{In a letter addressed to Vice President-Elect Mike Pence, the HVACR Industry Alliance listed Senate ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol as one of its 2017 legislative/regulatory priorities for the Trump administration.}

The Kigali Amendment, approved by nearly 200 countries in October 2016, sets a timetable for developed and developing countries to phase down use of HFCs; the objective is that by the late 2040s, all countries would consume no more than 15% to 20% of their respective HFC baselines.

“The HVACR Alliance strongly supports Senate ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol and urges members of the Senate to align U.S. policy with the direction U.S. manufacturers are heading with regard to HFCs,” said the letter, signed by Peter T. Stalknecht, chairman of the HVACR Industry Alliance, which includes 11 North American HVAC&R trade associations. “If not ratified, U.S. manufacturers’ goods would not be able to be sold in those countries that have approved the Kigali amendment, which would have a devastating impact on U.S. manufacturing and employment.

Support for Senate ratification also comes from two executives at component manufacturer Danfoss – James Knudsen, North American segment leader for food retail, and Mark Menzer, director of public affairs. They expressed their support in an opinions piece published today in the January issue of Accelerate America magazine.

“This is a time for action for the U.S. Senate, which should ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol so that the U.S. can remain a leader in employing new refrigerant technologies,” wrote Knudsen and Menzer. “Industry players need to let their elected representatives know that the Kigali Amendment and the EPA SNAP rules enable companies to plan ahead with certainty, make investments in new-low GWP technology, and become global leaders in HVACR.”

In its letter to Pence, the HVACR Industry Alliance listed several other 2017 legislative/regulatory priorities, including: utilizing industry-consensus standards, tax reform and incentives, energy bill and EPCA (Energy Policy and Conservation Act) reform, energy-efficient quality HVACR installations, and workforce.

In regard to workforce, the HVACR Industry Alliance “asks the federal government to prioritize technical education support, especially in high schools, that highlight the benefits of employment careers in the skilled trades while promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.”

The HVACR Alliance pointed out that the EPCA, which the Department of Energy relies on to set energy efficiency standards for residential and commercial products and equipment, is over 40 years old and has not been updated. “Congress must make substantive modifications to various EPCA provisions that reflect the latest technology and trends rather than relying on outdated 40-year-old technology,” said the HVACR Industry Alliance letter.

The HVACR Industry Alliance includes the following trade groups: ACCA, AHRI, AMCA, ASHRAE, HARDI, HRAI, NAFA, NATE, PHCC, RSES and SMACNA.