Indiana-based automotive distributor founded by governor ordered to pay millions in EPA settlement

Meyer Distributing, an Indiana-based automotive distributor, was fined $7.4 million by the EPA for violating the Clean Air Act by manufacturing and selling over 90,000 aftermarket devices that disable vehicle emission controls. These devices, sold between 2018 and 2020, had an environmental impact equivalent to adding 700,000 vehicles to U.S. roads. The largest share of these devices was sold in Texas. Vehicle emissions are linked to serious health issues, including heart and lung diseases, reported NWI.com.

Meyer Distributing, originally founded as Meyer Body Inc., was acquired and expanded by Indiana Gov. Mike Braun in the mid-1980s, although his current involvement with the company is unclear. The settlement, filed in federal court on January 6 and announced January 10, includes a consent decree requiring compliance and a $1.2 million investment in replacing an outdated 1976 tugboat with a cleaner one for Gulf Coast operations. Public comments on the consent decree recently concluded, with the court expected to make a final decision on the settlement.