Member DashboardEfforts to phase down HFCs expand
The U.S. Senate, California, Delaware and Massachusetts are working separately to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFC).
- Senators John Kennedy (R-La.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) introduced the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act with backing from 14 other senators and input from the manufacturing industry and environmental groups. The proposed legislation outlines a 15-year phase down of HFCs that doesn’t disrupt jobs and leave the U.S. behind in an emerging global market that is moving away from the use of HFC refrigerants. It also complies with the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol that requires the phaseout of HFCs.
- The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is expected to hold a workshop in the next few weeks to discuss its proposed reduction in the HFC limit for stationary refrigeration equipment. CARB proposes a global warming potential (GWP) limit of 150 on new stationary refrigeration systems containing more than 50 pounds of refrigerant starting Jan. 1, 2022.
- Delaware also is slated to hold a series of public workshops in December (see related item below) to review its discussion draft of proposed HFC reduction regulation.
- Massachusetts held two stakeholder meetings in November, one in Wooster and another in Boston, to discuss its plans to phase down HFCs.
Overall, governors from 24 states and Puerto Rico, representing more than half the U.S. population, have joined the bipartisan U.S. Climate Alliance. They have committed to implement policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 26-28 percent below 2005 levels, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. Member states include:
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin