Per the AIM Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is mandating that by January 1, 2025, heat pumps use refrigerants with less than 700 GWP in most new residential and light commercial air conditioners. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation takes it a step further, as New York policymakers hope to move ahead with more aggressive HFC regulations. Its proposal would adopt a 20-year GWP (or, GWP20), which would prioritize gases with shorter lifespans. Supporters of the proposed rule believe that this will combat climate change, but those opposing say the draft regulation could leave New York residents without air conditioning or refrigeration. The rule also proposes (depending on equipment type) multiple step-downs in refrigerant requirements, with the final step-down requiring a GWP20 of less than 10 for almost all new air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. In addition, there will be stricter leak detection, monitoring, and repair regulations, along with bulk import restrictions on virgin and reclaimed refrigerant.

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