We Support the AIM Act - Not Subsection (i)

The AIM Act's Unintended Consequences

Enacted in 2020, the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020 created a phasedown schedule for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), aiming to reduce high-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants through an orderly market-based allowance system. This framework was intended to give American industries the time and flexibility to transition to lower-GWP alternatives without unnecessary economic disruption.

However, in 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under authority granted by Subsection (i) of the Act, initiated sector-based restrictions on the use of certain HFCs far in advance of the phasedown schedule outlined in the law. These actions have resulted in:

• Severe market disruptions in critical industries such as HVAC and Refrigeration
• Limited refrigerant options due to the low GWP requirements with little time to research and develop. There are only a handful of refrigerants that meet this new requirement.
• Reduced product availability as the primarily used alternatives are under patent protection and only available from a couple manufacturers
• Higher equipment and installation costs for both contractors and consumers
• Small business hardship, particularly for independent contractors and local distributors without access to expensive training, new tools, or costly equipment conversions.