Sullivan Welcomes Presidential Pardon for Wasilla Diesel Mechanic Unjustly Prosecuted by the EPA

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA-U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee, today welcomed an announcement that Mackenzie "Mac" Spurlock, a diesel mechanic and small business owner from Wasilla, has received a presidential pardon after being convicted by overzealous federal prosecutors for modifying emissions systems on diesel engines for Alaska businesses to keep their vehicles operational in the state's extreme cold climate conditions. Sen. Sullivan, who has led the fight in Congress against the misguided Obama-era Clean Air Act diesel regulations, sent a letter to President Donald Trump on March 12 requesting a full and unconditional pardon for Spurlock.

In June 2022, the Biden administration EPA raided Spurlock's shop, Matanuska Diesel LLC, with dozens of armed agents and personnel from other federal agencies who were flown in from California, Washington, and Oregon. Spurlock is a veteran who served six years in the Alaska Air National Guard as an aerospace propulsion technician.

"Four years ago, about 30 armed EPA agents conducted a military-style tactical raid of Matanuska Diesel, owned by Mac Spurlock-a devoted husband and father, small business owner, and veteran of the Alaska Air National Guard," said Sen. Sullivan. "Mac's supposed crime? His shop had assisted trucking businesses by modifying several diesel emissions-control systems mandated by a one-size-fits-all Obama-era emissions regulation, ensuring the vehicles wouldn't shut down in Alaska's harsh, subzero conditions.

"In addition to Mac, I've heard from countless Alaska truckers, equipment operators, and small business owners who rely on diesel equipment about just how unworkable and dangerous these rules can be in a state with temperatures that regularly dip far below the freezing point of diesel exhaust fluid. As Alaska's Senator, I've led hearings to shine a light on this challenge, introduced legislation to bring common sense to these onerous and unworkable EPA rules, and worked closely with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to loosen these regulations in the near term and end the overzealous prosecutions.

"While my focus is on fixing this issue once and for all, I'm not forgetting the patriots like Mac, who were unjustly caught up in this madness and who have literally had their freedoms taken away. Mac just wanted to help business owners keep Alaskans safe on the highways in the winter. Instead, Mac became a felon, was hit with a $32,000 fine, was restricted from traveling, and couldn't own a gun or even reenlist in the Alaska Air National Guard, something he had planned to do. This morning, on the eve of the Fourth of July, President Trump called me to let me know he had issued a full and unconditional pardon, grantingMac his freedom back and righting a grave injustice."

Under current EPA regulations, diesel trucks and heavy equipment are required to use emissions systems that can trigger engine shutdowns if the system detects a fault. In cold weather, these emissions components-including but not limited to diesel exhaust fluid (DEF)-often struggle to reach or maintain proper operating temperatures, causing the system to register faults even when the engine itself is running normally. These systems have created life-threatening situations for truckers, including one trucker whose vehicle shut down in a blizzard on the Dalton Highway, a 400-mile stretch of road leading to Prudhoe Bay with only one gas station.

In November 2025, Sens. Sullivan and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) introduced the Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act, which would direct the EPA to update its regulations to account for how diesel engines actually operate in cold-weather states, like Alaska, to prevent the automatic shutdowns caused by cold-related emissions faults. The legislation would also provide year-round exemptions from DEF system requirements for vehicles and equipment that operate primarily in cold-weather climates.

On March 11, 2026, Sen. Sullivan participated in aSenate EPW hearing on the diesel engine emissions regulation issue and Sen. Sullivan's Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act.

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