MotorScience Gets Sued for Clean Air Act Violations

An engine certification services consulting firm that allegedly caused the importation of more than 24,000 uncertified recreational vehicles that do not comply with the Clean Air Act’s requirements has been sued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

MotorScience, Inc., located in California, reportedly used false or incomplete information to obtain Clean Air Act certificates of conformity for four of its clients.

The complaint also targets the owner of the company. However, the person who owns a model that was covered by these voided certificates is not responsible for the wrongdoing and can continue to use the vehicle, EPA said in a statement.

Moreover, the complaint further alleges that the company caused its clients to fail to create and maintain records, which they were required to keep under the Clean Air Act.

The CAA, designed to make sure that all Americans have air that is safe to breath, requires that any vehicle or engine imported and sold in the United States to be covered by an EPA-issued certificate of conformity indicating that they meet emission standards.

Otherwise, the engines that are not certified can emit excess carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen can contribute to the formation of ground level ozone, or smog. In addition to that, exposure to those harmful emissions can cause respiratory illnesses or aggravate asthma.

In June of 2010 EPA withdrew its approval of the import and sale of 200,000 gas-powered off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles from China, and the aforementioned legal action grows out of that investigation.

The Chinese manufacturers were Chongqing Hensim Group Co., Chongqing Longting Power Equipment Co., Zhejiang Peace Industry and Trade Co., and Zhejiang Chisheng Industry and Trading Co.

With this lawsuit, EPA seeks civil penalties and actions by the company to remedy the consequences brought by violating the CAA regulations.