AHRI opposes House energy bill
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration
Institute is fighting an energy bill currently under consideration in the U.S.
House.
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute is fighting the energy bill currently under consideration in the U.S. House.
Association President Stephen Yurek said the bill would lead to unfair regional regulations and burdens on equipment makers, since it would eliminate most of the federal preemptions included in existing U.S energy policies.
"In its current form, the ACES (American Clean Energy and Security) Act would effectively allow any jurisdiction in the nation to enact its own energy policy through the use of prescriptive building codes, severely impacting the ability of heating, air conditioning, and commercial refrigeration manufacturers to provide products to residential and commercial customers in the most timely, efficient and economical way," Yurek said. "Allowing any building code, anywhere in the country, to specify an efficiency level for residential and commercial heating, cooling, and commercial refrigeration equipment would quite simply create marketing and distribution chaos for our member companies, distributors, and contractors, in addition to threatening thousands of American jobs at a time of economic turmoil and high unemployment.”
The group prefers the Senate’s approach, Yurek said, adding that the nation’s equipment manufacturers negotiated existing legislation in good faith with the understanding they would have clear rules to follow. The House legislation changes all that, he said.
“We have unequivocally kept our end of the bargain, and our products are more efficient than they have ever been. Up until now, Congress and regulatory agencies have kept their end of the bargain, as well,” Yurek said. “The result has been a very productive arrangement that has -- and will -- save the nation enormous amounts of energy - 54 quadrillion BTUs through 2030.
"We will vigorously oppose any attempt to change the rules that have worked so well to preserve American jobs, and protect American consumers and the environment," he said.
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The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute is fighting the energy bill currently under consideration in the U.S. House.
Association President Stephen Yurek said the bill would lead to unfair regional regulations and burdens on equipment makers, since it would eliminate most of the federal preemptions included in existing U.S energy policies.
"In its current form, the ACES (American Clean Energy and Security) Act would effectively allow any jurisdiction in the nation to enact its own energy policy through the use of prescriptive building codes, severely impacting the ability of heating, air conditioning, and commercial refrigeration manufacturers to provide products to residential and commercial customers in the most timely, efficient and economical way," Yurek said. "Allowing any building code, anywhere in the country, to specify an efficiency level for residential and commercial heating, cooling, and commercial refrigeration equipment would quite simply create marketing and distribution chaos for our member companies, distributors, and contractors, in addition to threatening thousands of American jobs at a time of economic turmoil and high unemployment.”
The group prefers the Senate’s approach, Yurek said, adding that the nation’s equipment manufacturers negotiated existing legislation in good faith with the understanding they would have clear rules to follow. The House legislation changes all that, he said.
“We have unequivocally kept our end of the bargain, and our products are more efficient than they have ever been. Up until now, Congress and regulatory agencies have kept their end of the bargain, as well,” Yurek said. “The result has been a very productive arrangement that has -- and will -- save the nation enormous amounts of energy - 54 quadrillion BTUs through 2030.
"We will vigorously oppose any attempt to change the rules that have worked so well to preserve American jobs, and protect American consumers and the environment," he said.
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