After causing years of uncertainty and economic hardship for the HVAC industry, the regional standards lawsuit appears to finally be resolved.
On Tuesday, March 11, the American Public Gas Association (APGA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) filed a joint settlement motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to vacate the contentious regional furnace efficiency standards while allowing for an 18-month sell-through period for distributors to comply with the air conditioner and heat pump standards, which take effect Jan. 1, 2015, and agreeing not to penalize distributors as part of any enforcement scheme for the Regional Standard. The motion now awaits court approval.