Standards and Legislation

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The only things certain in life are death and taxes — and this year, it’s also certain that small business owners are going to bear the brunt of even more taxes. 

As the country continues to claw its way out of a recession, a small number of multiemployer pension plans are still teetering on the precipice of insolvency. And, if those pension plans fail, beneficiaries would be forced to rely on the taxpayer-funded federal pension insurance system, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. (PBGC), which could lead to reduced benefits and added uncertainty. 

In addition to saving energy and reducing pollution, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo hopes the Build Smart NY initiative will also generate thousands of jobs, stimulate the economy, and save the state money in the long run.

The Departments of Energy and the Treasury recently announced they will be reallocating more than $150 million in tax credits for investments in manufacturing facilities for clean-energy technologies in Phase II of the 48C Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit. 

Designed to force a highly partisan Congress to agree to fiscal matters or face steep cuts, the ripple effects of the sequester may be felt by some in the HVACR industry, though many acknowledge that the degree to which the cuts are felt is yet to be determined. 

As the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is implemented in phases over several years, some HVACR business owners are fearful of the program’s potentially detrimental effect on the cost of employee health care coverage. 

Lead-by-example government initiatives also have the power to shift the HVACR market toward more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly products for homes and buildings nationwide.

In what has become a bit of a legal ping-pong match, the Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is making sure its voice is heard by the court regarding a future decision on a proposed regional-standards settlement.

Billy Cromedy, president of Advantage Contracting, Philadelphia, was brought to Washington in December 2012 as part of a White House business council meeting with minority business leaders from across the country to discuss the “fiscal cliff” and other matters related to small business.

People tend to use words like “complex” and “intense” to describe government regulations that impact the HVAC industry. These days, “rapidly changing” could also be applied, as the industry quickly shifts its plans to accommodate the potential change to the DOE’s regional furnace standard.