Navistar Withdraws CARB Lawsuit Over SCR Technology

Navistar International Corp. has withdrawn a lawsuit that it had filed against the California Air Resources Board, following an agreement with CARB that addressed the engine-related issues that prompted its original court action.

Navistar had sought a ruling in a San Francisco Superior Court declaring that CARB was improperly certifying 2010 diesel engines equipped with selective catalytic reduction technology for nitrogen oxide emissions control.

The suit charged that CARB was applying certification requirements which permitted SCR-equipped diesel powered trucks to operate for extended periods without any control of NOx emissions.

Navistar said it dismissed the suit after reaching an agreement with CARB in which the board agreed that the 2009 guidance documents are not its policy. The state agency also agreed to convene a public workshop by August to address the issues Navistar raised.

“We are pleased that CARB is taking this action and we look forward to participating in the workshop,” said Jack Allen, president of Navistar’s North American Truck Group. “We expect that our agreement with CARB will result in equal enforcement of the 2010 NOx requirements for all engine makers.”

Navistar has filed a separate lawsuit in federal appeals court alleging that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency failed to properly comply with federal regulatory procedure when issuing guidance allowing for the use of SCR to meet federal 2010 emissions standards.