You are here
Home >Make VW Pay

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says Volkswagen designed some 567,000 "clean" diesel cars to violate the law. They built elaborate software, called a "defeat device," to turn on emissions controls during testing and turn them off during regular driving. By cheating the law, VW ripped off hundreds of thousands of consumers who thought they were buying clean vehicles. They put our health at risk, emitting as much as 40 times the legal limit of smog-forming pollutants.
Yet, their deceit and the subsequent settlement now represents a historic opportunity to drastically reduce the harmful pollution that makes us sick and accelerates climate change by providing an essential down payment toward the transition to a clean and modern 21st century transportation system.
According to the terms of the VW settlement, agreed to by VW and the Department of Justice, VW will pay a total of $14.7 billion in damages for their role in violating federal clean air laws.
- Drastically reducing NOx, ground-level ozone (smog), and particulate matter;
- Significantly reducing CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions;
- Reducing long-term fuel consumption, maintenance, and operation costs of public fleet vehicles;
- Adding needed stability to the price of energy inputs for vehicles;
- Increasing public awareness and adoption of electric vehicles as cleaner alternatives to traditional gas-powered vehicles.
Issue updates
Today, on the 55th anniversary of Ralph Nader's landmark "Unsafe at Any Speed," about the built-in dangers of 1960s cars, as exemplified by the General Motors Corvair, his colleagues led by Joan Claybrook have published a new report: "Safer Vehicles and Highways: 4.2 million U.S. Lives Spared Since 1966." The report makes recommendations to President-elect Joe Biden about how to revitalize and strengthen the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which Claybrook ran during the Jimmy Carter administration.
As major American cities look for ways to lower carbon emissions, they’re looking to low-tech, low-cost bus lanes to help them. Here’s the case for why more cities should get on board.
From mask mandates to capacity limits, the largest public transit systems and ride share companies have new procedures
Americans are staying home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and therefore public transportation ridership has plummeted. Transit agencies across the country are facing budget challenges and being forced to make tough decisions, including cutting back routes or shutting down service altogether. But essential workers -- like healthcare professionals, grocery store clerks, pharmacists, and others -- still need to get to work, and we’re depending on them to do so. For them, we need to keep our public transit systems running.
Driving is down across America during COVID-19, but the trends vary from state to state. Our new blog post reviews which states saw the fastest drops in traffic and what the future might hold.
Transportation
Highway Boondoggles 2020
The sixth edition of a new report exposes seven budget-eating highway projects still moving forward amid COVID-related budget shortfalls. Learn about wasteful or unnecessary highway projects in your area.
Transportation
House approves spending bill that takes the right tack on climate crisis
The House has passed a major appropriations bill that, if approved by the Senate, would help improve our country's climate trajectory. The legislation includes includes money for modernizing the U.S. electric grid and energy supply infrastructure as well as $19 billion for public transit and $1.4 billion for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Transportation
Bill to modernize transportation heads to Senate
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a $1.5 trillion infrastructure package with provisions that prioritize repairing existing infrastructure before funding new expansions, and increase investment in electric vehicles, public transportation, and biking and walking options.
Transportation
House transportation bill prioritizes fixing infrastructure, sustainable investment
Federal lawmakers have put forward the INVEST in America Act — a nearly $500 billion transportation spending bill which prioritizes repairing existing infrastructure over new highway projects, and contains key provisions for more sustainable investments.
Latest Reports
Tools & Resources
-
A New Direction In Driving Trends
Our Changing Relationship with Driving and the Implications for America’s FutureU.S. PIRG Education Fund -
No Write-Offs for Consumer Ripoffs
Corporations Able to Secure Tax Deductions for Mortgage Violations, Price-Fixing and Other Misconduct, But Two Bipartisan Bills Would AddressU.S. PIRG -
Consumer Brief Supporting NY Attorney General In Alzheimer's Drug Case
Actavis Seeks To Use Illegal "Product-Hopping" Scheme To Raise Rx Prices -
Letter from consumer groups to Experian & T-Mobile Re Data Breach
Demanding Firms Give Consumers Free Credit Freeze Protection -
Factsheet: Highway Boondoggles
Transportation Needs Are Changing. We Can’t Afford Wasteful Highways.U.S. PIRG Education Fund -
Leading Groups Send Criteria for Evaluating VW Settlement
Seeking Compensation for Consumers and Environment -
Big Data and Fintech Resource: Powerpoint by Jeff Chester
Center for Digital Democracy -
U.S. PIRG Joins Legal Brief Defending CFPB Constitutionality
Case to be heard May 24th in DC Circuit, US Court of Appeals -
Medical Debt Malpractice
2-page Fact Sheet based on report -
Medical Debt Malpractice
2-page Fact Sheet based on report -
Letter Opposing HR 10, The Wrong Choice Act
Submitted to all Representatives on Day of House Floor Vote -
Fact Sheet: Older Consumers in the Financial Marketplace
An Analysis of Complaints, and Results, From the CFPB -
Our Amicus Brief Supporting the states of Ohio et al v. American Express
Before the Supreme Court of the US -
FinTech and Consumers
A draft report on the FinTech Universe -
Public Interest Privacy Principles
Endorsed by 34 Leading Groups -
Group letter opposing Nancy Beck to head CPSC
Former chemical industry official would be fox guarding henhouse -
Letter In Support of Credit Bureau Reform, HR5332
Protecting Your Credit Score Act -
Memo To Transition Team on Privacy and Digital Rights
A Blueprint for the Next Administration -
Amicus Brief of U.S. PIRG Ed Fund and NCLC
In re: Google Inc. Street View Electronic Communications Litigation
Support Us
Your donation supports U.S. PIRG’s work to stand up for consumers on the issues that matter, especially when powerful interests are blocking progress.