Bay Area Air Quality Management District officials said Friday Tesla, Inc. agreed to pay a $ 1 million fine and install a solar roof project to resolve air quality violations at its Fremont auto plant.
The settlement includes 33 violations that the aviation district has brought to Tesla. The Violation Notices cover a range of violations, including emissions that exceed Tesla's approval limits, installing or modifying equipment without proper approval, failing to perform required emissions tests, failing to keep records, and failing to report information to the company in a timely manner Aviation District.
“This settlement requires Tesla's compliance with Air District regulations at its Fremont facility and demonstrates the Air District's continued efforts to ensure strict air pollution compliance while seeking mutually beneficial solutions for the community,” said Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the Air District.
“As part of this agreement, Tesla agreed to conduct a community microgrid project that leverages the company's technological expertise to develop next-generation power here in the Bay Area.”
The municipal microgrid project consists of the installation of a solar power system with an output of approx. 160 kilowatts in connection with a storage system with two power packs.
Tesla will fund the implementation of this solar microgrid system in a community prioritized under the Air District's Community Health Protection Program, focused on improving air quality and public health in the hardest hit areas of the Bay Area.
The aim is to reduce electricity costs as well as localized air pollution emissions in the community.
The project will deliver zero-emission electricity and also provide reliability in the event that utility power is unavailable due to public safety blackouts or other reasons.
The Aviation District said the settlement agreement also requires Tesla to implement a comprehensive environmental management system that tracks all applicable environmental requirements and ensures that the company's managers are trained on what is required to comply with those requirements.
The environmental management system is intended to ensure that Tesla will continue to ensure full compliance with the regulations in the future.
Tesla has already started implementing such a system, but Friday's settlement agreement will make this a legally binding and enforceable commitment.