AHRI calls on EPA to appeal HFC ruling
15th September 2017USA: The US manufacturers’ body AHRI has called on the Environmental Protection Agency to appeal the recent court decision overturning EPA restrictions on HFC refrigerants.
Last month the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that EPA plans to impose usage bans on certain high GWP refrigerants were inadmissible under the Clean Air Act.
The AHRI’s government affairs and executive committees voted last week to express the industry’s preference that the Environmental Protection Agency appeal the decision before the deadline of September 22.
“Should the EPA decide not to appeal, it is likely that one of the other parties to the lawsuit will choose to do so,” the AHRI says in its latest Update. Refrigerant manufacturers Chemours and Honeywell have both previously indicated that they are considering appeals.
AHRI says it has been in conversations with both the EPA and the White House in the wake of the decision to provide information on the industry’s position and to discuss what other implementation tactics might be available in the event this ruling stands.
In its decision, the court found that although EPA has the authority under Section 612 to address substitutes that are ozone-depleting substances (ODS), it does not have the authority under that section to restrict the use of previously acceptable substitutes that are not ozone-depleting.
The AHRI says the decision has called into question whether any acceptable non-ODS substitute can be restricted under the agency’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) programme once the EPA deems it an acceptable alternative for an ODS substance, regardless of any potential risks.
Related stories:
HFC court decision appeal “very likely” – 18 August 2017
USA: America’s Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) says an appeal against last week’s court decision overturning EPA restrictions on HFCs is “very likely”. Read more…
US court rejects HFC bans – 9 August 2017
USA: The US EPA’s plans to reduce the use of high GWP refrigerants have been derailed after a federal court overturned usage bans introduced in 2015. Read more…
Court ruling will “impact innovation” – 9 August 2017
USA: Honeywell believes that yesterday’s court decision overturning the US EPA’s HFC bans will adversely impact innovation in next-generation technologies. Read more…
Chemours “disappointed” at court decision – 9 August 2017
USA: Refrigerant manufacturer Chemours has expressed its “disappointment” with the US Court of Appeals’ decision to overturn the EPA’s usage ban on high GWP refrigerants. Read more…
