MONTPELIER, Vt. (Legal Newsline) — Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced March 31 that the state will receive $4.2 million as part of a 10-state settlement with Volkswagen Auto Group.
The settlement comes after Volkswagen allegedly sold and leased diesel automobiles fitted with illegal “defeat devices” installed to bypass emissions tests. The devices purportedly concealed harmful pollutants, which were entering Vermont’s air from the vehicles.
“For nearly a decade Volkswagen sold vehicles in Vermont that they knew were actively polluting Vermont’s air,” Donovan said. “Pollutants at more than 40 times the legal limit were spewed into our environment. This settlement holds Volkswagen accountable and shows that Vermont will continue to be a leader in environmental protection - especially when it comes to the quality of our air.”
“I’m very pleased with the collaborative work the Attorney General’s Office and the Agency of Natural Resources accomplished in delivering one of the largest environmental settlements in Vermont’s history, $4.2 million,” Governor Phil Scott said.
Handling the case for Vermont were assistant attorneys general Nick Persampieri, Merideth Chaudoir and Jill Abrams, along with Megan O’Toole, counsel for ANR’s Air Quality and Climate Division.