Michigan Resident and Diesel Parts Supplier Fined for Clean Air Act Violations
A Michigan man and a heavy-duty diesel parts supplier have been fined a total of $125,000 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act, federal officials announced Thursday.
Kyle Offringa, 34, of Caledonia, Michigan, and Highway and Heavy Parts, LLC (HHP), based in Coleman, Michigan, were sentenced for their roles in tampering with emission control systems on diesel vehicles, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
Federal regulations under the Clean Air Act require diesel engine manufacturers to install emission control components, including filters and exhaust recirculation systems, to reduce harmful pollutants. These vehicles also use onboard diagnostic (OBD) systems to monitor emissions control functionality. If a malfunction is detected or if the equipment has been removed, the OBD system can limit a vehicle’s speed to encourage timely repairs.
Between June 2017 and March 2019, Offringa and HHP worked with trucking company DAIM Logistics, Inc. and its owner, Patrick Oare of Fultonville, New York, among others, to bypass these controls. According to court records, HHP referred customers who had removed emissions hardware to Offringa, who then reprogrammed the OBD systems to disable monitoring functions. Offringa charged between $1,000 and $1,500 per vehicle, while HHP collected an additional $250 per transaction.
Offringa was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine immediately and agreed to allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to monitor his businesses for two years. HHP, which had been sentenced earlier this year, paid a $25,000 fine at the time of sentencing.
The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigations Division, with support from the FBI and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case.