NAM Supports Stable and Predictable Implementation of the HFC Technology Transition Rule
Proposed revisions by the Environmental Protection Agency to the Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) Technology Transition Rule offer a critical opportunity to stabilize the HFC phasedown process in the U.S., support innovation and give manufacturers needed certainty, the NAM said recently.
What’s going on: In October, the EPA proposed targeted revisions to the HFC Technology Transition rule, including revisions to compliance deadlines and global warming potential limits for specific sectors and equipment.
Why it’s important: “A sound, carefully balanced approach to the implementation hydrofluorocarbon phasedown under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 (AIM Act) will provide stability for affected manufacturers and ensure that American industry will continue to grow and remain competitive in global markets.”
- Manufacturers are committed to advancing the transition to lower GWP refrigerants under the AIM Act, and a predictable regulatory framework is essential for supply chain stability and continued innovation.
What should be done: To support regulatory certainty and a smooth transition under the AIM Act, the NAM urged the EPA to:
- Issue a temporary enforcement discretion until the reconsideration is finalized;
- Align compliance dates with the AIM Act phasedown schedule; and
- Base compliance dates on date of manufacture to reduce stranded inventory.
The final say: “Manufacturers strongly support a well-structured transition to lower GWP refrigerants that advances environmental progress and sustains U.S. manufacturing competitiveness,” said NAM Director of Chemicals, Materials and Sustainability Policy Reagan Giesenschlag.