Denver, CO – A multi-state scheme to illegally disable emissions controls on heavy-duty trucks has resulted in significant penalties for three companies and a Colorado-based garage, according to court documents unsealed this week. Pro Diesel Inc., McDermid Sales and Service, and Endrizzi Diesel, LLC, were all found guilty of violating federal environmental laws by systematically removing or disabling critical pollution control devices from commercial vehicles.
The investigation, led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), revealed that the companies – operating out of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri – colluded to tamper with the onboard diagnostic (OBD) systems of 126 Class 8 semi-trucks. Rather than addressing legitimate mechanical issues, the companies opted to circumvent emissions standards by hiring a Colorado garage specializing in “tuning,” or reprogramming, the trucks’ computer systems. This process effectively disabled the monitoring functions of the OBD, preventing the detection of malfunctions in diesel particulate filters and catalytic converters – devices designed to drastically reduce harmful pollutants.
Federal prosecutors argued that the defendants knowingly violated the Clean Air Act by tampering with “monitoring devices,” a specific offense under federal law. The manipulation of the OBD systems not only resulted in increased emissions but also gave the trucking companies an unfair competitive advantage by lowering operating costs. The EPA estimates that the illegally modified vehicles released substantial amounts of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution and posing risks to public health.
Penalties and Community Service
Each company received a sentence of three years of probation, requiring the implementation of a comprehensive compliance plan to prevent future violations. Beyond probation, substantial financial penalties were levied. Pro Diesel Inc. was ordered to pay a $77,500 fine, with $38,750 held in abeyance pending successful completion of probation. They were also required to contribute $77,500 to a community service project – a diesel mechanic training program at a local community college. Endrizzi Diesel, LLC faced the highest financial penalty, totaling $220,000 ($110,000 fine, $110,000 community service) directed towards the purchase of cleaner school buses for the Walnut Grove, Missouri school district. McDermid Sales and Service received a $37,500 fine and a $75,000 community service payment to support the purchase of a cleaner school bus for the Oconto Falls, Wisconsin school district.
The Colorado garage involved in the “tuning” of the trucks has not been publicly identified, raising questions about potential further investigations into local businesses complicit in the scheme. The EPA has indicated that this case serves as a warning to others attempting to circumvent environmental regulations, emphasizing that tampering with emissions control systems is a serious federal crime.
Key Facts
- Defendants: Pro Diesel Inc. (IA), McDermid Sales and Service (WI), Endrizzi Diesel, LLC (MO)
- Crime: Tampering with emissions control systems on Class 8 semi-trucks.
- State of Violation Focus: Colorado (garage location for illegal tuning)
- Year: 2022
- Statutes Violated: 18 U.S.C. 371 (Conspiracy), 42 U.S.C. 7413(c)(2)(C) (Tampering with monitoring devices)
- Vehicles Affected: 126 heavy-duty trucks
- Penalties: Fines totaling $335,000, three years probation for each company, and community service projects totaling $262,500.
GrimyTimes will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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