Advocacy Tracker

August 25, 2026

Advocacy Tracker provides background on all NAFEM advocacy efforts addressing energy, environment, regulations, supply chain, taxes, tariffs and trade.

Visit NAFEM’s Advocacy Action Center to communicate with state and federal elected officials on these and other topics. The Center also offers a convenient state policy map where members can search for proposed regulations and legislation potentially impacting their businesses. 

For urgent or timely information, visit NAFEM’s Facebook  and LinkedIn pages.

Energy
 Issue Docket No./Link Status/Notes 
NAFEM and the AHRI submitted joint recommendations to the DOE for the next generation of energy standards for commercial refrigeration equipment (CRE) and walk-in coolers and freezers (WIC/F). NAFEM and AHRI look forward to collaborating with DOE on the next iteration of standards and are pursuing follow-up meetings with agency officials.  
NAFEM, along with other associations, provided comments on DOE’s proposed Process Rule NOPR that would reinstate a “significant energy savings threshold” of at least a 10% reduction over 30 years.  EERE-2025-BT-STD-0001 – NAFEM Comments  
– Comment period closed Aug. 21 
DOE’s Analytical Methodologies RFI seeks input on the approaches used to develop energy-conservation standards for covered products and equipment.  EERE–2022–BT–OT-0004  Comments due Sept. 8 
Other energy-related items

State energy-efficiency standards 

  • The California Energy Commission (CEC) is still in the pre-rulemaking phase of considering energy- and water-efficiency standards for commercial dishwashers. Submit comments via the link above or directly to Alejandro Galdamez in the Appliances Office Efficiency Division.   
  • The CEC requires manufacturers to certify the performance of refrigeration products sold in California via its Modernized Appliance Efficiency Database System (MAEDbS). Manufacturers must submit data directly to CEC’s database from a CEC-recognized testing lab or submit a form for each product category that authorizes the testing lab as their representative for submitting appliance data. UL Solutions 
  • The following states, plus Washington, D.C., have energy-efficiency standards for a variety of commercial foodservice equipment: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington1.  
  • Multiple states – Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island – and Washington D.C., require manufacturers of dishwashers, fryers, hot food holding cabinets, ovens and steam cookers and other products to register with the State Appliance Standards Database (SASD). Distributors, retailers and installers must verify that required products are listed with SASD before sale, lease, rental or installation. 
  • SASD and MAEDbS do not share information, so manufacturers must register with both databases to sell products in the covered states. 

ENERGY STAR® activities delayed during transition  

  • ENERGY STAR has yet to post shipment data forms for calendar year 2025. Monitor energystar.gov/unit-shipment-data for updates. 
  • The current program covers commercial steam cookers; dishwashers; convection, combi and gas-rack ovens; commercial electric cooktops; commercial coffee and tea brewers; fryers; griddles and hot food holding cabinets. 

Lithium-ion battery use resources  

  • As more operators use lithium-ion batteries to shave peak demand or maintain consistent power during brownouts and outages, NAFEM’s Fuels (F) Task Group continues to evaluate the trend. The Task Group recommends a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) podcast on the proper use and handling of the batteries in commercial and residential applications. Battery Council International (BCI) also has useful online information about lithium-ion batteries. 
Environment
 Issue Docket No./Link Status/Notes 
1 NAFEM members met with congressional and federal agency staff, Aug. 4 to discuss EPA AIM Act requirements for ice machines and ask for an extension beyond the Jan. 1, 2027, compliance date.  December 2025 Letter 
2 Refrigeration and other equipment that uses HFCs and HFC blends must meet EPA AIM Act labeling requirements for each subsector. Jan. 1, 2026 was the effective date for chillers and industrial process refrigeration equipment; and Jan. 1, 2027 is the effective date for ice machines and refrigerated food processing and dispensing equipment.   Fact Sheet 
3 EPA issued an interim final rule delaying the PFAS reporting period under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to Oct. 13. Any company that manufactured (including imported) PFAS for a commercial purpose from January 2011 – December 2022 is required to report. EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0549 – Interim final rule issued May 13, 2025 
– Submissions due October 13. Certain small businesses importing PFAS only in articles have until April 13, 2027.  
4 Revisions to the 2023 Technology Transitions Rule extended compliance deadlines for the use of certain hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and made a wider variety of refrigerants available. Final Rule: EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0005 
Fact sheet    		– Final rule issued May 21 
– Compliance dates vary from Jan. 1, 2027 to Jan. 1, 2032 
5 Substitute refrigerants acceptable in refrigeration systems are listed in the proposed Significant New Alternative Program (SNAP) Rule 27.  EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0503 
Fact sheet  		– Comment period closed Dec. 26, 2025 
6 EPA proposes amending the procedural framework rule for conducting existing chemical risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA-HQ-OPPT-2025-0260  – Comment period closed Nov. 7, 2025 
Other environment-related items

EPR updates 

  • California, Colorado, Maryland and Oregon have active Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs for end-of-life packaging. Maine, Minnesota and Washington have forthcoming programs. All seven states require annual supply reporting and California, Oregon and Washington also include reduction mandates. The slide deck provided by NAFEM’s legal team is a useful resource.  
  • The Maine Department of Environmental Protection proposes changes to its electronic waste handling and recycling rules, including removing the $0.48 cap on cost schedules and allowing consolidators to include refurbishment and reuse when calculating allowable handling, transportation and recycling costs. Comments were due Aug. 14. 

California environmental impact reporting deadline passed 

  • The California SB 253 requires US companies with total annual revenues in excess of $1 billion that do business in California to annually disclose their Scope 1, 2 (by Aug. 10, 2026) and Scope 3 (in 2027) GHG emissions for the prior fiscal year. Legal challenges are ongoing, but the reporting deadlines have not changed.  
  • Companion legislation – SB 261 – requires large companies (>$500M revenue) doing business in California to disclose climate-related financial risks every two years. The Climate-Related Financial Risk Act is currently paused due to litigation. 
Regulations
Federal regulation-related items
  IssueDocket No./LinkStatus/Notes
1OSHA’s proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings.– OSHA-2021-0009
– Transcripts of June/July virtual hearings are available online 		– Post-hearing comment period closed Sept. 30, 2025.
2The Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2026 was introduced in the Senate as a preferred alternative to the above proposed Rule.
– S 4427
– HR 6213		– NAFEM letter of support for S 4427
– NAFEM letter of support for HR 6213

Global Market Access Requirements

Participating in international markets is essential to remaining competitive, but entry is more complicated than ever with safety, sanitation, sustainability, cybersecurity and other requirements. Stay current with NAFEM’s Global Market Access and Conformity Guide.

Other Regulatory-related items

States considering regulations 

  • California, Colorado, Illinois, Texas have, and numerous other states are considering AI-related restrictions that generally prohibit AI-generated algorithmic discrimination in hiring, promotions and other decisions. Members should closely monitor these requirements to ensure compliance. 

NY proposes labels and warnings on gas stoves 

  • New York legislators passed A 73, which would require labels and warnings to be displayed on commercial and residential gas stoves sold at retail. The labels would require labels warning users about nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, benzene and formaldehyde emissions. The bill is on track to be advanced to Governor Hochul. 

PFAS updates 

  • The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency extended the due date for PFAS in products reporting to Sept. 15. The Agency also posted additional how-to videos and offers individual technical support.  
  • Any company that manufactured (including imported) PFAS for a commercial purpose from January 2011 – December 2022 is required to report data related to exposure and environmental and health effects to EPA by Oct. 13. Certain small businesses importing PFAS only in articles have until April 13, 2027. The rule must first be reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), so the compliance dates may change.  
  • New Mexico PFAS reporting and labeling requirements take effect Jan. 1, 2027. The state posted resources for manufacturers. 
  • Illinois HB 2955 has been advanced to Gov. Pritzker. The bill holds PFAS manufacturers (not defined) fully responsible for the costs of monitoring, containing and eliminating PFAS from wastewater systems, including any expenses tied to future state and federal regulatory requirements. It also would create a committee to calculate these costs and develop a framework for passing them directly to manufacturers. 
  • The regularly updated Complex Products Manufacturers Coalition (CPMC) spreadsheet includes current and proposed state and federal regulations addressing PFAS.  
  • The regularly updated Complex Products Manufacturers Coalition spreadsheet includes current and proposed state and federal regulations addressing PFAS.  

California Prop 65 labeling requirements require regular ongoing monitoring 

  • California’s Proposition 65 – The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act – requires companies to provide warning labels to notify people of exposure to more than 1,000 chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Members should review Prop 65 requirements to determine how the law affects their businesses.  
Taxes, Tariffs & Trade

Find the latest tariff information, including that below, on the Taxes, Tariffs and Trade page of nafem.org. While NAFEM regularly updates this resource page, we recommend regular communication with your customs broker for the most current tariff information relative to your business and its products.  

  IssueDocket No./LinkStatus/Notes
1 A 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods has been implemented under Section 228 of the Tariff Act of 1930.  Annexes I and II 
Canada announcement of reciprocal tariffs 		-Effective August 22 
Canada announced intent to impose reciprocal tariffs September 8 
2 The U.S. imposed new tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on 60 trading partners—covering 99.4% of U.S. imports.  See NAFEM’s Taxes, Tariffs and Trade page for the full list of countries Effective July 24 
2 The USTR imposed an additional 25% tariff on most imports from Brazil under Section 301 of the Trade Act.  Notice of Action Effective July 22 
3 The USTR opened a Section 301 investigation into Vietnam’s intellectual property protection and enforcement. USTR-2026-0364 Comment period closed July 2 
5 The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed reducing corporate filer classifications from five to two: large, accelerated filers and nonaccelerated filers with a public float below $2 billion.  Fact sheet Comment period closed July 27 
6 The U. S. Trade Representative (USTR) opened a Section 301 investigation into excess industrial capacity in manufacturing sectors that could give foreign companies an unfair advantage or restrict U.S. commerce.  Countries include China, the European Union, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Japan and India. USTR-2026-0067 and USTR-2026-0068   Comment period closed April 15 

Public hearing held May 5 
7 The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is investigating revoking permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) treatment for all Chinese imports.  332-609 Comment period closed April 15 No public hearing scheduled Report expected late August  
8 The U.S. Secretary of Commerce initiated a Section 232 investigation to assess whether imports of robotics and industrial machinery, and parts/components, pose a risk to national security.  250924-0161 Comment period closed Oct. 17, 2025 Report was due March 2026 
9 The U.S. declined a long-term renewal for USMCA, activating a 10-year period of annual reviews. The agreement remains in full force while negotiations continue.  USTR-2025-0004 and USTR-2025-0005 Comment period closed Nov. 3, 2025 

Public hearing held Nov. 17, 2025 

NAFEM letter of support 
Other Taxes, Trade & Tariff-related items

IEEPA refunds continue 

Phase 2 of the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) IEEPA tariff refunds claim system is open for certain entries flagged for reconciliation, including entry types 01, 02 and 06, when importers have not filed a reconciliation entry. Only unliquidated entries within 80 days of liquidation are eligible. Phase 2 operates concurrent to Phase 1, which covers certain unliquidated entries and entries within 80 days of liquidation. Importers should review entry eligibility, confirm ACE Portal banking information, and monitor future CAPE phases for entries not yet covered. See Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) overview and FAQs for filing information.  

OTHER TOPICS?

If there is a topic you would like NAFEM to address, please contact us at advocacy@nafem.org.