EPA’s Proposed HFC Phaseout Regulation is Nuts

[Elderberry]

The Post & Email by David Wojick 5/10/2021

As expected, EPA has issued a proposed rule for phasing out HFCs, as required by the so-called AIM Act that was sneaked in with the monster Omnibus Stimulus Bill in February. The severe problems with AIM are explained in my two prior CFACT articles:

1.   Economically destructive cap and trade for HFCs is here

https://www.cfact.org/2021/03/27/economically-destructive-cap-and-trade-for-hfcs-is-here

2. Crazy HFC phaseout is coming (part 2)

https://www.cfact.org/2021/04/04/crazy-hfc-phaseout-is-coming-part-2

The biggest and most ridiculous problem is that a widely used harmless chemical is being eliminated in the name of climate change. HFCs were substituted for CFCs, at great expense, because of the bogus ozone depletion scare. Now they too are being replaced because of another phony green scare: climate change. In fact this is by far the biggest climate change mandate to become law to date.

The second biggest problem is that this complex cap and trade program is being implemented without the needed information about who uses HFCs, how much they use, whether there are viable substitutes, etc.

EPA is flying blind, and flying fast, a dangerous combination. The law calls for a truly stupid fast rule making, given that EPA does not have the data it needs to build a workable cap and trade program. Final rules are due in September so there is no time to get it right. Economic disruption is almost guaranteed, the only question being how bad will it get?

The just issued proposed regs reflect this deep data shortage problem very strongly. In fact this is the strangest proposed rule I have ever seen. The basic idea of notice and comment rule making is that the entities being regulated get to point out the problems with the proposed rules, which hopefully are then fixed in the final rules. The HFC proposal is not working that way, far from it. Here is a quick look at just some of the crazy strangeness.

More: https://www.thepostemail.com/2021/05/10/epas-proposed-hfc-phaseout-regulation-is-nuts/