Coal-rolling Utah reality stars fined $851,451 for selling dirty diesel trucks. The Diesel Brothers, stars of a Discovery Channel reality-TV show, have been fined more than $850,000 for bypassing emissions regulations in customizing the trucks that star on their show.
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- The Diesel Brothers, stars of a Discovery Channel reality-TV show, have been fined more than $850,000 for bypassing emissions regulations in customizing the trucks that star on their show.
Did Diesel Brothers pay the fine?
The stars of the “Diesel Brothers” reality TV show have been ordered to pay nearly $1 million in legal fees on top of $848,000 in previous penalties over pollution law violations. March 8, 2021, at 3:30 p.m. U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby of Utah ruled Jan.
What happened to the diesel Brothers lawsuit?
A Federal District Court in Utah ruled that a group of physicians had standing to sue the host of a popular television show, “Diesel Brothers,” for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act resulting from modifications to pollution control devices installed on trucks.
Will diesel pickups be banned?
California will ban sales of new gas and diesel vehicles by 2035. In an executive order, Gov. Gavin Newsom said passenger vehicles will be required to have zero emissions.
Is it illegal to own a deleted truck?
Regardless of state laws, it was illegal on the federal level to do the delete in the first place, and remains illegal when you sell it. The only legal way to ‘get around it’ is to put all the proper equipment back in place and return it to function.
Did one of the diesel brothers died?
Heavy D, a popular former contestant on the British version of “Celebrity Big Brother,” has died, according to a friend of the TV star. He was 43. “I’m very shocked & saddened to hear of the passing of my friend @HeavyHeavyd,” tweeted the actor Nick Nevern.
Is Diesel Brothers still in business?
Heavy D also revealed where fans can stream old episodes. The Diesel Brothers are back. After seven seasons filled with monster truck builds and crazy stunts, Heavy D and Diesel Dave are officially returning for more.
Does red beard still work for Diesel Brothers?
So, where TF is RedBeard? According to Discovery’s website, RedBeard is still an official part of the Diesel Brothers cast. He even has the show’s name listed in his Instagram bio.
Is Heavy D sparks from Diesel Brothers?
Despite the name and physical resemblance to one another, the Diesel Brothers are not actually brothers. Friends David ‘Heavy D’ Sparks and David ‘Diesel Dave’ Kiley started a fix-it shop for all types of vehicles and brought in two other men as shop helpers.
Did Diesel Brothers jump airplane?
On Memorial Day, Monday, May 27 of 2019, Heavy D of the Diesel Brothers successfully landed a record-setting jump over a flying airplane in the Monster Jam BroDozer truck at Wendover Airfield. The epic stunt took months to make throughout season two of Diesel Brothers.
Should I delete my diesel the truth about diesel emissions?
To put it bluntly, no, you should not remove the emissions equipment from any diesel pickup. Regardless of local and state testing requirements, it is a federal crime to remove any factory installed emissions equipment. Removing emissions equipment also voids the vehicle’s factory warranty.
Will Biden outlaw diesel trucks?
Biden said during his campaign for president that he supported California’s phase-out of gas-powered vehicle sales by 2035. If not by 2035 then they want Biden “to set a date by which new sales of fossil fuel vehicles will end entirely.” Essentially, they want to see a ban on diesel.
Is def delete illegal?
DEF tampering is illegal, yet it happens. That caused some operators to want to get rid of the DEF systems, or get DEF delete kits to get away from using it.” Tampering with a DEF system can put someone on the wrong side of the law, but that’s not the only risk involved.
Is a diesel delete legal?
Myth #1 – Deleting or Tuning a Truck is Legal It isn’t a state or local law (although those exist, as well), but Federal law. Yes, you can legally have your emission system removed from your vehicle, but it requires recertification by the manufacturer and a new emission label and certification issued.
Can a dealership sell a deleted diesel?
Registered. It is illegal by federal law for a dealer to sell a deleted vehicle. Better to put back on to keep them from refusing the trade or dropping values by up to $6k because it is deleted.
Can you legally delete DPF?
Well, according to Section 203 of The Clean Air Act, it is illegal to tamper with, remove or be involved in the deletion knowingly or unknowingly of the DPF system of a truck. Furthermore, it is also illegal to use a DPF removal service provider to do this for you.
Diesel Brothers Hit With $850,000 Fine for Tampering With Truck Emissions
DieselSellerz, courtesy of YouTube An order has been issued to make the stars of Discovery Channel’sDiesel Brothers television show pay $851,451 in restitution for their participation in manufacturing and selling modified diesel pickup trucks that caused environmental damage in the state of Utah. In a lawsuit brought by Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, the defendants were David ‘Heavy D’ Sparks, Joshua Stuart, Keaton Hoskins, and Dave Kiley (a.k.a. ‘Diesel Dave’). The case was heard by a federal court after being brought by the organization.
Discovery Media’s ‘Diesel Dave’ Kiley (left) and Dave ‘Heavy D’ Sparks (right) pose for a photo (right).
will be responsible for the plaintiffs’ attorney expenses, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
District Court Judge Robert Shelby revealed in his order Friday that the plaintiffs may also submit their attorney fees to be reimbursed by Sparks and Co.
- Defendants must pay a total of $761,451 to the United States government, with the remaining $90,000 going to the Davis County government, according to Shelby.
- There are several components in this category, including diesel particulate filters (DPF) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems, both of which have been the subject of various environmental protection agency enforcement actions.
- TheDiesel Brothersreality program follows the exploits of Heavy D, Diesel Dave, and their team as they work on a variety of massively scaled-down automobile projects.
- A large part of the Discovery program’s success may be attributed to the diesel-related retail empire that Sparks and his colleagues have built, with a strong emphasis on customisation culture at its center.
- DieselSellerz.com Built for one of DieselSellerz.com’s vehicle giveaways, this six-door Ram pickup has a lot of room.
- His argument for why, on the other hand, was more than a little shaky.
The plaintiffs actually purchased a truck from Sparks Motors and promptly sent it to Denver for testing, which revealed that it produced 36 times the amount of pollution and 21 times the amount of particulate matter that would have been produced if the truck had been equipped with proper emissions systems.
- Thanks to everyone who participated.
- Using the website, clients may purchase and sell their diesel vehicles, many of which have been customized to resemble those that the Diesel Brothers are now being prosecuted for.
- Reed Zars, an attorney who represents Utah Physicians, had previously questioned Sparks about his company’s social media presence, which was mostly concentrated upon severely polluting trucks and other heavy equipment.
- The two and their other offenders have been barred from removing diesel emissions devices from automobiles or from selling vehicles that have been changed in this manner.
It is possible that they will be placed in contempt of court if they continue to breach environmental regulations. Do you have a tip? Please send an email to [email protected]. TO BE CONTINUED READING
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared war on manufacturers of emissions defeat devices. This means doom for the aftermarket sector as well as the tuning community, respectively. Click here to read more about Shop Attempts to Kill Stock Duramax Diesel With Boost—But It Just Won’t Die The GM truck engine continues to produce more than 850 horsepower. Click here to read more about the 2020 Ford F-350 taking down the GMC Sierra HD in a diesel dually drag race. In fact, you might be surprised by the disparity. REPORT: Someone Is Going to Pay Way Too Much for This Duramax Diesel-Powered Chevy Camaro. READ MORE. A total of $17,100 has been bid thus far. Continue reading Careless YouTubers Purchase a $100,000 Ford F-350 Limited Only to Destroy It here. Nothing, not even a $20,000 hydraulic raise system, will be able to keep this vehicle from getting mowed down. READ IMMEDIATELY
The Diesel Brothers Exhaust Their Defense
- They are the stars of a Discovery Channel reality television show called TheDiesel Brothers, and they have been penalized more than $850,000 for circumventing pollution restrictions when altering the vehicles that appear on their show. According to Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, who purchased one of the defendants’ diesel vehicles and discovered that it was 36 times dirtier than the stock version, the three defendants were sued. In addition, it is simple to obtain aftermarket modifications that allow you to operate around emissions equipment—as well as emissions testing
- This is not only a problem for the Diesel Brothers.
The question ‘Is that legal?’ may have crossed your mind if you’ve ever seen a diesel pickup truck spewing black smoke from an exhaust pipe that looks like it should be home to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And the answer is a resounding no. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prohibits tampering with emissions devices, and both state and municipal governments have expressly prohibited rolling coal. Now a trio of high-profile truck nuts, the Diesel Brothers of Discovery Channel, are facing a $851,451 penalties for manufacturing and selling trucks that had emissions technology that had been circumvented or that had been removed entirely.
- The lawsuit was dismissed.
- This material has been downloaded from YouTube.
- Furthermore, a large punishment is unsuitable for certain low-income mechanics who are striving to make ends meet.
- Alternatively, they might have spent a lot less money on the vehicle they mistakenly sold to Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, who tested it and discovered it to be 36 times dirtier than stock.
- A scene from the Diesel Brothers television series.
- And as for the appeal from the impoverished that they are unable to pay: Yeah, right.
- From 2016 through 2018, court papers reveal that Discovery paid Sparks a total of $482,000 in compensation, on top of the money produced by the multiple Diesel Brothers business companies.
With a wink, wink, the manufacturer’s disclaimer on aftermarket power controllers and straight-pipe exhaust systems states that they are intended for ‘off-road usage only.’ For example, the H S Mini Maxx DPF deletion tuner ‘gives you the option to remove all emission components and sensors without triggering diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) or turning on the check-engine light,’ according to the manufacturer.
- The firm even offers advice on how to evade detection during emissions testing.
- In that case, the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment may have something to say about it as well, it is possible.
- a storehouse of goods The 2020 Ford Super Duty diesel is capable of producing 475 horsepower and 1050 pound-feet of torque.
- The point is, given that stock Ford, GM, and Ram trucks already have absurdly high horsepower ratings, why are individuals willing to risk massive fines and environmental devastation in order to obtain even more powerful vehicles?
- Visiting their website may allow you to access the same stuff in a different format, or it may provide you with even more information than you could get elsewhere.
This material was generated and maintained by a third party and imported onto this website in order to assist users in providing their email addresses for further consideration. You may be able to discover further information on this and other related items at the website piano.io.
Diesel Brothers Fined by for emissions tampering
Diesel Brothers is a television show that airs on the Discovery Channel. It follows the exploits of a group of guys from Utah who work together to repair and customize pickup vehicles. The show’s stars are actually simply two buddies named David ‘Heavy D’ Sparks and David ‘Diesel Dave’ Kiley, who have been pals since high school. They possess a clothes store as well as a website where they sell their wares. Cars are modified at the shop for improved performance, which is accomplished mostly by the overcoming of emissions devices and modification of the vehicle’s computer software.
- An environmentally friendly vehicle was acquired by the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment and sent to Denver for testing.
- According to the results of the testing, the diesel particulate filters (DPF) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems of the vehicle had been removed or rendered inoperable.
- Cole Cannon, an attorney for the Diesel Brothers, revealed that 17 vehicles were determined to have emission control problems.
- The Diesel Brothers must pay $761,451 to the federal government and $90,000 to Davis County, Utah, as a result of their violations of the Clean Air Act and Utah environmental regulations, according to the court order.
- In addition to the fines, the two stars and their co-defendants are barred from removing diesel emissions equipment from their vehicles or from selling vehicles that have been changed in this manner in the future.
- In accordance with KSL, court papers demonstrate that none of the fines may be avoided or discharged in bankruptcy proceedings.
- Whether it’s customizing customers’ vehicles or manufacturing their own to give away in sales-related promotions, almost everything revolves around making pickup trucks larger, louder, and more ridiculous than the competition.
In the years leading up to their television appearances, the gang created a name for themselves on YouTube and other media with a variety of stunts, many of which were connected or directly related to ‘rolling coal’ on other automobiles and at times, each other. Rick Muscoplat posted a blog entry on
More: Diesel Brothers Fined by for emissions tampering? (The answer is found)
Diesel Brothers Tampered With Truck Emissions Systems, Fined $851,000
I’d never heard of ‘The Diesel Brothers’ before, but it’s clear that I’m not missing out on anything. Just think about it: what kind of person would want to wear diesel emissions in their pants? Perhaps you want to emulate the concept of farting out diesel fumes to the point where you end up with this stuff near your buttocks. I understand why people find fart jokes amusing. This, on the other hand, is not the case. Even if the concept of a fart that is so poisonous that it pollutes the air is amusing, taking it to this extreme is not only detrimental to the environment, but it’s also detrimental to our fellow man in the photo.
pic.twitter.com/BnA6WvSQkn Third Row Tesla Podcast (@thirdrowtesla) is a podcast about Tesla.
That pipe is spewing out four major pollutants: carbon monoxide (yes, the thing that can kill you if you breathe too much of it in a closed space), hydrocarbons (which can also kill you), particulate matter (which may kill you), and nitrogen oxides (which can kill you if you breathe too much of it).
- It is true that everyone breaths it in when they are outside when a car passes by, but this does not imply that it is OK to remove the mechanisms that keep much of the pollution from entering the atmosphere.
- Particulate pollution is created when diesel fuel is burned in an insufficiently complete manner.
- Sulfates are the most common.
- However, part of this is due to the fact that they manufacture and sell modified diesel pickup vehicles, which contaminated the environment in Utah.
- District Court Judge Robert Shelby concluded that all persons associated with the television show were guilty of breaking the Clean Air Act and the laws of the state of Utah in a court of law.
- The ‘Diesel brothers’ established a career out of creating diesel trucks that were 30 times more polluting than they needed to be, mostly to spite those who favored clean air.
- — 11.03.2020 |
- Twitter Through their online marketplace, DieselSellerz, they provided a forum for clients to purchase and sell their diesel pickup trucks, many of which had been customized in the same way that the Diesel Brothers had modified their own vehicles.
- If you encounter a goofy Prius driver, what are you supposed to do?
a screenshot from the DieselSellerz YouTube channel ‘data-image-caption=” data-medium-file=’ data-large-file=’ loading=’lazy’ data-large-file=’ data-medium-file=’ data-large-file=’ src=’ alt=” width=’721′ height=’172′ src=’ alt=” height=’172” srcset=’ 721w, 270w, 570w’ sizes='(max-width: 721px) 100vw, 721px’> srcset=’ 721w, 270w, 570w’ sizes='(max-width: 721px) 100vw, 721px’ Despite the fact that Sparks, one of the Diesel Brothers, claims to have dismissed the individual who authored the description, the video and description are still available online.
- As a result, coal rolling is encouraged, as is the belief that individuals who drive smaller cars are weak and so need to be punished by being forced to breathe smoke in their faces.
- Rolling coal in the faces of others has the potential to create a calamity.
- And guess what?
- By the way, I suffer from asthma.
- If they did, they wouldn’t do idiotic things like pushing a diesel pipe against the rear of their trousers so they could ‘fart’ black smoke out of their pantsholes.
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Truck modifiers behind ‘Diesel Brothers’ hit with $850,000 fine for pollution
Sometimes being in the limelight has its disadvantages. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, a federal judge has ordered the stars of the Discovery Channel show Diesel Brothers to pay a $851,451 fine for air pollution. Along with the other defendants in the case, David ‘Heavy D’ Sparks and David ‘Diesel Dave’ Kiley own a shop in Utah that specializes in the modification of diesel vehicles. These alterations frequently include tampering with emissions-control equipment, which is why the sanction was imposed.
- It is now required that the defendants make payments to the federal government of $761,451 and to the Utah county of Davis of $90,000.
- The Ford F-650 was modified for the show.
- Cannon also stated that his clients had made a settlement offer that would have seen a greater share of the penalties go to Utah rather than the federal government, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
- Following that, according to The Salt Lake Tribune, the company purchased one of the modified pickup trucks and had the vehicle’s emissions tested.
- Shelby relied on those findings in his judgment, as well as footage showing vehicles spewing plumes of black smoke into the air.
- While truck owners may modify their vehicles for a variety of reasons, such as enhancing power, tampering with pollution controls is a common occurrence.
- The ‘Diesel Brothers’ became more prominent as a result of the high profile produced by a television show, making them more plausible targets for legal action.
- After a recall of Cummins diesel engines, which provides engines for Ram Heavy Duty trucks, became the largest diesel engine recall in the history of the Environmental Protection Agency, exceeding even the recall of Volkswagen cars, in 2018.
Diesel Brothers hit with big fine for tampering with truck emissions
On the Discovery Channel, Henry ‘Heavy D’ Sparks and ‘Diesel Dave’ Kiley, better known as theDiesel Brothers, were sentenced to pay a total of $848,000 in fines for unlawfully altering the emissions control systems of diesel pickup trucks. According to the Standard-Examiner newspaper in Utah, the fines are the result of around 400 infractions involving the removal or bypassing of particle filters or catalysts that minimize nitrogen oxide and soot emissions. In their lawsuit against theDiesel Brother s stars, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) claims that the modifications made to their vehicles cause their emissions to be ten-to-thirty times higher than those of unmodified trucks.
It was a citizen enforcement effort under the Clean Air Act that led to the filing of the lawsuit against Sparks and Kiley in the United States District Court for the District of Utah in March 2019.
Cold air intakes, intake manifolds, cylinder heads, camshafts, headers, and exhausts may all be approved by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to be marketed, installed, and utilized on public roadways in all 50 states, and they can all be found in the automotive industry.
While we may be most familiar with Volkswagen’s ‘dieselgate’ and the fines the company received for circumventing their emissions systems in order to return mileage, the penalties assessed to Sparks and Kiley are not the first time an aftermarket builder has been penalized.
Several companies, including Bully Dog and Hypertech, were penalized in 2017 for selling diesel and gasoline tuners before having CARB approval.
Hagerty protects all kinds of collector cars, trucks, and modified vehicles. Let’s talk about your special ride.
Request a quote for insurance.
Diesel Brothers lawyer says fines in court case will be slashed after ruling
Discovery Channel provided the photograph. David ‘Heavy D’ Sparks and ‘Diesel Dave’ Kiley are shown in a promotional shot for the Discovery Channel that was taken at an undisclosed time. In response to an ongoing civil air pollution complaint, the lawyer for the Diesel Brothers company claims that the penalty his client would be subjected to will be drastically reduced when the case is examined by the U.S. District Court judge supervising the matter. Mr. Sparks, the Diesel Brothers truck and vehicle firm — known as Diesel Power Gear — and the other defendants in the case were represented by Cole Cannon, a Salt Lake City attorney who said, ‘I believe people are tired of overreaching lawsuits and this was one of them.’ The defendants, including Sparks, who plays the lead part in theDiesel Brothersreality television series, and the others were each fined a total of $765,344 in fines for violating federal and state clean air rules, according to a 2020 District Court order.
- However, a judgment issued last week by the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, while essentially upholding the district court’s decision, remanded the matter back to District Court Judge Robert Shelby for the purpose of potentially adjusting a part of the penalty.
- The sanctions are based in part on the defendants’ sales of ‘defeat components,’ which are auto parts designed to circumvent pollution restrictions, as well as their tampering with vehicles’ emission-control systems, which causes them to pollute even more.
- He believes that recalculating the charge based on the Utah-only clause — and on items that were really sold, rather than merely promoted — will assist to reduce the amount.
- ‘I believe that is a case of severe wishful thinking on his part.
- Moench had portrayed the UPHE’s triumph in the Dec.
- According to him, the ruling was a ‘legal confirmation’ of the authority of private persons and environmental organizations, such as the UPHE, to pursue enforcement of Clean Air Act provisions, which were at the heart of the breaches committed by the defendants.
- The UPHE originally became aware of the Diesel Brothers activity as a result of the smoke-spewing trucks that were shown on the television show and given away in promotional materials.
- High levels of air pollution are an issue along the Wasatch Front, as evidenced by the Utah Public Health Department’s attention and worry, as well as the January 2017 lawsuit.
- In his words, ‘for five years, the Diesel Brothers have been dragged through the dirt on what is, in reality, a very minor case.’ He asserted that, from the standpoint of the UPHE, the litigation had always appeared to be about collecting attorneys’ fees and costs.
- As far as the cash amount is concerned, Cannon says it will be reduced as well.
- As part of one settlement agreement, the Diesel Brothers offered to repair the malfunctioning vehicle emissions systems in the automobiles of ‘possibly hundreds of low-income Utah families,’ according to Cannon, but the Utah Public Health Department rejected the offer.
Although the Diesel Brothers made some reasonable proposals, he felt that they were unjustified in part because they did not compensate the UPHE for the expenditures incurred in pursuing the issue to court, he maintained that they were not fair.
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Diesel Brothers Fined $850,000 For Fiddling With Pollution Controls
The organization behind the Discovery Channel show Diesel Brothers has been sentenced to pay $851,451 in fines for breaching the Clean Air Act, according to a court ruling. US District Court Judge Robert Shelby imposed the penalties on Friday on David ‘Heavy D’ Sparks, Joshua Stuart, Keaton Hoskins, and David ‘Diesel Dave’ Kiley, who may possibly order the gang to pay the plaintiff’s $1.2 million in legal fees. Specifically, the plaintiff in this case is the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, an organization to which Sparks Motors unknowingly supplied a modified vehicle, according to a story in the Salt Lake Tribune.
The removal of equipment such as diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves was a major focus of the investigation in this case.
These economic benefits continue to accrue, and they go far beyond the profits generated by the prohibited activities to include the Defendants’ celebrity status on television and social media, the reputation and notoriety of their brands, and the economic leverage they have used to accumulate assets and start new businesses.’ The Diesel Brothers will no longer be permitted to remove emissions control devices such as DPFs and EGRs, and they may be held in contempt of court if they are found to be in violation of environmental regulations in the future.
The ramifications of all of this are uncertain for the television series, which has been on the air since 2016 and begins its sixth season in December 2019.
KJZZ and The Salt Lake Tribune are two credible sources.
‘Diesel Brothers’ ordered to pay $850k for violating Clean Air Act
In connection with a violation of the Clean Air Act, the organization behind the Discovery Channel show Diesel Brothers has been forced to pay $851,451 in fines. David ‘Heavy D’ Sparks, Joshua Stuart, Keaton Hoskins, and David ‘Diesel Dave’ Kiley were fined $500,000 on Friday by US District Court Judge Robert Shelby, who has the option of ordering the gang to pay the plaintiff’s $1.2 million in legal fees and costs as well. As reported by The Salt Lake Tribune, the complainant in this case is the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, an organization to whom Sparks Motors unknowingly supplied a modified vehicle.
The removal of equipment such as diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves was a major focus of the investigation in this instance.
They continue to accrue economic benefits that go far beyond the profits generated by these prohibited activities, including Defendants’ celebrity status on television and social media, the reputation and notoriety of their brands, and the economic leverage they have used to accumulate assets and launch new businesses.’ As of now, the Diesel Brothers are prohibited from removing emissions control equipment such as DPFs and EGRs, and they may be held in contempt of court if they are found to be in violation of future pollution rules.
Whatever this implies for the TV show, which has been airing since 2016 and begins its sixth season in December 2019, is now unknown. Discovery did not respond to a request for comment from Car Throttle. KJZZ and The Salt Lake Tribune are among the news sources to consult.
What’s at stake in the suit
Original action brought in 2017 by Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) against the men identified various firms controlled by them, including Woods Cross-based Diesel Power Gear. The claim was settled out of court in 2018. Doctor Brian Moench, president of the physicians’ union, said in a prepared statement that ‘illegally stripped down and modified diesel vehicles have no place on our highways.’ ‘Any firm that not only benefits from doing so, but also glorifies the plumes of pollution that their workmanship generates, should be held accountable, and that’s exactly what this judgement accomplishes,’ says the attorney general.
‘Diesel exhaust accounts for half of all air pollution from mobile sources along the Wasatch Front, and drivers of modified diesel trucks are a significant contributor to the problem,’ Dr.
‘These lawbreakers are endangering the health of our families and the well-being of our community, and they must be stopped.’
Diesel Brothers respond
In a statement to the Standard-Examiner, a counsel representing the Diesel Brothers expressed disappointment that they were unable to address these matters through a private settlement. The attorney could not tell at this time if the show’s stars will file an appeal against the decision. According to attorney Cole Cannon, ‘What’s regrettable is that the parties were unable to resolve this through a private settlement, which would have resulted in a lot more of a restorative effort in Utah.’ Approximately 10% of the money from this transaction will be spent in Utah, according to the order.
More information is available at: Diesel Brothers was found to have violated the Clean Air Act by a federal judge.
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‘Diesel Brothers’ TV show appeals air pollution fine
Featured image courtesy of Discovery Channel Heavy D (a.k.a. David Sparks) and Diesel Dave (a.k.a. Dave Kiley) — also known as the Diesel Brothers — will conclude the fifth season of their Discovery Channel series with a live event in Wendover, Nevada, on Monday. They intend to use a monster truck to jump over a tiny plane that is currently in flight. Ogden The stars of the reality television program ‘Diesel Brothers’ are appealing a federal court verdict that ordered them to pay $848,000 to the United States government and a Utah county for violating environmental regulations.
- District Judge Robert Shelby in March, including the installation and sale of devices to defeat emission controls, according to the Salt Lake City-based Standard-Examiner.
- When it comes to the Discovery Channel show, the team customizes cars and gives away customized diesel trucks through contests.
- In addition, the judge issued a permanent injunction against the offenders, prohibiting them from committing any more infractions.
- The organization eventually filed a lawsuit against the company under the Clean Air Act, which permits citizens to sue for civil damages against those who violate the law.
- The defendants filed their notice of appeal with the 10th U.S.
- There was no date scheduled for a hearing as of Monday, according to the court’s website.
According to the authors, ‘Notably, the standards of review in the 4th and 9th circuits differ, and it is our understanding that the 10th circuit has not yet decided on this matter.’ Reed Zars, the attorney for the physicians’ association, did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the lawsuit’s outcome.
According to the Associated Press Make a donation to the newsroom right now. Contributions to The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity, are tax deductible as allowed by law.
r/Diesel – Diesel Brothers Hit With $850,000 Fine for Tampering With Truck Emissions – The Drive
Level 1It’s a good laugh. You can generate a lot of electricity without using a lot of coal, but it may not be as inexpensive as using coal. However, it is not $850,000 more costly than the previous model. level 2Because all of the heat is sent to the exhaust system rather than the EGR, SCR systems enable the same amount of power to be produced at lower operating temperatures as conventional systems. This indicates that it will take more effort to generate greater electricity with the same block in the future.
- a second-grade education To be fair, this was the method by which they established their company.
- 1st grade According to him, ‘my clients have always been devoted to improving the air quality in Utah.’ lol What the heck is going on?
- level 1 Honestly, these folks are a shitshow.
- What exactly did they do to an XD on stage 2?
- level 1: Play foolish games and get even more ridiculous rewards.
- Anything?
- level 1Avoid committing the crime if you are unable to serve the sentence.
1st grade My concern is, if he just did this once in the image, why would he take such an unnecessary step?
a second-grade education The fine is not for the photograph; rather, it is for changing tons of vehicles in order to violate environmental protection rules.
a second-grade education Take a look at the article.
They sold something like 50 vehicles in their contests and giveaways, all of which were supposedly erased after they were completed.
a second-grade education It’s a pittance when you realize that EPA infraction fines may go into the tens of thousands of dollars per day.
Diesel Brothers Hit With $850,000 Fine for Tampering.
An order has been issued to have the stars of Discovery Channel’s Diesel Brothers television show pay $851,451 in restitution for their participation in manufacturing and marketing modified diesel pickup trucks that caused environmental damage in the state of Utah. In a lawsuit brought by Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, the defendants were David ‘Heavy D’ Sparks, Joshua Stuart, Keaton Hoskins, and Dave Kiley (a.k.a. ‘Diesel Dave’). The case was heard by a federal court after being brought by the organization.
- A order issued Friday by United States District Court Judge Robert Shelby said that the plaintiffs may also submit their legal expenses to be reimbursed by Sparks and Co., according to the Salt Lake Tribune based on the information provided by the newspaper.
- Shelby formally and conclusively affirmed that the defendants must pay $761,451 to the United States government, with the remaining $90,000 going to the Davis County government.
- There are several components in this category, including diesel particulate filters (DPF) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems, both of which have been the subject of various environmental protection agency enforcement actions.
- According to Cannon, who spoke to The Tribune, his clients hoped for a greater portion of the court-ordered settlement to be used to help the state of Utah.
According to him, ‘my clients have always been devoted to improving the air quality in Utah.’ The Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment discovered that the trucks created and modified by the ‘Diesel Brothers’ were significantly over-polluting, which was in direct opposition to Cannon’s claims.
In the beginning, Sparks and Kiley gained notoriety through their online truck marketplace, DieselSellerz.
That being said, this was before environmental activist organizations and regulatory authorities began a full-scale assault on cars that ‘roll coal,’ releasing unburned fuel into the air, as a result of which they were banned off the road.
Among the videos, one stood out in particular, with a caption that read, ‘What do you do when you come across a goofy Prius driver?’ ‘Watch as theBuiltDiesel burns up a Toyota Prius.’ In his explanation, Sparks stated that the tape was ‘made by an employee who was dismissed as a result of seeing that film.’ The film, which had received approximately 797,000 views at the time of publication, was never taken down by the site’s administrators.
The two and their other offenders have been barred from removing diesel emissions devices from automobiles or from selling vehicles that have been changed in this manner. It is possible that they will be placed in contempt of court if they continue to breach environmental regulations.
Diesel Brothers fined $850,000 for tampering with emissions – Page 1
Quote HistoryAs a diesel technician for maritime applications, I am torn between my two opinions. I feel that diesel emissions are the worst thing that has ever happened to them. The Detroit diesel 2 stroke engine, in my opinion, is a harmonious symphony of sheer power. The Environmental Protection Agency may suck my fucking dick. All of this attention was drawn to themselves by the diesel brothers. Not just the people on television, but I’m referring to any and all diesel dudes. I wholeheartedly support their right to demolish every every piece of pollution equipment because screw the Environmental Protection Agency.
View Quote Cleaner-running engines are a good thing, but the way it was rushed into development rather than given some more time to work out the kinks naturally (engineers need time and a few generations of new engines to figure things out) was wrong, and it ended up costing a lot of money to the people who rely on those engines.
Working behind contemporary equipment or vehicles is far more pleasant, and as a result, poses a significantly reduced health risk, than working behind a fume-spouting machine for the whole day.
I’d want to prevent it, but not at the expense of pushing engine designers to come up with last-minute solutions that are bad for everyone’s bank account.
Crackdown on Emissions ‘Defeat Devices’ Has Amateur Racers Up in Arms
Considering Volkswagen’s $14.7 billion settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency over filthy diesel emissions in 2016, you might believe the deal acted as a reminder not to tamper with car emission systems. It appears that this is not the case. Since the Volkswagen settlement, the Environmental Protection Agency has increased its enforcement efforts against auto part manufacturers whose products, in the pursuit of greater speed or efficiency, cause emissions systems to malfunction. Amateur racers believe that environmentalists are attempting to prohibit their sport.
‘We’re going to wipe out every drag strip in the United States.’ It all comes to an end if there are no circular tracks or sprint cars.’ The technology that adjusts a car’s emission controls is at the center of the debate — whether physically through aftermarket exhausts or electrically through the use of the vehicle’s built-in computer.
- Diesels may be programmed to ‘roll coal,’ ejecting large plumes of black exhaust on demand, in some extreme cases.
- Because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contended in court that under the Clean Air Act, no road vehicle engine may be changed, even if it is intended solely for use on a racetrack, racing aficionados are concerned.
- Within 10 years, 550,000 diesel trucks had their pollution controls removed, according to a report released in November by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance (OE&C).
- Essentially, it discovered that the United States had a problem with filthy diesels made at home.
- The Environmental Protection Agency has penalized individuals who tampered with pollution-control devices on trucks, vehicles, and motorbikes.
- Vehicle enforcement has largely consisted of civil lawsuits, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began filing criminal charges in 2018 using a clause that had previously been used solely against smokestack companies.
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), which represents aftermarket component manufacturers such as those being investigated, replied with urgent all-caps advisories such as ‘PROTECT YOUR RIGHT TO RACE!’ The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned racecars,’ which may be deemed a worst-case scenario.
The alarm set off by SEMA is triggered by a technicality in the legislation.
A argument made by Gear Box Z was that its goods were exempt from the Clean Air Act since its defeat devices were meant primarily for competition cars, and thus were not subject to the law.
Racing is not exempt from the Clean Air Act’s requirements.
Featured image courtesy of David Kasnic for The New York Times However, while the Clean Air Act does not make an exception for racing, an Environmental Protection Agency policy memorandum from November does, stating that enforcement does not necessarily apply to ‘EPA-certified motor vehicles that are converted into a vehicle used solely for competition motorsports,’ according to the E.P.A.
- In a court of law, the law takes precedence over policy.
- He added that the agency reserves the right to pursue converted racecars if it so chooses.
- The Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act, also known as the R.P.M.
- It would amend the Clean Air Act to allow modifications to vehicles that are ‘used solely for competition.’ It was included in a House bill last year and passed unanimously by the House, but the Senate has not yet taken it up.
- The decision of Judge John J.
- Much ink has already been spilled in this case regarding the existence of a motorsports exception or exclusion in the Confederation of American Athletics,’ according to the decision.
- The Environmental Protection Agency, on the other hand, had ‘produced ample evidence’ of its use on street vehicles that were subject to the Clean Air Act, according to him.
- That would effectively put an end to amateur racing, and with it, all racing, because there would be no way to develop new professional racers.
‘It would be like trying to keep Major League Baseball alive without sandlot games, Little League, or minor league teams.’ Exhaust modification for road vehicles can be made legal in a number of ways, the most notable of which is by obtaining an executive order exclusion from the California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB.
- According to the board, an application costs approximately $6,500 to $9,000 per device in fees and independent testing, and it takes two to nine months to complete the process.
- It is the responsibility of anyone who manufactures, sells, installs, or otherwise makes use of a racing part if that part is illegally used on a public road.
- CARB’s Emissions Certification and Compliance Division is headed by Allen Lyons.
- ‘That is where the lines are drawn between civil and criminal.’ Some component manufacturers choose not to sell in California in order to avoid risk.
- In Utah, an environmental group was successful in its lawsuit against the men who host the Discovery Channel show ‘Diesel Brothers,’ setting a precedent that others could follow.
- ‘We had three or four coal rollers drive around the perimeter of the Capitol,’ Dr.
‘It was a very exciting experience.’ Putting out these blankets of black smoke made them feel pretty good about themselves, I think.’ In the following weeks, the group received a phone call from Reed Zars, an environmental lawyer, who suggested that they file a citizen suit against mobile polluters, which appears to be a first in the country.
Moench recalled.
Legal fees totaling more than $915,000 were also awarded to the group, which has since filed a second lawsuit and stated that it was preparing to file additional lawsuits.
Struggle to crack down on sabotage of vehicle pollution controls
During the Discovery Channel episode ‘The Diesel Brothers,’ the ‘Hercules,’ a modified vehicle with removed emissions controls, was displayed. Featured image courtesy of the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. By Eli Wolfe and Alexandra Tempus, published in the year 2000. FairWarning After beginning an investigation into Freedom Performance, LLC, investigators from the Environmental Protection Agency quickly discovered that the firm was in violation of the Clean Air Act and didn’t have to dig very far to find proof of this.
- ‘The path to hell is frequently paved with good intentions,’ said one advertisement for a kit that allows diesel trucks to be exempt from legally mandated pollution controls.
- ‘The most effective remedy is elimination.’ As reported by the Environmental Protection Agency, Freedom Performance was marketing defeat devices, which are hardware and software that circumvent or disable pollution controls.
- However, defeat devices, often known as ‘delete devices,’ are becoming increasingly popular among car owners.
- In recent years, a profitable cottage industry of defeat devices has sprung up across the United States, as repair shops, internet sellers, and manufacturers meet and exceed customer demand by manufacturing and selling them themselves.
- The rise in fine particulate matter and other airborne contaminants, according to public health experts, is a contributing factor to greater incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and neurological illnesses, among other things.
- The repercussions can be severe: According to the EPA, Freedom Performance would be required to pay more than $7 million in fines after incurring thousands of infractions.
- However, the crackdown has left a lot of issues unaddressed.
- Some public health groups have seen this as an opportunity to file their own lawsuits under the Clean Air Act.
- A spokesman from Discovery did not respond to a request for comment.
The motorsports industry is supporting a measure in Congress sponsored by the ‘Motorsports Caucus,’ which purports to preserve motorists’ rights to transform a highway vehicle into a race car, but which opponents argue would impede the Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement of clean air regulations.
Flipping a switch
It used to be that turning off an automobile’s pollution controls was as simple as flipping a switch, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. However, when the EPA tightened its pollution rules, automakers responded by developing increasingly sophisticated systems to decrease pollutants. Nowadays, defeat devices are often sold as ‘delete kits,’ which include both hardware and software that must be used in conjunction with one another. A straight pipe is a metal tube that may be put in a vehicle’s exhaust system to replace equipment such as the diesel particulate filter.
- During the Discovery Channel episode ‘The Diesel Brothers,’ the ‘Brodozer,’ a modified vehicle with removed emissions controls, was displayed.
- Tuners, which are devices that plug into a vehicle’s computer and install software known as ‘tunes,’ alter the way the vehicle’s computer manages pollution levels.
- Despite the fact that aftermarket defeat devices have always been prohibited, the Environmental Protection Agency greatly increased enforcement around the time of the Volkswagen disaster, the most notable automobile industry fraud of the twenty-first century.
- It was capable of detecting when the vehicles were being tested and reducing emissions levels to meet legal norms.
- Over 600,000 of these automobiles were sold or offered for sale in the United States, and the business ultimately revealed that it had produced over 11 million vehicles worldwide.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) went after identical breaches by seven major manufacturers of large rig diesel engines, including Caterpillar and Mack Trucks, two decades earlier, in 1998.
Concerted effort
According to John Cruden, then-assistant Attorney General for Environment and main negotiator on the Volkswagen case, the Volkswagen case ‘was a very, very determined attempt by the firm to dodge compliance with the law.’ In the end, Volkswagen was forced to enter into a legal deal that has cost the company more than $20 billion in legal fees alone in the United States, including criminal and civil fines as well as expenditures in pollution reduction initiatives around the country.
In June 2020, a federal appeals court declared that local governments in the United States may sue Volkswagen for breaking municipal environmental regulations, exposing the company to a slew of new claims.
After a four-year inquiry, Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler reached a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Air Resources Board, and the Justice Department, among other agencies, for $1.5 billion in connection with similar emissions-cheating practices in the past.
They vary from subsidiaries of huge corporations such as Polaris Inc.
It’s not uncommon for the government to focus more attention on the rest of an industry when it discovers misconduct in one part of it, according to David Uhlmann, a University of Michigan law professor and former head of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes unit who left the department prior to the Volkswagen case.
H S Performance was one of the first firms to attract the attention of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Two tips a day
In 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that a Utah manufacturer has agreed to pay a $1 million fine for manufacturing and distributing tens of thousands of defeat devices in violation of the Clean Air Act. Customers of H S were owners and operators of heavy-duty diesel vehicles. According to the settlement agreement, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessed that the H S tuners contributed to an extra 71,669 tons of nitrogen oxides emissions. The EPA asserted that H S had committed more than 114,000 breaches of the Clean Air Act, one violation for each time the company supplied a defeat device, according to the agency.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claimed it receives two tips a day on firms who offer defeat devices on average.
- According to an anonymous tip obtained by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in July 2015, a Deltona firm known as Punch It Performance and Tuning was making and distributing defeat devices for diesel trucks, including straight pipes and tunes.
- Schimmack attempted to circumvent the Environmental Protection Agency for several years by liquidating firms and establishing new ones in order to continue selling defeat devices.
- According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Schimmack owned three residences and a yacht that were all registered to his different enterprises.
- After being contacted for comment, he did not react.
- There is no better example of this than the vast quantity of tuners and straight pipes that appear to be freely available for purchase on e-commerce sites such as eBay and through the Facebook Marketplace platform.
An open boast
While most websites do not explicitly state that their goods circumvent emissions restrictions, some eBay dealers sell ‘delete kits’ that do so, despite the fact that eBay prohibits the sale of defeat devices in its terms and conditions. Despite the fact that an eBay employee promised FairWarning that the firm will remove the unlawful listings, a search for ‘delete kits’ over five weeks later still came up a large number of products for sale. At least one item for a delete kit has appeared on Facebook’s Marketplace site, and the listing has remained online for many days after FairWarning warned the company of the unlawful goods being offered for sale.
- Companies that manufacture the gadgets put the Environmental Protection Agency through its paces—sometimes blatantly.
- Following their disappointment with the Environmental Protection Agency’s limited outcomes, public health activists in Utah have developed an innovative technique to eradicate defeat devices.
- One video, shot in 2013, and later presented as a court evidence, shows a huge truck engulfing a Prius in dense smoke, completely obscuring the vehicle.
- Private persons may launch lawsuits against polluters in order to enforce emission regulations under the law.
- A removed diesel truck generally released 36 times the amount of nitrogen oxides allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
For some of the corporations listed on the ‘Diesel Brothers,’ Reed Zars, the attorney who brought the lawsuit, only had to check as far as Instagram and Facebook to identify probable breaches.
Straight-piping
Zars purchased one of their vehicles and had it tested for pollutants at an EPA-certified facility in Colorado. Zars won the contest. The test revealed that the modified truck had emissions that were 30 to 40 times higher than the legal limit for a variety of contaminants. ‘Can you picture putting a power plant on a straight pipe?’ Zars shared his thoughts. ‘These smaller power units were being fed directly from the grid.’ David Sparks, a body shop owner who appeared on the hit television show ‘Diesel Brothers’ and who is named as one of the defendants in the case, did not reply to calls for comment on the matter.
- TAP Worldwide, an aftermarket parts firm with dozens of locations around the United States, was the focus of the Utah advocacy group’s most recent attack in September.
- company that manufactures and distributes snowmobiles.
- In response to demands for comment, TAP, which has petitioned the court to dismiss the lawsuit, did not react.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fined Lead Foot Diesel Performance, LLCof Georgia $17,348 earlier this year for selling 18 defeat devices.
- When EPA inspectors came up at Hines’ business in August 2019, the self-described ‘stupid redneck’ stated he didn’t think he had anything to be concerned about.
- When the inspectors informed him that they were searching for defeat devices, he was taken aback.
Deeply embarrassing
It was extremely embarrassing and disheartening for Hines to be labeled a lawbreaker after working in the diesel sector for 15 years without being involved in any incidents. The Environmental Protection Agency inspectors provided him with information on how to comply with the law, but he claimed that he needed a lawyer to explain how it worked. ‘I’ve learned one thing: you can’t be compliant with the EPA at the same time,’ Hines explained. ‘If they come in to examine, they’re not going to leave without at least a dollar in their pocket.’ A diesel vehicle that was acquired from one of the firms featured on the Discovery Channel’s ‘Diesel Brothers’ television show.
- In the front, there is a straight pipe that can be seen.
- Many aftermarket parts manufacturers and installers, as well as car owners, claim that they must traverse a complex system of regulations.
- They claim that it is simple to inadvertently break such stringent regulations.
- ‘They’re well aware that what they’re doing is against the law,’ said Cooke of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
On the down-low
According to Young, ‘By now, everyone knows how rigorous California is, and anyone who attempts to sell unapproved aftermarket components in California often understands that they are doing it illegally and that they must operate on the sly,’ he added. Since the autumn of 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency has delivered more than two dozen presentations to various industry organizations. Since 2008, it has also given presentations at the annual show of the Specialty Equipment Market Association, which is the largest trade association for aftermarket and racing components.
Members of Congress who identify themselves as the Motorsports Caucus submitted a measure in October 2019 to preserve motorists’ rights to transform their automobiles into racing cars – the latest iteration of legislation that has previously failed.
The Environmental Protection Agency responded in an email that it has no interest in prosecuting people who make, market, or install modifications that convert street-legal automobiles into racing cars that are solely used on race tracks.
Opponents of the measure contend that, rather than defining the scope of the EPA’s authority, it would make enforcement more difficult.
In the wake of the Volkswagen crisis, authorities are developing new methods of identifying possible defeat device breaches at all levels of the regulatory process.
High-tech solutions have the potential to be an effective form of deterrent in the future.
On July 23, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that it has taken action against an Irvine, California-based corporation for developing and distributing defeat devices.