States probe VW over emissions, look for settlement money

Source: AP

By RONNIE GREENE and RYAN J. FOLEY

WASHINGTON (AP) — An expanding investigation into Volkswagen's emissions-cheating scandal launched by state attorneys general could last years and will likely end in a negotiated settlement.

Forty-five states and D.C. have joined the review, investigating how VW was able to game emissions tests to hide that its "Clean Diesel" cars emitted smog-causing exhaust up to 40 times dirtier than the law allows. The attorneys general are likely to seek compensation for consumers and redress for environmental harm, building their own investigations under state laws that protect consumers from deceptive trade practices and set clean air standards.

"This is a really important case and it has big economic and health consequences. It's nowhere near the scale of tobacco but you are kind of in that realm," said former Wisconsin governor and attorney general Jim Doyle, who participated in the multistate investigation that ended with a landmark settlement against tobacco companies in 1998. "This is the kind of case that you elect an AG for, to stand up for the safety and health of the people of the state."

Volkswagen is "looking at an enormous settlement, just enormous, when you think about how many cars are out there," he said.

FULL story at link Also see VW employee reps, union demand transparency at automaker: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d13c998640b94bbc861a7808bb6586db/vw-employee-reps-union-demand-transparency-automaker


FILE - In this Sept. 24, 2015 file photo, the grille of a Volkswagen is decorated with the iconic company logo at on the lot of a VW dealership in Boulder, Colo. An expanding investigation into Volkswagen’s emissions-cheating scandal launched by state attorneys general could last years and will likely end in a negotiated settlement. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, File)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/35dd9dfb13db46f09eb70495aacde9f9/states-probe-vw-over-emissions-look-settlement-money