Remember last year when Harley-Davidson had a Brinks truck dropped on them, for performance tuner kits that failed to comply with EPA emission regulations for street motorcycles?
At the time, the government was looking for $12 million in cash for penalties, as well as another $3 million in emissions mitigation, in the form of Harley-Davidson paying to retrofit or replace wood-burning appliances with cleaner stoves.
Now, an article from Reuters is reporting that Harley-Davidson won’t have to spend that $3 million dollars, as the Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to drop the penalty.
Citing sources briefed on the matter, Reuters says that we can expect a formal announcement on the Harley-Davidson emissions penalty later this week.
Of note is the fact that Harley-Davidson’s fine came while the EPA was under the Obama administration, with the agency taking an obvious change of course when President Trump came into office.
With the EPA no longer concerning itself with global warming and greenhouse gases, by directive of the new President, one has to expect that the change in penalties for Harley-Davidson is a part of that movement.
Interestingly enough, Trump and executives from Harley-Davidson met earlier this year, right before Trump pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which certainly had an adverse effect on Harley-Davidson’s ability to access developing markets.
One has to wonder if today’s news was a conciliation prize to that decision.
Source: Reuters
