Former importers of polluting motorcycles settle

   The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department on Wednesday said a settlement has been reached with two former importers of highway motorcycles, recreational vehicles, and small spark ignition engines.
   The defendants, Yuan Cheng International Group, Inc. (YCIG) and NST, Inc. (NST), located in Montclair, Calif., allegedly imported and sold vehicles and engines from China in violation of Clean Air Act requirements.
   The settlement resolves allegations that between 2006 and 2011 the companies imported and introduced into commerce 17,521 recreational vehicles, highway motorcycles, and non-road spark ignition engines without proper EPA certifications required under the Clean Air Act to prevent excess emissions of pollutants, the government said.
   The settlement requires the companies and John Cheng and Jenny Yu, senior company executives, to pay a combined civil penalty of $50,000. This amount is based on the United States’ determination that the parties have a limited ability to pay a civil penalty in this matter. Both companies have ceased importing vehicles and engines and are now dissolved.
   In the fall of 2010, NST agreed to pay $250,000 to California to resolve similar violations concerning the illegal sale of uncertified vehicles, the government said.
   “We will continue to vigorously enforce the law to ensure that imported vehicles and engines comply with U.S. laws so that American consumers get environmentally sound products and violators do not gain an unfair economic advantage,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, in a statement.
   In addition, Cheng and Yu must enter into a compliance plan with EPA and give notice to the agency prior to any future importation, distribution, selling, or offering for sale of any products covered by the Clean Air Act.