“Our members are committed to reducing the environmental impact of refrigerants,” said Talbot Gee, CEO of HARDI, in a joint press release. “However, the amended Part 494 rules are overly aggressive, lack clarity, and put unnecessary strain on businesses that are already working to comply with federal HFC phasedown requirements under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act. HARDI firmly believes that regulators must follow the law, and the best interest of the industry is to follow a single nationwide phasedown to prevent increased consumer costs.”

AHRI, which represents HVACR and water-heating equipment manufacturers, echoed Gee’s concerns.

“Our member companies take significant pride in providing affordable, energy-efficient, essential products and equipment that ensures the health, safety, productivity, and comfort of consumers in New York and all across the nation,” said Stephen Yurek, president and CEO of AHRI. “Long before New York proposed its amendments to Part 494, AHRI members had already invested billions of dollars in developing next-generation refrigerant technologies. New York’s regulations introduce additional costs and complexity into an ongoing transition and risk undermining the climate benefits already being achieved through these advancements.”

The lawsuit asserts that NYSDEC’s amended rule conflicts with the federal regulatory framework established under the AIM Act, which is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in contravention of the requirements included in the CLCPA. It also highlights the lack of adequate public engagement and economic analysis required under New York law, the press release said.

HARDI and AHRI are seeking to invalidate the revised portions of Part 494 and halt enforcement until the rulemaking process can be re-evaluated with stakeholder input and legal grounding that follows the EPA timelines, the press release said.