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BOUNTIFUL — Environmentalists are targeting Utah's Diesel Sellerz, a popular business that boasts unique truck designs and its own show on Discovery Channel, with a lawsuit.
But the Bountiful-based business that makes custom truck designs is on the radar for a different reason Thursday — potentially violating the state's Clean Air Act, according to one local environmental group.
Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment filed a notice of intent Thursday that gives the company 60 days to respond, or face violations.
A representative for Diesel Sellerz told KSL News the owners are out of town and unable to issue a response to the notice.
"We intend actually to send a message to other businesses, and we are very confident, in fact, that there are other businesses who are doing this," said Dr. Brian Moench, president of the Utah Physicians group.
Diesel Sellerz is known for its tricked-out diesel trucks that are often given away to some of the company's biggest fans. The lawsuit is giving the company a different kind of attention in the public sphere, though.
"This particular company is engaged in illegal activities that undermine, remove or dismantle pollution control devices from diesel trucks," Moench said.
The thick, black smoke emitted from the customized vehicles does more than just show off the ride, Moench said.
"We have a lot of medical studies that show exposure to high concentrations of pollution like diesel exhausts can actually trigger things like sudden death, heart attacks and strokes within a few hours," he added.
If the Diesel brothers respond to the notice of intent within 60 days, pledging they will clean up their act, they can avoid a lawsuit.
"It's illegal," Moench said. "It's a violation of the Clean Air Act and they need to stop it."
Diesel Sellerz isn't the only company that removes these filters, either, Moench said. Other businesses remove the particulate filters for performance, re-enable it to pass inspections tests, and then remove it again.
Moench said he hopes they get the message too.
"While we're all trying to clean up our air, this business is undermining that effort," he said. "So what they're doing should be offensive to every law-abiding citizen on the Wasatch Front."
Adding to the problem, diesel emissions testing is only required in Salt Lake, Cache and Davis counties.
