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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