our waters and marine habitats,” said BSEE Director Kevin Sligh. “This rule strengthens testing and performance requirements for blowout preventers and other well control equipment, provides for timely and robust analyses and investigations into failures, and clarifies reporting requirements to ensure we have appropriate visibility over information and data critical to maintaining well integrity.”
In the immediate aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon incident, BSEE adopted several recommendations from multiple investigation teams to improve the safety of offshore energy operations, leading to the publication of the 2016 Well Control Rule. In May 2019, BSEE published a final rule that weakened certain safety provisions. Today’s final rule incorporates key lessons learned from operator experience, incident data regarding blowout preventers, and well integrity since the publication of the 2016 rule and revises or rescinds certain modifications that were made in the 2019 rule.
The Department has finalized revisions that will:
Require blowout preventer systems (BOPs) to be able to always close and seal the wellbore to the well’s maximum anticipated surface pressure, except as otherwise specified in the BOP system requirement section of the regulations.
Require failure data to be reported to both a designated third party and BSEE.
Require failure analysis and investigations to start within 90 days of an incident.
Require independent third-party qualifications to be submitted to BSEE with the associated permit applications.
Specify that surface BOPs on existing floating facilities must follow the dual shear ram requirements when replacing an entire BOP stack.
Require that remotely operated vehicles be capable of opening and closing each shear ram on a BOP.
Require the operator to provide BOP test results to BSEE within 72 hours after completion of the tests if BSEE is unable to witness testing.
Secretary Haaland and Director Sligh announced the proposed rule on Sept. 12, 2022, starting a 60-day public comment period. BSEE evaluated all public comments received during the public comment period and developed the final rule based on that evaluation.
CLALLAM COUNTY MEETINGS
Clallam County Work session for 8/28/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08282023-925
CLALLAM COUNTY
SPECIAL MEETING
Pursuant to RCW 42.30.080, the Board of Clallam County Commissioners and the Department
of Natural Resources will be holding a Special Joint Meeting regarding a review of the planned "Ode to Joyce" timber sale on Monday, August 28, 2023 at 1 p.m. in the Commissioners
Meeting Room, 223 East 4th Street, Port Angeles, Room 160. The meeting will be held in person and virtually by Zoom.
Topic of Discussion: Ode to Joyce Timber Sale Comments and questions can be directed to the Clerk of the Board at360-417-2256
Clallam County Commission meeting regular session for 8/29/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08292023-926
Clallam County Housing solutions meeting for 9/1/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09012023-924
City of Forks Council meeting for 8/28/23
https://forkswashington.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Agenda-20230828-1.pdf
Clallam County PUD meeting for 8/28/23
https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/clallampud/Board.nsf/Public
https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/clallampud/Board.nsf/Public
JEFFERSON COUNTY MEETINGS
Jefferson County Commission meeting for 8/28/23
https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/8c748b3d-ce81-4c99-a6ad-ebe9ef7c89e6
Weekly devotional
BIBLE VERSE: Romans 12:4-5 (New International Version)
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Weekly Bible Study
Christianity Is Sharing, Not Holding
Christianity is a religion of self-denial and commitment (Matthew 16:24-26). The teaching and behavior of the church of God is sharing, not holding. Acts 2:44-45 says of the Christians in Jerusalem: “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.” (See also Acts 4:32-35). There was a need in the church in Jerusalem. To meet that need, the Christians, who had property, willingly sold it and gave the money to help feed their fellow Christians.--tftw
https://truthfortheworld.org/christianity-is-sharing-not-holding
Free bible studies (WBS)
https://www.worldbibleschool.org/
Learn English using the bible as text (WEI)
http://www.worldenglishinstitute.org/
(Join us in worship every Sunday starting at 10:30AM Church of Christ)
1233 E Front St, Port Angeles, WA 98362
The Chosen: About the life of Christ
https://watch.angelstudios.com/thechosen
THIS WEEK'S VIDEOS
THIS Is Election Interference: Glenn Reacts to Trump's Fulton County Arrest.
It was a dark week for America. On today's Friday Exclusive, Glenn discusses the unprecedented attack on former President Trump that has now resulted in a mug shot and an inmate number. But Hillary Clinton's "espionage level" actions regarding her email server were ignored, furthering America's descent into a banana republic. Also, Glenn discusses the horrific tragedy in Maui as the local government's actions are making things worse for the survivors, leading to a massive distrust in the government. Next, are COVID-19 mandates making a comeback? Glenn blasts the government, including the return of the infamous Dr. Fauci, and corporate media for attempting to keep the COVID-19 fear alive. Lastly, Glenn analyzes Russian President Vladimir Putin after the suspicious death of his political rival, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqPIu3C_E_s
Sunday Worship - 08/20/2023--Four Lakes Church of Christ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XVX5L7FIRM
NIGHT OWL COMICS PRESENTS: THE ANCIENTS
Chapter 1: Ancient Earth is paid a visit by the Fifth.
One huge Pentagon shaped space craft entered the Earth solar system, before recorded history.
See full story: https://pjrnightowlcomics.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-anicents.html
The Port Angeles Globe is a weekly Publication, every Saturday-- Publisher, Peter Ripley
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