COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) announced that it has filed a motion responding to the proposed regional standards lawsuit settlement filed on Jan. 11, 2013, by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the American Public Gas Association (APGA). The proposed settlement agrees to withdraw the pending minimum energy conservation standards, including regional standards, for residential non-weatherized and mobile home gas furnaces. HARDI has filed to continue the lawsuit because the proposal does not address concerns related to air conditioners and heat pumps.
Under the proposed settlement, DOE would be required to conduct a notice and comment rulemaking procedure establishing new energy conservation standards for non-weatherized and mobile home gas furnaces. However, the proposed settlement does not eliminate the new energy conservation standards for residential air conditioners and heat pumps, including regional energy efficiency standards for those products.