BREAKING NEWS
EPA Teases Extending the Deadline for R-410A Equipment
Administrator Zeldin says refrigerant transition has been 'frantic and rushed'
RUSHED TRANSITION: The EPA Administrator has called the transition away from high-GWP refrigerants such as R-410A, “frantic and rushed.”
EPA administrator Lee Zeldin is raising eyebrows in the HVACR industry after a recent post on X, where he blasted the Technology Transitions (TT) rule. The rule is part of the AIM Act, which phases out high-GWP HFCs in new refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment, leading to what Zeldin has called a “frantic and rushed transition.”
“In turn, commercial costs at the grocery store went up, while residential access to affordable AC units, supplies, and maintenance became more difficult for the American people,” he posted. “The Trump EPA is now fixing it! Our formal proposal about to be released is focused on preserving access to affordable refrigerants and HVAC [systems] by allowing companies to continue installing systems that have already been manufactured or imported into the U.S., while not forcing Americans to replace their whole HVAC system when only part of it needs to be replaced.”
The TT rule, issued by EPA in October 2023 and revised in December 2023, established a 700 GWP limit for refrigerants in most new residential and light commercial comfort cooling equipment, effective January 1, 2025. The rule allows an additional year — until January 1, 2026 — to install new systems manufactured or imported before January 1, 2025.
Most industry groups support keeping the TT rule as written. Following Zeldin’s post, HARDI sent an email to members, strongly opposing any changes, and warning that revisions would create uncertainty. The group also noted that the AIM Act requires at least one year’s notice before altering compliance dates, meaning EPA cannot legally delay the 2026 deadline without risking lawsuits from environmental groups.
HARDI’s email continued, “EPA already granted the industry a one-year extension in December 2023 to prevent stranded R-410A inventory at the industry’s request. That relief was never intended as an additional year of R-410A sales. Meanwhile, market data shows 86% of central ducted systems sold this July used A2L refrigerants, putting the industry on track for a complete transition before the deadline.”
Zeldin sparked controversy earlier this year when he announced that EPA would take 31 actions under Trump’s Day One deregulation orders. Among them was reconsideration of the TT rule, which Zeldin said, “forces companies to use certain technologies that increased costs on food at grocery stores and semiconductor manufacturing.”
A proposal from EPA reconsidering the TT rule is currently under interagency review at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). After the review is completed, EPA will publish the proposal for public notice and comment.
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