In the midst of multiple investigations of automakers for installing air pollution testing “defeat devices,” U.S. House lawmakers are backing legislation that would ban all future Volkswagen-style court settlement agreements that require polluters to pay for environmental projects beyond resolving direct damages. If passed, HR 732, also known as the “Stop Settlement Slush Fund Act of 2017,” would prohibit settlements from funding sensible long-term solutions, such as restoring and rebuilding wetlands to protect against future oil spills or projects that would reduce future greenhouse gas emissions.
