Volkswagen (VW) Settlement Information
The VW Settlement
On June 28, 2016, EPA announced two related settlements: One with the United States and the State of California, and one with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), German automaker Volkswagen AG and related entities had agreed to spend up to $14.7 billion to settle allegations of cheating emissions tests and deceiving customers by the sale of approximately 590,000 model year 2009 to 2016 diesel motor vehicles equipped with “defeat devices.” Just under $50 million of that was set aside for federally recognized Indian Tribes. The proposed settlement with VW included provisions for Tribes to become beneficiaries and receive funds to help mitigate the environmental harm from the Clean Air Act violations.
Click image to see ITEP's VW Info Page
The VW Settlement Funding Cycle Timeline
The first round of funding for Tribes opened in 2018. All federally recognized Tribes not certified in the first round of funding had until March 18, 2019 to complete the forms necessary to certify as a beneficiary for the second round of funding.
On May 17, 2019, the Trustee for the Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Environmental Mitigation Tribal Trust filed a Notice of Beneficiary Designation for the Second Funding Cycle. The notice listed the 41 federally recognized Tribes and Alaska Native Villages that were designated as Beneficiaries of the Tribal Trust, after submitting the required documents to the Court and the Trustee by the March 18th deadline.
NAU ITEP's Procedural Fact Sheet
for 4th Funding Cycle Timeline
On January 15, 2020, the Trustee for the VW Trust released an announcement to notify Tribes that the third funding cycle was open, with over $16.5 million available for eligible diesel emissions mitigation projects.
On May 15, 2020, the Trustee filed a Notice of Beneficiary Designation for the Third Funding Cycle listing the 24 federally recognized Tribes and Alaska Native Villages that were designated as Beneficiaries of the Tribal Trust under the third round of funding.
On January 15, 2021, the Trustee for the VW Diesel Emissions Environmental Mitigation Trust released an announcement to notify Tribes that the fourth (and probably final) funding cycle opened, with over $18 million available for eligible diesel emissions mitigation projects.
In November/December 2021, Campo Band submitted an Appendix D-4: Eligible Mitigation Action Certification to the Trustee and was approved to participate in what is probably the final round of VW Settlement Funding.
The Final VW Settlement Funding Cycle
In the final funding cycle of the Volkswagen Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust for Indian Tribes, the Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians plans to replace a 2008 International MA025 Trash Truck. The vehicle will be replaced with a new, low-emission diesel truck (2022 Ford F-650 – Enoven Dump Truck) and the older vehicle will be scrapped, in accordance with the VW Settlement requirements. To see Campo's "APPENDIX D-4: Eligible Mitigation Action Certification" that was submitted under the fourth and final round of the VW Settlement funding, click the PDF to the right.
Campo's Efforts under the VW Settlement
In August 2023, Campo's Public Works Department dismantled the old 2008 International MA025 Trash Truck, including cutting a 3" or larger hole in the engine block and disabling each chassis by cutting the vehicle’s frame rails in half, as required by the VW Settlement. With supplemental funding from the EPA General Assistance Program (GAP) grant, Campo purchased a 2025 Autocar ACX64 Hooklift 40 yard Hauler truck from E-W Truck & Equipment in San Diego, CA. The new vehicle is being custom built and will not be delivered to Campo until February 2025. Additionally, with funds from the GAP grant, Campo purchased some 20-yard dumpsters. These purchases will alleviate diesel emissions in two ways: 1) the hauler truck uses an alternative fuel, and 2) being able to use the 20-yard bins and larger hauler truck will reduce the number of monthly trips the Tribe's regular trash truck has to make to the landfill.