Echo Settlement
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Echo Case Settlement for $45K Finalized
During September 2001, the Air Resources Board (ARB) finalized a settlement agreement with Echo for $45,000. This settlement was based on a determination by ARB that Echo was avoiding audit testing on a portion of their California production of small gas engine powered weed whips and blowers.
During 1999, Echo produced extra product for sale in California into the 2000 calendar year. A problem with their audit procedure developed from this practice, since Echo conducts audit tests based on feedback of their California sales numbers. Since the production of California Tier I engines had to cease at the end of December 1999, Echo could not sample production engines during the 2000 calendar year. Although Echo continued to sample their ongoing production of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Phase One engines, these were not for sale in California and were not representative of the engines built for sale in California during 1999. The investigation determined that this practice resulted in the avoidance of approximately 478 required audit tests.