NEW YORK — Cummins Inc. has agreed to pay an over $1.67 billion penalty to settle claims by regulators that the engine producer unlawfully altered a whole lot of 1000’s of pickup truck engines to bypass emissions assessments.

In keeping with the U.S. Justice Division, which introduced the settlement in precept Thursday, Cummins‘ alleged actions violated the Clear Air Act – a federal legislation that requires automotive and engine producers to adjust to emission limits.

The $1.675 billion superb can be the biggest civil penalty the Justice Division has secured below the Clear Air Act to this point and second largest environmental penalty ever secured.

The Justice Division accuses Cummins of putting in defeat gadgets – which might bypass or defeat emissions controls – on 630,000 2013-2019 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines, in addition to undisclosed auxiliary emission management gadgets on 330,000 2019-2023 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup truck engines.

“The varieties of gadgets we allege that Cummins put in in its engines to cheat federal environmental legal guidelines have a big and dangerous impression on folks’s well being and security,” Legal professional Basic Merrick B. Garland mentioned in a ready assertion. “Our preliminary estimates counsel that defeat gadgets on some Cummins engines have precipitated them to supply 1000’s of tons of extra emissions of nitrogen oxides.”

Garland pointed to the “cascading impact” of those pollution, notably respiratory points and respiratory infections that may come up with long-term publicity.

In a Friday launch concerning the settlement, Cummins mentioned it doesn’t admit any wrongdoing, noting the corporate “has seen no proof that anybody acted in dangerous religion.”

Cummins added that it “cooperated totally” with regulators. The corporate additionally pointed to actions courting again to 2019, together with a earlier recall of 2019 Ram 2500 and 3500 vans and now-initiated recall of 2013-2018 Ram 2500 and 3500 vans.

Cummins mentioned it beforehand accrued $59 million in estimated prices for these and different associated recollects. The corporate expects a further cost of about $2.4 billion in 2023’s fourth quarter “to resolve these and different associated issues involving roughly a million pick-up truck purposes in america.”

Cummins‘ settlement in precept is with the U.S. and State of California. The settlement is topic to ultimate approvals.

Shares for Cummins Inc. have been down about 3% Friday morning. Final month, the engine maker, based mostly in Columbus, Indiana, reported third-quarter web revenue of $656 million on income of $8.4 billion.