CARB in settlement with boat company

Malibu Boats, LLC of Loudon, Tenn., has agreed to a settlement of $496,500 for violating California air quality regulations.

An investigation by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) found that Malibu failed to pass the engine durability test and sold 107 noncompliant spark-ignition marine engines. The per unit penalty in was approximately $4640 per noncompliant engine.

The company, which manufactures its own branded Malibu Monsoon products based on GM Marine engines, tried to certify its engines to a voluntary emissions standard that was the cleanest standard available and received a conditional executive order that allowed it to begin selling vessels prior to the completion of certification tests. However, the engines failed to meet all certification standards, CARB said.

“California’s emissions regulations are in place to clean our air and protect public health,” said CARB Interim Enforcement Division Chief Heather Quiros. “All violations impact those efforts. CARB staff are dedicated to identifying and investigating violations to help reduce the state’s air pollution and the number of illnesses caused by poor air quality.”

Malibu was fully cooperative in resolving the matter, CARB said. The company’s settlement includes a $248,250 civil penalty that will go to CARB’s Air Pollution Control Fund, with the remaining $248,250 to fund a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) in Placer County, Calif., to improve air filtration systems in local schools to reduce children’s exposure to particulate matter.