Carper Criticizes Supreme Court Announcement on HFC Litigation, Calls for Passage of Bipartisan AIM Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s announcement that it will not hear litigation over an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation restricting certain hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used as refrigerants. This rejection lets stand a U.S. Court of Appeals decision authored by then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh allowing the continued use of the substance.

“Phasing down the usage of HFCs not only cuts emissions of a potent greenhouse gas, but it also supports American innovation. Both industry and environmental groups have long supported sensible limits placed on HFCs, but they found an unwilling partner in the Trump Administration, which is dedicated to dismantling even the most reasonable and consensus-driven environmental protections.  

“The Supreme Court’s announcement is another troubling step back in American leadership on climate change, and it hurts American exporters. Despite this news, it further proves the urgent need for congressional action to limit emissions of a substance that has far more powerful warming effects than carbon dioxide. My bipartisan bill with Senator Kennedy, the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, does just that by spurring a transition away from HFCs to American–made alternatives.”

In February, Senators Carper and John Kennedy (R-La.), introduced the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, which encourages the domestic production of more environmentally friendly alternatives and provides certainty to American manufacturers. In August, Senator Carper released a statement after the EPA asked the Supreme Court not to hear an appeal of a lower court decision regarding the regulation of HFCs under the Clean Air Act.

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