August decision ignored original directive, intent of EPA, companies say
The Chemours Co. and Honeywell have filed a petition for rehearing of an appeals court’s decision concerning the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA’s) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.
In August, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2-1 in favor of the plaintiffs in the case of Mexichem Fluor Inc. vs. the Environmental Protection Agency. The court said the EPA cannot ban HFCs under Section 612 of the Clean Air Act because that provision was designed only to address ozone-depleting substances. Although HFCs are among the greenhouse gases suspected of contributing to climate change, they do not deplete the ozone layer.