EPA announced the latest action to phase down the use of climate super-pollutant hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), issuing a final rule to implement a 40% reduction below historic levels from 2024 through 2028. The rule aligns with the bipartisan American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act's goals to reduce the production and consumption of these climate-damaging chemicals by 85% by 2036 and help avoid up to 0.5 ?C of global warming by 2100.

The final rule builds on the success of the 10% phasedown step implemented for 2022 and 2023, by establishing a similar allowance methodology to provide regulatory certainty to industry and stakeholders, ensuring the most efficient implementation under the ongoing phasedown.
The United States began this historic phasedown on January 1, 2022, with a reduction of HFC production and imports to 10% below historic baseline levels. Since then, allowances are needed to import and produce HFCs. Starting in 2024 the phasedown will be 40% below historic levels, a significant decrease in the number of available production and consumption allowances compared to previous years. HFC allowances for calendar year 2024 will be allocated by September 29, 2023. The phasedown schedule under this program is consistent with the schedule laid out in the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which the United States ratified in October 2022.