“With today’s filing, we take an important step to protect public health by seeking to hold Volkswagen accountable for any unlawful air pollution, setting us on a path to resolution,” EPA Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Assistant Administrator Cynthia Giles said. “So far, recall discussions with the company have not produced an acceptable way forward. These discussions will continue in parallel with the federal court action.”
The suit alleges that Volkswagen used the defeat devices on approximately 600,000 vehicles with diesel engines, allowing those vehicles to have higher emissions than acceptable under EPA standards. According to the suit, Volkswagen also broke U.S. law by selling, importing and introducing the vehicles to commerce.
“Car manufacturers that fail to properly certify their cars and that defeat emission control systems breach the public trust, endanger public health and disadvantage competitors,” Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said. “The United States will pursue all appropriate remedies against Volkswagen to redress the violations of our nation’s clean air laws alleged in the complaint.”
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