In the ongoing regional standards lawsuit, the American Public Gas Association (APGA) has filed a motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit asking that it reconsider its May 1 order, which stayed enforcement of the regional furnace standards rule, but also asked the parties to re-brief all of the main issues.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled favorably today on an emergency motion filed by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) requesting a stay of the May 1, 2013, compliance date for the implementation of regional furnace standards. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a statement noting that, pending resolution of the ongoing regional efficiency standards litigation, it will not enforce its new rules regarding EnergyGuide labels for residential gas furnaces.

A rule requiring all nonweatherized gas furnaces in the northern region adhere to a minimum 90 percent AFUE standard beginning May 1 will not be immediately enforced. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) declared that enforcement of the rule will not be pursued until the U.S. Court of Appeals rules on a pending lawsuit settlement agreement.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has today issued an enforcement policy statement regarding non-weatherized gas furnace standards while the regional standards lawsuit is still pending, indicating that DOE will not enforce the standards.

In March, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) filed a motion for a stay with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in the regional efficiency standards lawsuit to delay the May 1 compliance date for gas furnace standards. Since that time, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has filed a response and AHRI has replied.

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) officially filed a motion for a stay with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals requesting a delay of the May 1 compliance date for regional efficiency standards.

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) announced that it has submitted a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requesting a delay of the compliance date for the regional efficiency standards to be applied to gas furnaces, and also the filing for a stay of the compliance date with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The complex regulatory landscape that HVAC contractors must navigate is always shifting — and it received another jolt last month when news broke that the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) regional appliance standards for furnaces were potentially changing.