Keep Special Interests Out of Federal Rulemaking

The proliferation of the decisions of agencies such as the U.S. DOE [Department of Energy] and EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] into our industry has been increasingly prevalent since the mid ’80s. While it is agreed that energy efficiency is a good thing for the green purposes we are all aware of, I have not agreed with mandates that serve special interests. To implement rules and regulatory efforts in order to stop global warming has served to really hurt the end user. Consumers cannot repair older a/c systems due to phaseout of the equipment. Why are we having to recover R-410A for Pete’s sake?

I am passionately against federal mandates that dictate to any citizen how they connect to a power grid in order to “save the world” from our overuse of the energy available to all. A better method would be for all end users to be made to understand what energy waste really is. Dictating which choices are available to U.S. citizens by any government is a process that should stop.

Finally, I will allow the federal government some credit for researching and developing alternatives. But since education does not show an immediate return on that investment, I believe that mandates are set to attempt to force the public to comply with someone’s opinion of what is best for all of us. These mandates are proposed by various special interests, most of whom are enhancing their business interests and personal wealth.

Keep up the good work!

J. A. Kokinda
President/CEO
Professional HVAC/R Services Inc.
Avon, Ohio

Publication date: 04/02/2012