Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a $14.7 billion settlement with German automaker Volkswagen AG over allegations that the company cheated emissions tests in diesel vehicles and deceived consumers. Greg Dotson, Vice President of Energy Policy at the Center for American Progress, released the following statement in response:
According to the Department of Justice and the EPA, Volkswagen flagrantly violated the law for years and duped consumers into believing they were driving clean, fuel-efficient cars. The EPA and Department of Justice are holding Volkswagen accountable for these violations and sending a strong message about the cost of violating our cornerstone health and environmental protections. Today’s settlement does not absolve Volkswagen for its actions, but it will offset some of the damage done by providing billions of dollars to clean up smog-forming pollution in communities across the country and investing in zero-emission vehicles nationwide.
Related Resource:
“Fixing the Foul Play: Mitigating the Environmental and Public Health Damage Caused by the Volkswagen Emissions Scandal” by Greg Dotson, Alison Cassady and Myriam Alexander-Kearns
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at [email protected] or 202.481.7141.