Dynatemp Encourages Rare Bipartisan Effort to Pass AIM Act Quickly
Mechanicsburg, PA – Republican Sen. John Kennedy (La.) and Democratic Sen. Tom Carper (Del.) introduced bipartisan legislation on Feb. 15th that would enable the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a market-based system to limit hydrofluorocarbons, or HFC’s. As introduced, the AIM Act would give the EPA the necessary authority to develop a phasedown schedule of HFC’s, similar to the authorities granted by the Montreal Protocol for HCFC refrigerants such as R-22. The bill’s introduction directly precedes a reverse of an Obama era ruling on banning certain HFC’s with high global warming potential, a case which is now being petitioned to be taken up with the Supreme Court.
“In light of the recent court of appeals ruling, Sen. Kennedy and Sen. Carper have demonstrated the leadership necessary to advance HFC reductions. The refrigerant industry has been waiting for federal leadership on the HFC phasedown issue for quite some time now.” Brad Kivlan, CEO of Dynatemp stated. “We applaud Sen. Kennedy and Sen. Carper on taking a necessary step in ensuring the certainty of HFC reductions. As part of this support, Dynatemp plans to individually reach out to our representatives in the Senate to encourage a vote and ultimately an approval of S. 2448, the AIM Act. The AIM Act already has wide industry, environmentalist and political support.”
Ensuring certainty around the new development of refrigerant technologies is important to consumers, the environment, and the economy. With the U.S. and the $206B refrigerant industry fully engaged in this transition, it provides the possibility that the U.S. continues to lead on refrigerant technologies. Consumers will notice that newly developed refrigerant technologies will both increase the future energy efficiency of HVAC equipment while also improving human health. An HFC phasedown would allow for the orderly transition of HVAC equipment to be designed and manufactured with the next phase of technological refrigerant advancement certain.
Kivlan continued, “A recent report (America’s Pledge), developed by individual U.S. states and businesses, points out that HFC’s are a rapidly growing component of U.S. and global greenhouse gas emissions considerations. The cities and states of the United States are not alone in this desire. Canada has also recently published concrete HFC phasedown proposals in the Canadian Gazette, paving the way for HFC reductions in that country. Dynatemp clearly sees a shift and desire to phase down HFC refrigerants and their subsequent emissions through these actions. If a ratification on the Kigali Amendment (to the Montreal Protocol) is not forthcoming, the AIM Act will timely ensure the legal clarity necessary for the EPA to phasedown HFC’s. Without federal and congressional leadership, others (states, cities, countries) will fill the void by creating an uneven and complex regulatory environment for refrigerants.”
