In the ongoing regional standards lawsuit, the American Public Gas Association (APGA) has filed a motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit asking that it reconsider its May 1 order, which stayed enforcement of the regional furnace standards rule, but also asked the parties to re-brief all of the main issues.
The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association is actively supporting bipartisan Senate legislation introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to deter metal theft.
While some industry leaders and organizations are cooperating with the DOE to develop the standards, others claim fan and blower regulation is unnecessary, redundant, and could negatively impact the industry.
Representatives from many of the industry’s manufacturers recently congregated in Washington, D.C., for two days of networking, lobbying, and discussing industry issues at this year’s annual Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) Public Policy Symposium.
A rule requiring all nonweatherized gas furnaces in the northern region adhere to a minimum 90 percent AFUE standard beginning May 1 will not be immediately enforced. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) declared that enforcement of the rule will not be pursued until the U.S. Court of Appeals rules on a pending lawsuit settlement agreement.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is reducing the amount of HCFC-22 that can be produced or imported to 62.8 million pounds in 2013.
For the first time, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is considering creating minimum efficiency standards for clean-water commercial and industrial pumps — and they’re calling on industry leaders, manufacturers, industry associations, and other organizations for input.