EPA v. STREET DIESEL PERFORMANCE

Case summary

On March 3, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut granted the government's motion for default judgment against Street Diesel Performance ( SDP ). The complaint alleged that SDP violated the defeat device prohibition of Title II of the CAA at Section 203(a)(3)(B), 42 U.S.C. Section 7522(a)(3)(B). This provision prohibits any person from manufacturing, selling, offering to sell, or installing parts or components whose principal effect is to bypass, defeat, or render inoperative a motor vehicle emission control device or element of design, where the person knows or should know that the part is being offered for sale or installed for such use. EPA alleged that SDP sold no fewer than 456 aftermarket defeat devices. SDP is a small Connecticut business that offers for sale via its website automotive parts and accessories, including but not limited to aftermarket automotive exhaust parts designed to remove or disable emission control systems on medium- to heavy-duty diesel pick-up trucks. The court imposed the government's requested $500,000 civil penalty and permanent injunction prohibiting SDP from selling or offering to sell defeat devices. On January 25, 2024, Region 1 referred a Clean Air Act matter to the Department of Justice for enforcement. Through its website, SDP LLC d/b/a Street Diesel Performance (SDP) offers for sale various diesel-related vehicle parts from its facility in Chaplin, Connecticut. The referral alleges that SDP's sales include aftermarket automotive exhaust parts designed to remove or disable emission control systems on medium- to heavy-duty diesel pick-up trucks. EPA alleges that SDP has sold over 450 of these defeat devices in the years 2020 and 2021, in violation of Section 203(a)(3)(B) of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. Section 7522(a)(3)(B). The referral seeks to assess an appropriate penalty and stop SDP from further sales of defeat devices. Provisions of Title II are not delegable, but the case team has shared the Reporting Requirement and Notice of Violation with the state of Connecticut. SDP is not located in or near an area flagged by EJSCREEN as having potential EJ concerns; however, the facility is not the location of the environmental impact from the use of the defeat devices, which is dispersed and unknown to EPA.

Defendants (1)

• Street Diesel Performance LLCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• STREET DIESEL PERFORMANCE LLC

  195 PALMER ROAD, CHAPLIN, CT, 06235

  Registry ID: 110070945587

Statutes cited

• CAA 203 — Prohibited Acts - Motor Vehicle & Motor Vehicle Engines

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• STREET DIESEL PERFORMANCE

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $500,000

Timeline (4 milestones)

• 2024-01-25Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2024-02-23Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2024-12-30Complaint Filed With Court
• 2026-03-03Final Order Lodged