A diesel tuner in Idaho has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and agreed to pay $1 million in criminal fines for selling and installing devices that tampered with the emissions controls of diesel vehicles. The tuner, Barry Pierce, also faces up to two years in prison for his role in the scheme.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Pierce and his company, Gorilla Performance, sold tens of thousands of tuning devices and software that allowed diesel vehicle owners to disable or bypass the emissions control systems of their vehicles. These devices, known as “defeat devices”, increase the performance and fuel economy of diesel vehicles, but also increase the emissions of harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
Pierce and Gorilla Performance also operated a shop in Idaho Falls, where they performed emissions deletes on diesel vehicles. Emissions deletes involve removing or altering the physical components of the emissions control systems, such as the diesel particulate filter or the selective catalytic reduction system.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that tampering with vehicle emissions controls is a serious health hazard and a federal crime. “Tampering with vehicle emissions controls is a serious health hazard and a federal crime. We will continue to work with our state and local partners to protect public health and hold accountable those who violate the law,” said Larry Starfield, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
The EPA estimated that around 15 percent of diesel trucks on U.S. roads have had their emissions control devices illegally deleted. The agency said that one tampered diesel pickup truck can emit up to 40 times more pollution than a truck with a fully functioning emissions system.
The case against Pierce and Gorilla Performance is one of the first cases where an individual tuner faces jail time for violating the Clean Air Act. “The Clean Air Act is designed to protect the air we breathe from harmful pollutants. The defendant’s actions not only violated the law, they put at risk the health of all Idahoans,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr. for the District of Idaho.
Diesel tuning is a popular hobby among some truck enthusiasts, but it comes with serious environmental and legal consequences. The EPA has been cracking down on diesel tuners for years, and has issued fines and injunctions to several companies that sell or install defeat devices.
Relevant articles:
– Idaho Diesel Tuner Gets $1 Million Fine For Defeating Emissions Devices, Owner Faces Jail Time, Carscoops, August 26, 2023
– Another Diesel Tuner Nailed With $1M Fine for Emissions Tampering, The Drive, August 26, 2023
– Diesel tuner in Idaho fined $1 million by the EPA for selling emissions defeat devices, Autoblog, August 27, 2023
– Diesel Tuning Shop Owner Faces Jail Time After Pleading Guilty To Violating Clean Air Act, HotCars, August 28, 2023