EPA 5/19/2021
Proposed Rule - Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Establishing the Allowance Allocation and Trading Program under the AIM Act
https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction/proposed-rule-phasedown-hydrofluorocarbons-establishing-allowance-allocationThe AIM Act, which was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, directs EPA to phase down production and consumption of HFCs in the United States by 85 percent over the next 15 years. A global HFC phasedown is expected to avoid up to 0.5° Celsius of global warming by 2100.
This proposed rule is the first regulation under the AIM Act to address HFCs, which are potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigerators, air conditioners, and other applications.
This proposed rule would set the HFC production and consumption baseline levels from which reductions will be made, establish an initial methodology for allocating and trading HFC allowances for 2022 and 2023, and create a robust, agile, and innovative compliance and enforcement system. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on May 19, 2021.
• Federal Register link to Proposed Rule
• View the press release here
To view the proposed rule and the public docket on
http://www.regulations.gov, search for Docket ID number EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0044. Information on how to provide comments is provided in the proposed rule.
You may now also register for the virtual public hearing, which will take place on Thursday, June 3, 2021. Information on the hearing and registration instructions can be found here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/us-epa-tickets-154266690825. To support this rulemaking, EPA is also collecting data on the production, import, export, and destruction of bulk HFCs, as well as the use of HFCs solely for:
• a propellant in metered dose inhalers;
• defense sprays;
• structural composite preformed polyurethane foam for marine use and trailer use;
• the etching of semiconductor material or wafers and the cleaning of chemical vapor deposition chambers within the semiconductor manufacturing sector; or
• on board aerospace fire suppression.
If your company produced, imported, exported, and destroyed bulk HFCs, or used HFCs in one of these applications, please learn how to submit data here. You may view frequently asked questions concerning the HFC Allocation NPRM here.
You may need a PDF reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s About PDF page to learn more.
• HFC Allocation NPRM Federal Register (PDF)(74 pp, 1 MB)
• HFC Allocation NPRM Fact Sheet (PDF)(4 pp, 316 K)
• HFC Allocation NPRM FAQ (PDF)(9 pp, 560 K)
• Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis for Phasing Down Production and Consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) (PDF)(174 pp, 2 MB)
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